This week’s episode of Torah Pearls (Season 3) is titled Interrupting Moses, as Jono Vandor, Ross K. Nichols of the Horeb Institute, and Ezra—the AI “textpert”—take a critical look at the portion Re’eh (Deut 11:26–16:17).

We begin with Moses setting before Israel “a blessing and a curse,” a covenant ceremony tied to Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Our discussion dives into the age-old debate over the true location of these mountains before considering the interruption that follows—the sudden insertion of the central Law Code (Deut 12–26). Is this the heart of Deuteronomy, or was it added later? Intriguingly, the Shapira Manuscript omits it altogether, suggesting an earlier form of the book without this section.

From there, we trace themes of centralized worship, the challenge of false prophets, distinctive dietary laws, and the radical call of the “year of release.” We also compare these texts with discoveries from the Dead Sea Scrolls, including The Moses Scroll, asking what these differences reveal about the making of Deuteronomy.

Watch this episode [⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠]