Why the Jews ?

B"H

I spent yesterday's Tisha Be' Av at a program organized by the Yeshiva AISH HaTorah and the Jerusalem Heritage House. Those who know the Aish program in Jerusalem are familiar with especially one Rabbi: with Rabbi Motty Berger. Rabbi Berger has certain special topics and about one, he spoke about in length. A subject suiting Tisha Be' Av was "Why the Jews ?"

Why particularly the Jews have been victims of hatred throughout thousands of years ? By the way, only the Jews developed a special word for expressing the nation's hatred against them: anti - Semitism.

At the beginning of the lecture, Rabbi Berger asked the participants to make a list with anti - Semitic statements.

"Chosen People"
The Jews killed the Christian G - d J. C.
Jews are either too rich or tight - fisted and greedy. Here please note two stereotype opinions logically contradicting themselves. Gentiles always use these two stereotypes as they like to and as it suits them.
Furthermore, Jews always stick together and plan a worldwide conspiracy.
Jews practice strange rites.
Jews are never loyal to the country they live in.

Those were some points on our list.

However, Rabbi Motty Berger concentrated on a few statements only. For example the one of the Chosen People. G - d chose the Jews as His people (see Torah) and not the Jews themselves. Whoever has a problem with this should complain to G - d Himself and not to the people He chose.

But what does it mean "chosen" ?
It doesn't mean being superior but rather showing the Gentile nations a certain kind of moral behaviour and introducing the concept of the ONENESS of G - d as a creator of everything. Before, all gentiles only worshipped idols and had no moral at all.

Why anti - Semitism ?
Maybe because the Jews taught the nations some moral lessons and thus became their conscience. And don't believe Christians in the Torah as well ? Why then do they doubt the concept of G - d's Chosen People, the Jews ?

G - d Himself made this decision and stated the the Jews are and will be His Chosen People forever. Means eternally. Is there anti - Semitism because the Gentile nations know that this is true ? Only something which is true bothers me. If a Christian missionary is coming up to me telling me we Jews will all go to hell, doesn't bother me at all because I know that it is not true. Outsiders cannot come and turn G - d's Torah around as they like. Only because they have problems with the truth and are unable to accept it.

Those who really believe in the Torah don't doubt G - d's decisions. In Judaism we have the concept of the Gentiles keeping the Seven Noachide Laws and we don't exclude anyone from the World to Come (Olam HaBah).