Parsha “Ekev” (for “Because,” or “it follows,” Deuteronomy 7:11-11:25) is, first, a set of promises that follows BECAUSE, or as a result, of the fact that we are to hear and obey His commandments. And as such, it’s also a contrast with what we see taught today.

The Erev Shabbat reading includes that, and more:

During the Sabbath Day midrash, Mark Call of Shabbat Shalom Mesa muses about the ‘giants’ (Rephaim, Anakim, Zamzuzim, et al) that Moses warned the mixed multitude they would deal with in the land. And HOW, since they were promised to prevail.

They were big and scary, but just how intelligent were they? Arguably, perhaps more so than we might think.

The theme again has idolatry at heart, and His hatred of it. “Do not even bring an abomination into your house,” lest you be accursed like it.

Could it be that He is also talking about the newly created AI gods, made of a different form of stone — silicon? But the lesson is the same, although the threat is greater.

The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash: