The Chosen People

B"H

The misinterpretation probably started after the Torah was given to the Jewish people, and it became even worse after the Torah was translated into Greek and other languages. The fact that G - d Himself calls the Jews His "Chosen People" drove the Gentile world crazy. If G - d created our physical world and all living beings why is not everybody equal in His eyes ? Why did He have to choose a special nation, the Jews, as His Chosen People ? Why not everybody ?

In the cause of the centuries, this "Choseness" caused unbelievable anti - Semitism often resulting in Pogroms. Obviously, the jealous Gentile world was unable to grasp the "Jewish Choseness" until they eventually tried to take over the whole Torah and invented the idea that now the Christians are a chosen nation.

However, as we all know and as G - d says it at least several times in His Torah, the Torah is infinite and unchangeable. No one can come and express his own ideas.

But is there really a reason for the Gentile world to be jealous and what does the term " A Chosen People" really mean ?

First of all, there is no reason at all to be jealous, as no one in this world is better than the other. The only difference is that the Jews have a different task in this world. By the way, so do the Gentiles. The Jewish task is to keep the 613 Mitzwot and, thus, be a light to the nations.

The task of the Gentiles is to keep the "Seven Mitzwot of the Noachides" which are:

1. Do not murder.

2. Do not steal.

3. Do not worship idols but only ONE G - d.

4. Set up a court system.

5. Do not eat a limb from a living animal.

6. Sexual perversion is forbidden.

7. Do not blaspheme G - d's Names.

There are very different opinions on the subject whether G - d created the world for the sake of the Jewish people or whether He did not intend at all to choose a special nation.
Fact is that Adam HaRishon was supposed to rectify all the Neshamot of the "974 Generations" which were not created (see also Talmud Chagigah 13b - 14a). If he had kept his only Mitzwah, the world would have had its perfect Tikun. As we all know, he did not and G - d created more and more generations in order that they might bring the necessary Tikun. But more and more generations messed it up.

Only Avraham and his descendants believed in ONE G - d and this is the reason why G - d chose them. Other nations did not see the ONE G - d and busied themselves by worshipping all kinds of idols.

But what does "chosen" really mean ?

As I mentioned before, the Jews have to fulfill their task in this world which is a life according to the Mitzwot leading ultimately to a Tikun Olam. By living a life according to the Torah they should be a light to the other nations and everybody should recognize that there is only ONE G - d.

"Chosen" does not mean to be better than anybody else, and the world would be much nicer if each of us was just concentrating on her or his own task and not interfering with others.