THE CHOSEN PEOPLE ISRAEL AND THE NATIONS Prepared by Ner Le’Elef THE CHOSEN PEOPLE ISRAEL AND THE NATIONS Prepared by Ner Le’Elef Publication date 05 November 2007 Permission is granted to reproduce in part or in whole. Profits may not be gained from any such reproductions. This book is updated with each edition and is produced several times a year. Other Ner Le’Elef Booklets currently available: AMERICAN SOCIETY BOOK OF QUOTATIONS EVOLUTION HILCHOS MASHPIAH HOLOCAUST JEWISH MEDICAL ETHICS JEWISH RESOURCES LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT ORAL LAW PROOFS QUESTION & ANSWERS SCIENCE AND JUDAISM SOURCES SUFFERING THIS WORLD & THE NEXT WOMEN’S ISSUES (Book One) WOMEN’S ISSUES (Book Two) For information on how to order additional booklets, please contact: Ner Le’Elef P.O. Box 14503 Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem 91145 E-mail: [email protected] Fax #: 972-02-653-6229 Tel #: 972-02-651-0825 Page 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW 7 SUGGESTED OUTLINE FOR THE CHOSEN PEOPLE 8 CHAPTER A: THE FACT OF OUR CHOSEN-NESS 9 and is a central tenet of תנ”ך i- The fact of our chosen-ness is clear throughout Judaism ii- Our chosen-ness is proven by numerous things a- Our survival despite anti-Semitism, size and dispersion b- Anti-Semitism תורה c- Historical verification of the d- Fulfillment of prophecies iii- Jewish contribution to civilization CHAPTER B: HOW WE CAME TO BE CHOSEN, AND IS THAT FAIR? 29 i- Equality of opportunity ii- Judaic ideal: no chosen nation, all man chosen iii- G-d chose Abraham because Abraham chose G-d a- We had to prove ourselves over many generations b- Had we not made this commitment, the world would have been destroyed iv- Even then, up to and including Sinai, nations could still choose central spiritual role non-Jews not ;תורה a- However, Jews predisposed to accepting the was still made תורה שבכתב the ,תורה b- Even though non-Jews rejected the available to them as a non-binding document c- After Sinai, spirituality through the Jews any individual could join the nation ,סיני v- Even after vi- Even as gentiles, can still fulfill themselves as individuals is the only legitimate source of universal rights צלם אלוקים vii- Belief in CHAPTER C: CHOSEN FOR WHAT? 40 i- Chosen for responsibilities; enormous consequences for non-fulfillment; not privileged in the normal sense ii- The land of Israel: A case-study in responsibility a- Given conditionally b- Relatively small c- Warned not to enter other lands d- Ongoing miracle of the Land e- Miraculous return and survival in modern times iii- The existence of the world is dependent on someone accepting this responsibility iv- Caring for the broader mission of the world אור לגויים-a b- Concern for the spiritual fulfillment of the world v- Judaism recognizes that spiritual completion involves the whole world; Jews the heart, non-Jews the body Page 3 CHAPTER D: RACIAL TOLERANCE 49 i- Jews comprise a complete cross section of races ii- Anyone can convert iii- Only one parent (the mother) is required for status attitudinal - גר that apply to the מצוות -iv CHAPTER E: RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE 52 i- Limitations to tolerance and freedom a- Absolute values b- Caring c- Other freedoms d- Other values ii- Followers of religions which are Noachide-consistent get the World to Come stresses this in three places רמב"ם -a b- Minimum civilized standards c- Applications (Christianity and Islam) d- Therefore, we minimize proselytization CHAPTER F: RESPECT FOR OTHER NATIONS 59 i- Different nations have different spiritual input to (נצוצות קדושה) ii- Ideally, each nation would contribute its spiritual creativity the whole the Jewish nation must draw this into themselves ,משיח iii- In practice, until גרים a- Through and energy of that nation into the מדות b- Through incorporating the positive practice of their own Yiddishkeit CHAPTER G: LAWS THAT GOVERN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NON-JEW 63 i- Introduction ii- Discriminatory laws רבית -a שמיטה b- Claiming a loan after c- Compensation discrimination השבת אבידה -d שבת e- Saving a life on f- Revenge g- Judging in the best interests of the Jew לשון הרע -h iii- Separating laws כשרות -a b- Intermarriage חקת העכו"ם -c מילה -d קרבן פסח e- Not to participate in the f- Not to appoint a gentile king יין נסך -g iv- Equalizing laws חסד -a b- Contribution to society Page 4 לא תחנם -c שלום וכבוד -d e- Honesty APPENDIX A: ANTI-SEMITISM 79 i- 11th century until today a- Expulsions b- The Crusades c- Blood libels d- Book burning e- Spanish Inquisition f- Pale of Settlement g- Pogroms h- Cantonment i- Anti-Zionist j- Genocide ii- Recent anti-Semitism a- Black anti-Semitism b- Feminism c- Christianity moves away from anti-Semitism d- Anti-Israel and modern anti-Semitism e- The far right f- Russia iii- Statements against the Chosen Nation idea a- Jewish b- Non-Jewish APPENDIX B: SEVEN NOACHIDE LAWS 131 i- The seven laws ii- Seven roots – many branches iii- Other laws APPENDIX C: EXCEPTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS 144 i- Introduction מצרי ואדומי -a מואבי, עמוני -b כנעני -c עמלקים -d מצרי, אדומי, עמוני ומואבי -ii עמלק וכנענים -iii כנענים and to evict/destroy the עמלק a- Reasons for the need to destroy כנענים b- Reasons for the today עמלק c- The status of כנענים d- Current status of the APPENDIX D: OBLIGATIONS AFFECTING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NON-JEWS 152 דינא דמלכותא דינא -i דרכי האמורי/חוקת העכו"ם -ii Page 5 APPENDIX E: MISCELLANEOUS 155 i- Language, phrases, quickies ii- Readings a- Primary b- Secondary c- The Noachide laws iii- Audio INDEX 159 Page 6 OVERVIEW When dealing with the Chosen People, there are basically four major themes: 1. The ‘proofs’ that we are chosen – the amazing fact that we survived at all; our contribution to civilization; the uniqueness of anti-Semitism and the accurate predictions of the prophecies concerning us. 2. Chosen for what? We were chosen for obligations, not privileges; at least not privileges in the earthly sense of the word. 3. Given that we are chosen, we nevertheless have a very sensitive and responsible attitude towards the nations and religions of the world. 4. How do we deal with Jewish laws that discriminate against non-Jews? There are extreme cases of this, such as the mitzvah to kill Amalek; but there are also milder cases of discrimination, the most problematic of which is the prohibition to save a non-Jewish life on Shabbos. Page 7 SUGGESTED OUTLINE FOR THE CHOSEN PEOPLE A- THE PRIMARY ARGUMENT 1- The fact of our chosen-ness: The four proofs of this (Chapter A) 2- Judaism believes in: (i) Equality of opportunity (Chapter B I V ii) (ii) Universalism (Chapter B ii) GIVEN THIS: 1- How did it happen that we came to be chosen? (Chapter B, iii-iv) 2- What were we chosen for? 3- What is our attitude to non-Jews? (i) How does the non-Jew fulfill himself? • Noachide laws (Chapter B vi, E ii) (Chapter B v; D iii-iv; F iii) גרות • • National and religious spirituality (Chapter F i and ii) (ii) Our obligation: (Chapter C iv) תקון עולם - Chosen-ness for the sake of the world • • Concern for spiritual fulfillment of the world (Chapter C v-vi) B- QUESTIONS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION:1 1- Racial (Chapter D) 2- National (Chapter F) 3- Religious (Chapter E) (Chapter G)מצוות Specific 4- 5- Why can the Jews not be un-chosen? (Chapter C ii, Appendix E iv) :that can be culled from these notes שעורים Suggested additional (See Index at back for more titles) ANTI-SEMITISM A ii c and Appendix A THE LAND OF ISRAEL C iii ISSUES OF EQUALITY E i (can also be used for women’s issues) Equality B Freedom and equality D ii, Appendix F viii NOACHIDE LAWS Appendix B THE ROLE OF NON-JEWS IN THE WORLD B ii, iv-vi; C vi DISCRIMINATORY LAWS G TOLERANCE D, E, F Absolute vs. relative values in particular E i, Appendix F in particular vii-ix UNIVERSALISM B iv; C v-vi; F PROOFS OF THE TORAH A ii (briefly referred to here; to be dealt with more extensively in a subsequent booklet) ___________________________________________________________________________ 1 Many people don’t include this selection in a shiur on the Chosen People. However, these issues often come up during question time. Page 8 CHAPTER A: THE FACT OF OUR CHOSEN-NESS and is a central tenet of תנ”ך i- The fact of our chosen-ness is clear throughout Judaism ii- Our chosen-ness is proven by numerous things: a- Our survival despite anti-Semitism, size and dispersion 1- Miracle within miracle #1: Our size 2- Miracle within miracle #2: Dispersion 3- Miracle within miracle #3: Repetition of the miracles 4- Survival for a purpose b- Anti-Semitism תורה c- Historical verification of the 1- The Jews were historically hugely skeptical and therefore demanded a high level of proof 2- No other nation even attempted to make such a claim 3- The revelation was in front of the whole nation 4- The revelation was supported by miracles, which were characterized by unique factors d- Fulfillment of prophecies iii- Jewish contribution to civilization Page 9 CHAPTER A: THE FACT OF OUR CHOSENNESS In numerous .תנ”ך The reality of the Jews as the Chosen Nation is clear throughout .states that the Jewish Nation is separate, holy and G-d's treasured nation2 תורה places the תפילה This concept is also a central tenet of Judaism, as we see it displayed in many parts of and Jewish customs3.