Parsha "Ekev" (for "Because," or "it follows," Deuteronomy 7:11-11:25) is 

The Erev Shabbat reading includes that, and more:

[audio mp3="https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/SSM-8-15-25-Ekev-teaching-podcast-xxx.mp3"][/audio]

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.

<strong>
Ekev:  "Ekev  Big Scary Giants - Then and Now...But were they Smart, too?"</strong>

[audio mp3="https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/WT-CooH-8-16-25-Ekev-Big-Scary-Giants-and-ASI-too-podcast-xxx.mp3"][/audio]

The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash: