Tikva School-Wide Seminar #2 January 25 th, 2012

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews

John Lennon’s original lyrics to his song “Imagine”: …Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace…

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews

Cee Lo Green’s rendition of the Beatles’ classic “Imagine” this past December 31 st : “And no religion too” “All religions true” What is implied in this “subtle” change of lyric? =endscreen&NR=1 =endscreen&NR=1

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Cee Lo Green’s tweet explaining what he did: "Yo I meant no disrespect by changing the lyric guys! I was trying to say a world were u could believe what u wanted that's all.“ (original spelling) What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a perspective?

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Natan Scharansky

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “In Imagine, his ode to such a utopia, John Lennon conceives of a world without heaven and hell, religion or nation-states, where there will be “nothing to kill or die for, a brotherhood of man.” But a brotherhood without actual brothers, with no one committed to anyone else or to a way of life, is nothing but empty air. It is precisely the vapidness of such meaningless abstractions that encourages Al Qaeda and their ilk to believe that Western values will be swept away in the face of the inexorable power of a community willing to both kill and die for its beliefs.” Natan Sharansky, Defending Identity: Its Indespensible Role in Protecting Democracy, Public Affairs, NY, 2008, p. 2.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Where does traditional Judaism stand with respect to this disagreement between John Lennon, Cee Lo Green and Natan Sharansky, among others?

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews The Concept of “Chosenness”

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews

Blessing preceeding Tora study as well as public reading from the Tora: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם. אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים. וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְדֹוָד. נוֹתֵן הַתורה. The King of the World, Who Chose us from among all peoples and Gave us His Tora.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews

Friday evening Kiddush, preceeding the celebratory meal: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם. אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְרָצָה בָנוּ. וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשׁוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחִילָנוּ. זִכָּרוֹן לְמַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית. כִּי הוּא יוֹם תְּחִלָּה לְמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם. כִּי בָנוּ בָחַרְתָּ וְאוֹתָנוּ קִדַּשְׁתָּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים ושַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחַלְתָּנוּ : בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְדֹוָד. מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת : Because You Chose us and Sanctified us from among all the peoples, and Your Holy Shabbat in love and favor You Gave us as an inheritance.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews שמות פרק יט ( ה ) וְעַתָּה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת בְּרִיתִי וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים כִּי לִי כָּל הָאָרֶץ : You will be for Me a treasure from among all nations. דברים פרק ז ( ו ) כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיקֹוָק אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּךָ בָּחַר יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקיךָ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה מִכֹּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה : The Lord your God Chose you to be to Him a treasured people from among all nations. דברים פרק י ( טו ) רַק בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁק יְקֹוָק לְאַהֲבָה אוֹתָם וַיִּבְחַר בְּזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם בָּכֶם מִכָּל הָעַמִּים כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה : And He Chose their offspring after them, you from among all nations. דברים פרק יד ( ב ) כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיקֹוָק אֱלֹקיךָ וּבְךָ בָּחַר יְקֹוָק לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה מִכֹּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה : ס And God Chose you to be to Him a treasured nation from among all nations on the face of the earth. דברים פרק כו ( יח ) וַיקֹוָק הֶאֱמִירְךָ הַיּוֹם לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָךְ וְלִשְׁמֹר כָּל מִצְוֹתָיו : And God Designated you today to be to Him a treasured people.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews So when each of the three great Western religions lay claim to being the “Chosen of God,” aren’t they in effect implying, if not explicitly stating, that those outside of their particular faith, are “not Chosen by God”? And if so, how might such a point of view affect the attitudes that one develops towards adherents of other faiths?

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews From The Condition of Jewish Belief: A Symposium Compiled by the Editors of Commentary Magazine: 2. In what sense do you believe that the Jews are the chosen people of God? How do you answer the charge that this doctrine is the model from which various theories of national and racial superiority have been derived? The Macmillan Co., New York, 1966, p. 7.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “Chosen” for what, due to what? What sort of “treasure”? What might this mean for those who are not “Chosen”, who have not been defined as a “treasure”? How should we view them and their beliefs, realizing that each great religion distinguishes between those who are “Chosen” and those who are not?

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “The Golden Rule” by Norman Rockwell Can Rockwell’s vision co-exist with the notion of Chosenness? שבת לא. הלל : " דעלך סני לחברך אל תעביד."

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Who is “ רעך “? Is this directive universalistic or particularistic? Should it be interpreted broadly or narrowly?

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews תלמוד ירושלמי ( וילנא ) מסכת נדרים פרק ט [ ויקרא יט יח ] " ואהבת לרעך כמוך ". רבי עקיבה אומר זהו כלל גדול בתורה. בן עזאי אומר [ בראשית ה א ] " זה ספר תולדות אדם " זה כלל גדול מזה. VaYikra 19:18 Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD. Beraishit 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God Created man, in the Likeness of God Made He him;

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews שמות פרק כב ( כ ) וְגֵר לֹא תוֹנֶה וְלֹא תִלְחָצֶנּוּ כִּי גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם : And a stranger shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. ויקרא פרק יט ( לד ) כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ כִּי גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֲנִי יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקֵיכֶם : The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home- born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews משנה מסכת אבות פרק ג משנה יד הוא ( ר " ע ) היה אומר : חביב אדם שנברא בצלם ; חבה יתירה נודעת לו שנברא בצלם שנאמר ( בראשית ט ) " בצלם אלקים עשה את האדם ". All men are created equal. חביבין ישראל שנקראו בנים למקום ; חבה יתירה נודעת להם שנקראו בנים למקום שנאמר ( דברים י " ד ) " בנים אתם לה ' אלקיכם ". Existential special relationship. חביבין ישראל שניתן להם כלי חמדה ; חבה יתירה נודעת להם שניתן להם כלי חמדה שבו נברא העולם שנאמר ( משלי ד ) " כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם, תורתי אל תעזובו ": Tangible sign.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews A Covenental Relationship

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Rav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews We Jews have been burdened with a twofold task; we have to cope with the problem of a double confrontation. We think of ourselves as human beings, sharing the destiny of Adam in his general encounter with nature, and as members of a covenantal community which has preserved its identity under most unfavorable conditions, confronted by another faith community. We believe we are the bearers of a double charismatic load, that of the dignity of man, and that of the sanctity of the covenantal com~ munity. In this difficult role, we are Summoned by God, who Revealed Himself at both the level of universal creation and that of the private covenant, to undertake a double mission - the universal human and the exclusive covenantal confrontation. “Confrontation” in Tradition,

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Rav Aharon Lichtenstein

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “Chosenness, as we understand it, resides in our covenental relation with God rather than in any inherent superiority… We do not boast of our prowess. We lay no claim to aboriginal merit. Rather we humbly thank God for Assigning us to a unique destiny, and we strive to fulfill the responsibilities of the covenant which He Proffered and we accepted.” The Condition of Jewish Belief, p. 135

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Rabbi Marvin Fox (Jewish Studies Professor at Ohio State and Brandeis Universities) “It is the task of Jews to serve as teachers and models for mankind. Their duty is to bear witness to the truth of God both by their explicit teaching and by the quality of their lives. If this is a privilege, it is also a burden. It confers no special rights, only special responsibilities. We were Chosen to receive the Tora, Commanded to live in accordance with its precepts, and thereby to bring Divine Truth into the world.” The Condition of Jewish Belief, p. 64

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “How odd of God/To Choose the Jews.” William Norman Ewer (1885–1976) "Not so odd / The Jews chose God.” R. Nachum Rabinowitz (?) (By accepting God’s Offer in Shemot 19 to be a treasured people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation by agreeing to receive and comply with the Tora.)

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews A Parental Love Relationship

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Rav Meir Soloveitchik “God’s Beloved: A Defense of Chosenness” in Azure, Winter 5765/2005, No. 19.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews בראשית פרק יח ( יח ) וְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִהְיֶה לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם וְנִבְרְכוּ בוֹ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ : ( יט ) כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת בֵּיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו וְשָׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְקֹוָק לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט לְמַעַן הָבִיא יְקֹוָק עַל אַבְרָהָם אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלָיו :

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews דברים פרק ד ( לז ) וְתַחַת כִּי אָהַב אֶת אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַיִּבְחַר בְּזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו וַיּוֹצִאֲךָ בְּפָנָיו בְּכֹחוֹ הַגָּדֹל מִמִּצְרָיִם : ( לח ) לְהוֹרִישׁ גּוֹיִם גְּדֹלִים וַעֲצֻמִים מִמְּךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ לַהֲבִיאֲךָ לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת אַרְצָם נַחֲלָה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה : דברים פרק ז ( ז ) לֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם מִכָּל הָעַמִּים חָשַׁק יְקֹוָק בָּכֶם וַיִּבְחַר בָּכֶם כִּי אַתֶּם הַמְעַט מִכָּל הָעַמִּים : ( ח ) כִּי מֵאַהֲבַת יְקֹוָק אֶתְכֶם וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁבֻעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם הוֹצִיא יְקֹוָק אֶתְכֶם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וַיִּפְדְּךָ מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים מִיַּד פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם :

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “God Loves the Jewish people because they are, according to Sephorno (on Devarim 7:8) ‘the children of His Beloved.’ If the Jews are Chosen to serve for all eternity as a light unto the nations, it is because God, in the words of the theologian Michael Wischograd, ‘sees the face of His beloved Abraham in each and every one of his children as a man sees the face of his beloved in the children of his union with his beloved’…”

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “…while Judaism argues against the universality of God’s Love, it does insist upon the universality of God’s Justice, and affirms the equality of all men before it. While love requires focusing on one’s beloved in his or her absolute individuality, justice involves looking beyond individuality, to what we all share as members of humanity. Thus one would assume that a father who does not love his child for his own unique attributes does not truly love him, but a judge who favors his son over another because of the ties of kinship, acts unjustly.”

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “The Dignity of Difference”

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks The Dignity of Difference, Continuum, London, 2002

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “When religion is invoked as a justification for conflict, religious voices must be raised in protest. We must withhold the robe of sanctity when it is sought as a cloak for violence and bloodshed. If faith is enlisted in the cause of war, there must be an equal and opposite countervoice for the sake of peace. If religion is not part of the solution, it will certainly be part of the problem… “Do we speak to and within the narrow loyalties of our faith, or does our faith itself give rise to a generosity of spirit capable of recognizing the integrity—yes even the sanctity—of worlds outside our faith?” p. 9

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews First Edition, p. 64: Truth on earth is not, nor can it aspire to be, the whole truth. It is limited, not comprehensive; particular, not universal. When two propositions conflict, it is not necessarily because one is true and the other is false. It may be, and often is, that each represents a different perspective on reality…In heaven there is truth; on earth there are truths. Second Edition: The Divine Word Comes from heaven, but it is interpreted on earth. Truth in heaven transcends space and time, but human perception is bounded by space and time. When two propositions conflict, it is not necessarily because one is true and the other false. It may be and often is, that each represents a different perspective on reality…Each culture has something to contribute to the totality of human wisdom.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Peter Breughel, the Elder “The Tower of Babel” בראשית פרק יא ( ח ) וַיָּפֶץ יְקֹוָק אֹתָם מִשָּׁם עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וַיַּחְדְּלוּ לִבְנֹת הָעִיר : ( ט ) עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ בָּבֶל כִּי שָׁם בָּלַל יְקֹוָק שְׂפַת כָּל הָאָרֶץ וּמִשָּׁם הֱפִיצָם יְקֹוָק עַל פְּנֵי כָּל הָאָרֶץ : פ

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “Against Plato and his followers, the Bible argues that universalism is the first, not the last phase in the growth of the moral imagination… “Babel—the first global project—is the turning point in the biblical narrative. From then on, God will not attempt a universal order again until the end of days… “The God of Abraham is the God of all mankind, but the faith of Abraham is not the faith of all mankind. “God, the Creator of humanity, having made a covenant with all humanity, then turns to one people and commands it to be different in order to teach humanity the dignity of difference. “The essential message of the Book of Genesis is that universality—the covenant with Noach—is only the context of and prelude to the irreducible multiplicity of cultures, those systems of meaning by which human beings have sought to understand their relationship to one another, the world, and the source of being.” pp

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews “This means that religious truth is not universal. What it does not mean is that it is relative. There is a difference, all too often ignored, between absoluteness and universality. I have an absolute obligation to my child, but it is not a universal one. Indeed it is precisely this non-universality, this particularity, that constitutes parenthood—the ability to feel a bond with this child, not to all children indiscriminately. That is what makes love, love: not a generalized affection for persons of such-and-such a type, but a particular attachment to this person in his or her uniqueness. This ability to form an absolute bond of loyalty and obligation to someone in particular as opposed to persons-in-general goes to the very core of what we mean by being human. “ p. 55.

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Vol. 44, No. 3: Fall 2011 Alan Jotkowitz, “Universalism and Particularism in the Jewish Tradition: The Radical Theology of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks”

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Alan Jotkowitz’ critique of R. Sacks’ position: 1. R. Sacks appears to rely upon Tora SheB’Ktav more than Tora SheB’Al Peh. 2. Even when relying on TaNaCh, one can reach the exact opposite opinion vis-à-vis the relationship between Jews and non-Jews. 3. “Loving a stranger”—not everyone, but rather only Geirei Tzedek or at least those who observe Shiva Mitzvot B’nai Noach. 4. Shouldn’t the same openness apply to adherents of other denominations of Judaism? 5. How are we supposed to transmit to future generations the uniqueness of one’s own religion? 6. If R. Sacks believes in the dignity of difference, how can he also advocate that “liberal democracies need to create societies based on shared values and covenental relationships?”

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Marc B. Shapiro, “Of Books and Bans” in The Edah Journal, 3:2, Elul

The “Chosen People” and Non-Jews Additional critiques: 1. How can R. Sacks be opposed to polytheism? 2. The assertion that earlier generations lack the multi- cultural perspective, is simply begging the point, for he (R. Sacks) has not established that our multicultural perspective is positive in and of itself, and can thus be a springboard for a new ecumenical theology for what Sacks acknowledges to be “a paradigm shift in our understanding of our commonalities and differences.”