Kommentar zu Dewarim 12:31

כי גם את בניהם FOR ALSO THEIR SONS [AND THEIR DAUGHTERS HAVE THEY BURNT IN THE FIRE TO THEIR GOD] — The word גם, “also”, is intended to include amongst those they used to burn, their parents also. R. Akiba related, “I once saw a heathen who bound his father before his dog which thereupon devoured him” (Sifrei Devarim 81:6).

כי כל תועבת ה' אשר שנא עשו לאלוהיהם, for even the manner in which they worshipped their idols is largely completely abhorrent in the eyes of the Lord.

כי גם את בניהם ואת בנותיהם ישרפו באש לאלוהיהם, “for they even burn their sons and daughters by fire in honour of their gods.” Clearly, it must be an abomination to G’d to have His creatures burned when they are free from sin. Moses, in insisting that the Israelites observe כל הדברים all the words that he had commanded them, warns that they must neither add so-called “improvements” of their own, nor must they abolish part of the ritual G’d had commanded them. Our sages (Sanhedrin 60) derive from this verse that one is culpable for worshipping idolatry even when one does so in a manner which is most disrespectful according to our mores, seeing it is the method such deities are being worshipped by those believing in them. According to the plain meaning of the text, the פשט, Moses warns at the beginning of the verse: “you must not do so to (or even for) the Lord your G’d,” i e. to worship G’d as they do, on every hill, and in every valley. Neither must you convert such sites to henceforth serve as houses of worship for Hashem.

Before his dog, who then ate him. כלבו (his dog) was his god. ואכלו (and ate him) is the equivalent of burning in fire. With this understanding, the words of R’ Akiva are a proof to Rashi’s explanation [regarding the word, “Even.”].

V. 31. לא תעשה כן וגו׳. Nicht nur ihren Göttern darfst du solche Verehrungsweisen nicht zuwenden, sondern selbst deinem Gott, dem einen Einzigen sie in vermeintlicher Verehrung zuzuwenden, ist Verbrechen. Denn der Sinn ihrer Götterverehrungen steht in geradem Gegensatz zu dem deinem Gotte Wohlgefälligen, wie dein Gott die gerade Verneinung ihrer Götter ist. Dein Gott ist ein Gott des Lebens, und Todesgötter sind die Götter ihres Wahns. An Vernichtung weiden sich die Götter ihres Wahns, Erhebung und Lebensverjüngung ist das Wohlgefallen deines Gottes.

אשר שנא, “which He hates;” He hates these rituals even if you employ them in order to serve Him;” it would enrage him.