This cautioning of their one day being lured, particularly into following gods 'they did not know', seems strange. Would it be better if they were seduced into serving gods, they were more familiar with?

It seems that G-d tests us to determine if we truly love Him. If we succeed in overcoming the temptation to serve other gods, then obviously we must love him. But is that true, perhaps we only refrained ourselves out of fear of punishment?

Most troubling is the intimation in the verse that G-d needs to test us לדעת — to know whether we love Him.

Doesn't the omniscient G-d know who we truly are well before any test of allegiance?

This question lingers yet from the greatest of all tests — the Akeidah. When Avraham passed this final challenge of the Ten Tests, G-d declared, עתה ידעתי — "Now I know that you are a G-d-fearing man".

Didn’t G-d fathom the depth of Avraham's willingness without a need to test him?

One of the first appearances in Torah of the notion of דעת — knowledge, is the verse that describes וידע אדם — Now the man had known, את חוה — Chavah, אשתו — his wife, and she conceived.

'Knowing' is used here in its simplest meaning as a euphemism for the חיבור — the physical connection they engaged in that bore them a child.

Clearly this reference to their relationship as 'knowing' alludes to their exquisite emotional and spiritual connection they possessed as well.

When one is totally connected to another, attuned and aware of the other's character and personality in the deepest way, one can be said to really know the other.

The more profound the connection the greater is one's knowledge of the other.  

The search and discovery of a G-d that I see in every aspect of existence and experience not only creates a bond but a heightened level of consciousness and appreciation.

That state of awareness can be described as the only true state of existence, sensing 'real' life itself.

The Baal HaSulam taught that the verse that describes Adam having 'known' חוה —Chavah, a name Adam conferred on her, alludes to its association with the connotation of the term חויה which means an experience that leaves a deep impression. The Torah is revealing that it is only through the shared experiences of life that may we develop an appreciation that creates an unbreakable bond.

In the same vein, the relationship we have with G-d can only result from every moment of our lives being cognizant of His presence that reveals to us His greatness, creating an resilient connection of love.

When the Torah speaks of being influenced to serve god's that לא ידעתם, it is not indicating gods you are unaware of, but rather distant imagined god's that cannot bring about 'connection'. The search for powers the ancients worshiped was a misguided pursuit of a panacea that could bring one success without any interest of a  personal relationship with those entities.

Our being tested by G-d throughout the ages was never about G-d becoming aware of our love for Him, but for us to make it a reality by implementing in the course of our challenges, our loving allegiance, embedding into our bodies and souls an everlasting love branded into our being and future generations. (אור ה' רב חסדאי קרשקש ב,ב,ד)

When we bring that love to reality, G-d 'knows' and connects to us in an embrace of love, just as He expressed at the Akeidah, 'knowing', i.e. bonding, with Avraham for posterity.

As we herald the special days of Elul, an extraordinary opportunity to rediscover our bond with G-d, may we follow the advice of the Rambam to immerse ourselves in the מי הדעת — 'waters of knowledge', removing ourselves from the distractions that seek to contaminate us, and reacquaint ourselves with the Almighty who is eagerly waiting to be discovered.

באהבה,

צבי יהודה טייכמאן