Why the Obsession with Israel?

I do not see a way of rationally explaining the obsessive hatred to Israel and Jews without the faith that Jews are G-d’s chosen people to make the world a place of goodness and kindness.

The obsession with Jews, a people that does not even constitute a quarter of a percent of humanity, is going on for almost 4000 years. It makes no sense. 500,000 people were murdered in Syria, including tens of thousands of children, and I did not hear of one demonstration. Israel is trying to protect its children from being slaughtered, fighting an enemy that wants its own children to die, so Israel can be demonized, and yet the Jews are condemned.

Traumatized self-hating Jews and anti-Semites even have the chutzpah to call Gaza a Jewish “concentration camp,” when Israel expelled every last Jew from Gaza in 2005. Had the Gaza population not voted in Hamas in 2006 and chosen to spend all its resources to murder Jews, Gaza could have been the Singapore of the Middle East. They blame Israel for having checkpoints, which only exist because without them, there would be terrorists’ attacks on a daily basis. They want an airport in Gaza, so that planes can murder tens of thousands of Jews daily?

The obsession with Israel makes no sense unless you can appreciate the truth that we are G-d’s people. We were chosen to serve as a light onto the nations, a Divine flame lit on the cosmic way, hence we trigger the world in unimaginable ways.

But this is not easy for Jews to accept, even though the world knows it. Virtually every other nation has perceived itself as chosen or otherwise divinely special. For example, China means “Middle Kingdom” in Chinese – meaning that China is at the center of the world; and Japan considers itself the land where the sun originates (“Land of the Rising Sun”). The British thought they were chosen, and the Muslims and Christians of course see themselves as chosen. And they would love hearing it. But when you tell a Jew you are chosen, he says: “Me? Never. I am just a human being.”

Of course, Jewish chosen-ness cannot be racist because Jews are not a race; there are Jews of every race. What is more, any person of any race, ethnicity, or nationality can become a member of the Jewish people and thereby be as chosen as Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Maimonides, or the chief rabbi of Israel.

Can reason alone explain how a hodgepodge of ex-slaves was able to change history — to introduce the moral Creator we know as G-d, to devise ethical monotheism; to write&nbsp;the world’s most influential book, the Bible; to be the only civilization to deny the cyclical worldview and give humanity belief in a linear (i.e., purposeful) history; to provide morality-driven prophets; and so much more — without G-d playing the decisive role in this people’s history?

But we are still uncomfortable. Why did it have to be this way? Who needs this idea that one people is chosen? It seems unenlightened. To suggest that as Jews we are somehow closer to G-d than all other nation smacks of arrogance, elitism, and prejudice.

It’s because we don’t understand what “chosen” means. &nbsp;

The Rebbe’s 1798 Letter

This story takes us back some two centuries ago. In 1798, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), founder of Chabad, known as the Alter Rebbe, was arrested and charged with treason, on the basis of petitions to the Czar by opponents of Chassidism. It was a devastating moment in Jewish history. He could have been given capital punishment, heaven forbid—and that would have been the end not only of Chabad, but of much of the Chassidic movement, as he was its chief defender, intellectual advocate, and most influential figure. After 53 days of imprisonment, he was exonerated of all charges and freed. The event—celebrated to this day on the 19th day of Kislev, this Shabbos December 2 —marked the decisive victory of the Chassidic movement and the onset of a new, expanded phase in the exploration and dissemination of the infinite spiritual depth of Judaism, embodied in Chassidism.&nbsp;

Upon his release, Rabbi Schneur Zalman dispatched a short but powerful letter to all his followers. It is one of the most extraordinary letters one can read. (It is published in Tanya, Igeres Hakodesh, chapter 2). The Rebbe suffered so much as a result of his opponents; they persecuted him and his followers even before the arrest; then came the arrest and his terrifying trial. Yet in this letter, he warns his disciples against any display of haughtiness&nbsp;as a result of their victory. He instructs them not to denigrate,&nbsp;tease, and show disdain to those who craved their downfall.

The letter opens with the verse stated by Jacob in Genesis: “I have become small by all the kindnesses and by all the truth that You have done Your servant.” (This verse appears in the beginning of the Torah section of Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43), which was the Torah reading for the Shabbat preceding the day of Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s release, Tuesday, 19 Kislev, 5759-1798). The Alter Rebbe is perturbed by the obvious question. Why was Jacob humbled by all the kindness he was shown? Why did it not bolster his pride? If G-d gave this all to me, I probably deserve it!&nbsp;

תניא אגרת הקודש סימן ב: פי' שבכל חסד וחסד שהקדוש ב"ה עושה לאדם צריך להיות שפל רוח במאד, כי חסד דרועא ימינא. וימינו תחבקני. שהיא בחי' קרבת אלהים ממש ביתר שאת מלפנים. וכל הקרוב אל ה' ביתר שאת והגבה למעלה מעלה, צריך להיות יותר שפל רוח למטה מטה כמ"ש מרחוק ה' נראה לי. וכנודע דכולא קמי' דווקא כלא חשיב. וא"כ כל שהוא קמי' יותר הוא יותר כלא ואין ואפס וזו בחי' ימין שבקדושה וחסד לאברהם שאמר אנכי עפר ואפר. וזו היא ג"כ מדתו של יעקב... משא"כ בזלע"ז הוא ישמעאל חסד דקליפה. כל שהחסד גדול הוא הולך וגדל בגובה וגסות הרוח ורוחב לבו.

The Alter Rebbe conveys a profound idea.&nbsp;

Who Chose You?

In the Jewish understanding, chosenness leads not to arrogance, but rather to humility. If it were some human king who chose us to be his special people, then your assumption would be correct — we would become elitists. When a mortal power shows favoritism towards a subject, that subject will become more arrogant as a result — the closer you are to the king, the more significant you are, and the more significant you are the higher respect you feel you deserve.

But we were chosen by G-d. And the closer you are to G‑d, the more you sense your insignificance. While being buddy-buddy with a human leader inflates your ego, a relationship with G‑d bursts your selfish bubble. Because G‑d is an infinite being, and all delusions of petty self-importance fall away when you stand before infinity. Being close with G‑d demands introspection and self-improvement, not smugness.

In Judaism, G-d is the core of reality—the entire reality of existence. We are all part of reality, we are all in reality; we are all part of G-d, in G-d, in reality. There is an organic oneness that unites all of existence, all of humanity, all of the cosmos—and that organic unity is what we call G-d. “Hashem Echad,” G-d is one, does not only mean there is one G-d and not twenty gods; it means that G-d is synonymous with oneness. The word G-d is another way of saying that “there is only one.” There is oneness that pervades all of existence. We are all reflections of One reality; One core. We are all manifestations—diverse expressions—of a singular reality.

To be conscious of G-d means to never allow your ego to wrap you in its superficial imagination. “Ego” stands for Easing G-d Out. When I do not realize my true greatness and value, as a reflection of G-d’s infinite oneness, I must resort to my ego to feel good about myself and to put you down. Becoming G-d conscious means that at every moment I need not protect my ego, as I become completely comfortable with my true reality, as an expression of Divine light. The more G-d conscious I am, the smaller I become and the greater I become: On one level I become nothing, as there is nothing but the organic oneness, the absolute infinity of G-d, which pervades all. At the same time—I become the greatest, as my life becomes a full and seamless expression of the higher, unifying, integrating, eternal consciousness of the eternal core of all reality.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Being close to G-d summons you to respect others more, not less. The more G-d conscious, the more loving and charitable you become, as you are aware that G-d’s light pervades every person and every creature.&nbsp;When in the name of chosenness a person becomes bigoted, disrespectful, elitist and arrogant—they missed the boat. When you become aware of G-d choosing you, it eliminates the judgementalism we resort to in order to protect our egos and feel better about ourselves and our place in the world. Your success never equals my failure. I reflect one aspect of G-d, as you reflect another one.

This is the idea of the Chosen People — a nation of individuals who have been given the opportunity to sense G‑d's closeness, hear His truth and relay His message to the world. All agree that it was the Jews that introduced the world to monotheism and a system of ethics and morals that has shaped the modern view of life and its purpose. And it is the survival of Judaism to this day that attests to the eternal value of this system.

Anyone from any ethnic background can convert to Judaism and become chosen. Jewish chosenness is not a gene, it is a state of the soul. Anyone wishing to take it upon themselves is welcome -- as long as they are ready to have their bubble burst. Anyone can join this group of “chosen people” as long as they are ready to experience themselves as nothing…

And that is a Jew.

And that is why so many people loathe the Jewish people.

We have been chosen to teach each and every person alive that each of them has been chosen—to serve G-d and become an ambassador of love, light, and goodness to His world.

What Did Chosen-ness Do To Us?

When I look at our people, I ask myself one question: Has our belief that we are the chosen people turned us into murderous people who feel they have the right to abuse, persecute, target, and annihilate other cultures and peoples who are different? Or has it made us feel responsible to share, give, contribute, and help others? Has the idea of Chosen People turned us into people who are never introspective, or perhaps into the most self-critical and introspective nation on earth? (Often, the worst critics of Israel are Jews!)

The true test of chosenness is how humble you are. Most Jews today have passed this test with flying colors. Their humility is so deep, it doesn't allow them to accept that they are chosen. While most other religious groups are quite comfortable claiming that they are the best, we Jews will do anything to say that we are nothing special. Now that's what we call a Chosen People!

Katonti!

This, explained Rabbi Schneur Zalman, was the hallmark of Jacob. To the self-absorbed person, a kindness from G-d is proof of his own significance and worth.&nbsp;To the spiritually mature person, however, a kindness from G-d is, first and foremost, an act of divine love: G-d is drawing the person closer to Him. And the closer one comes to G-d, the more one realizes one’s own insignificance in the face of the divine infinity.

This is what it means to think as a Jew. When you were blessed with a gift, when you were showered with a blessing—the first instinct of the Jew is: Katonti! I am humbled.&nbsp;

This, the Alter Rebbe taught, must be the response of his followers to the grace they have seen: to become far more humble, authentic, and Divine. To suspend their egos and become channels for Divine oneness.

When we realize we have been chosen, we cultivate a healthy confidence that comes not from ego but from humility. It is about respecting our role as Divine ambassadors for goodness and truth. Then we never duck to the pressure of those who want us to compromise our eternal mission to eliminate evil and cultivate goodness.&nbsp;

(<a href="https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/160993/jewish/Are-the-Jews-the-Chosen-People.htm">My thanks to Rabbi Aron Moss for his article on the topic</a>).

The Meaning of &ldquo;Chosen People&rdquo;

Why the Obsession with Israel and Jews?

Essay Parshas Vayishlach/Yud-Tes Kislev

Are Jews the Chosen People?

Two Perspectives&nbsp;

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go camping together, they put up a tent and go inside to enjoy a tranquil rest near the fire. In middle of the night, Sherlock turns to Dr. Watson and says, "So what are you thinking about now"?&nbsp;

Watson responds: "Sherlock! This is awesome. I'm gazing at the celestial stars hovering above us, I'm overwhelmed by the romantic splendor of the night, and I'm engulfed by the picturesque view of the Double Decker.&nbsp;

"And what are you thinking about"?&nbsp;asks&nbsp;Watson.&nbsp;

"That someone stole our tent," Sherlock replies.&nbsp;

Tribute, Prayer, and War&nbsp;

Following thirty-four years of separation from his parents, Jacob sets out with his family to return from Mesopotamia to his home in the Land of Israel. On his way, he learns that his brother Esau is advancing toward him with an imposing army of 400 troops.&nbsp;&nbsp;

the Torah relates in the opening of the portion of&nbsp;Vayishlach how Jacob prepares&nbsp;for his onfrontation with Esau through a three-pronged strategy of "tribute, prayer, and war<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>." Jacob first sent lavish gifts to Esau to assuage&nbsp;his wrath. These gifts included goats, ewes, camels, cows, bulls, and donkeys. Next, Jacob engaged in a heartfelt prayer, surrendering himself and his fate to G-d's compassion. Finally, Jacob readied himself and his family for war with Esau.

The Daily Battle&nbsp;

The stories in the Torah are not just events that occurred at a certain point in history, involving particular characters. They are also reflections of spiritual and emotional episodes that occur continuously in every human heart.&nbsp;

Man is a duality: He is a mountain of dust and a vision of G-d. The twin brothers Jacob and Esau embody, respectively, these polar forces within the human&nbsp;person<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a>. Esau embodies our self-centered, egotistical, and animalistic identity, while Jacob personifies our transcendent, spiritual and idealistic soul.&nbsp;

The enmity and rivalry between the siblings reflect the tension and struggle between the two forces in&nbsp;our&nbsp;lives: the struggle between our ego and our humbleness, between our selfish cravings and our noble aspirations, and between our impulsive lusts and our altruistic yearnings.&nbsp;

None of us is exempt from this daily confrontation with "Esau." We constantly are overwhelmed with materialistic burdens, selfish moods, and immoral appetites. The incessant demands of our selfish and beastly consciousness present a threat to kill the "Jacob" within us.&nbsp;&nbsp;

How does one deal with these potent forces, which, seemingly, are much more powerful than the holy forces within us? We must employ Jacob's three-step program of tribute, prayer, and war.&nbsp;

Honoring Your Animal&nbsp;

First of all, we must grant Esau some of our assets. We have to acknowledge the animal consciousness living within us and honor its presence by granting it its needs. We must eat, sleep, exercise, earn a living and engage in an ongoing relationship with the physical world around us. The animal soul deserves to receive a lavish daily tribute from us, which includes our time, energy, and resources.&nbsp;

Yet, how do we ensure that we don't overdo it? How do we guarantee that our daily tributes to the animal identity within us will not place it at the center of our lives, supplanting the spiritual soul as the true core of our identity?&nbsp;&nbsp;

For this, Jacob must engage in prayer. "Rescue me," Jacob prays as Esau approaches, "from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau. I am afraid of him, for he may come and smite me<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a>." Why the redundancy "from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau"?&nbsp;

There would be no need to fear Esau's influence if we were detached from the Esau reality; if we were to live as spiritual ascetics. Yet Judaism demands that Esau become our "brother;" that we engage our bodily and animal needs, and that we deal with the physical world around us. Under these conditions, the only way we can ensure that Esau does not dominate and control our lives is through prayer.&nbsp;

The Gift of Prayer&nbsp;

What is prayer? Just as there is a time to engage the animal soul and pay tribute to its needs and desires, there is a time each day when we let go of our physical identity and enter into the transcendental oasis of our soul. It is the time when we put the ego to sleep and we discover our inner love and spirituality.&nbsp;

All day, we think about our tents; during prayer, we focus on the stars, on the splendor and meaning of life.&nbsp;

Have you ever experienced the power of prayer? Sadly, most synagogues are more like cemeteries or chicken markets rather than spiritual islands where one may return home to his soul. That's a pity, because lacking the daily experience of genuine prayer we inevitably become vulnerable to the onslaught from the Esau within<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref4')">[4]</a>.&nbsp;

For example, when you don't pray, meditate and connect to your soul in the morning, you often lack the courage and vision to control the food addiction of the Esau-impulse and you engage in an unhealthy breakfast. When you go to the office, you may lack the fortitude to conduct your business affairs honestly. Prayer ensures that the tribute we present to our animal soul does not exhaust us completely till we have nothing left to call our own.&nbsp;

Under the Knife&nbsp;

Yet, all of the above does not suffice. Jacob must also prepare himself for war. Some of the urges and passions of our animal soul cannot be dealt with through prayer alone. We must declare war against them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At times during the day or the night, we are overtaken by a powerful, animalistic Esau-like urge that is burning in our hearts like a baker's furnace. At such a moment there is only one thing to do: You must take your fist, punch the impulse in its face and get on with your life. War is a nasty thing, but at times it is our only hope to survive the onslaught of a demon that is determined to kill us<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref5')">[5]</a>.&nbsp;

A story:&nbsp;

One of the great Chassidic masters,&nbsp;Reb&nbsp;Simcah&nbsp;Bunam&nbsp;of&nbsp;Pshescah, once remarked that the true definition of a spiritual man is he who always imagines his head lying in a guillotine, his&nbsp;Yatzer&nbsp;Harah&nbsp;(unhealthy inclination) hovering above it, ready to chop off his head at a moment's call.&nbsp;

"But&nbsp;Rebbe," asked one of the Chassidim, "what if one does not have that feeling?"&nbsp;&nbsp;

"In that case," the&nbsp;Rebbe&nbsp;responded, "his head has been chopped off already<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref6')">[6]</a>."&nbsp;

 
<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Rashi, Genesis 32:9, quoting Midrash Tanchumah.&nbsp;<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> This is discussed in many of the mystical writings.&nbsp;<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> Genesis 32:12.&nbsp;<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn4')">[4]</a> See Tanya chapters 12 and 28.&nbsp;<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn5')">[5]</a> See Rashi to Talmud&nbsp;Berochos&nbsp;5a.&nbsp;Tanya chapters 12, 27, 29.&nbsp;<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn6')">[6]</a> This essay is based on the writings of Rabbi&nbsp;Schneur&nbsp;Zalman&nbsp;of&nbsp;Liadi, briefly transcribed in "LeTorah&nbsp;U'lmoadim" (by Rabbi Shlomo Yosef&nbsp;Zevin) p. 46.&nbsp;

Jacob's Three-Step Program toward Serenity - Tribute, Prayer and War

Tribute, Prayer and War

Essay Vayishlach

Jacob's Three-Step Program toward Serenity

We find contradicting perspectives on Jacob&rsquo;s approach. Sometimes the Midrash and commentators seem to criticize Jacob for displaying subservience to Esau, going so far as to say that &ldquo;Jacob awakened a sleeping robber,&rdquo; and that it was his display of subservience that actually empowered Esau. After twenty years of working for Laban, Jacob begins his journey home, and now must confront the brother that he fled from so many years ago, Esau. Jacob chooses to initiate the meeting, and reaches out to Esau, sending messengers to ask for his favor and forgiveness. He also prepares an elaborate gift of herd after herd of sheep, goats, cows, donkeys, and camels. Then when Esau approaches Jacob shows him respect and humility, actually bowing down seven times.
But other times we find that great Rabbis learned and emulated Jacob&rsquo;s example in their own dealings with non-Jewish authorities. Indeed, in the time of the Second Temple, the Rabbis advocated surrender to the Romans and felt that it would have even prevented the destruction. How are we to reconcile this? And today, especially after the establishment of the State of Israel, the question is as relevant as ever: Do we compromise, or do we resist? Do we accommodate and adapt, or do we hold strong unflinchingly? Do we seek the favor of the world in which we live, or do we disregard its opinion? When do we surrender, and when do we rebel?
This class will navigate this fine line between self-assertiveness and self-effacement, and define clearly when a situation calls for one and when it calls for the exact other. We will travel through some of the most historic eras of Jewish history: the times of King Achaz, the prophet Achiya Hashiloni, Rabbi Judah the Prince, and Rabbi Yochan ben Zakkai. We will see the decisions that were made then, and then, in hindsight, discuss the results.

How Much Do We Compromise? How Much Do We Resist?

The Jew Vs. The World

Thank you

Thank ypu so much!!

This class was presented on Tuesday, 9 Kislev, 5785, December 10, 2024, Parshas Vayishlach, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

The Three Big Questions of Eisav: Who Are You? What's Your Purpose? Where Are You Heading?

You Must Know How to Respond to the Voices in Your Head Trying to Detach You

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