4. Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the
people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called
you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you
as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are
blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who
sit in darkness. (Isa 42:4-7 ESV)
4
5. Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the
people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called
you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you
as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are
blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who
sit in darkness. (Isa 42:4-7 ESV)
5
7. God Says
ִם׃יגּוֹ ְאוֹרל ָםע ית ִ
ְרבִל ְָךנֶֶתּאְו
And I will give you to (the people) as light to nations
7
8. God’s calling
• Called Israel to righteousness
• Gave Israel to the nations as a light to open their eyes
8
9. ץ׃ ֶ
ָאָרה ֵהצְקַד־ע יִָתעְשׁוּי ְיוֹתהִל ִםיגּוֹ ְאוֹרל יָךִתְַּתנוּ
I will give you to be a light for the nations, that my salvation [reach] to the end
of the earth.” (Isa 49:6 ESV)
9
10. God’s calling
• Called Israel to righteousness
• Gave Israel to the nations as a light to open their eyes
• Israel will in some way “save” the nations
10
11. God’s calling
• Called Israel to righteousness
• Gave Israel to the nations as a light to open their eyes
• Israel will in some way “save” the nations
• Israel was the only nation who would accept the “yoke of Torah” (Sifrei Deut 343)
11
12. Thou hast chosen us from all peoples, thou hast loved us and taken pleasure in us,
and hast exalted us above all tongues; thou hast sancti
fi
ed us by thy commandments,
and brought us near unto thy service, O our King, and hast called us by thy great and
holy name.
Amidah
https://www.sefaria.org/Sifrei_Devarim.343.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
13. Israel was the only nation willing to accept the yoke of Torah
All other nations rejected Torah.
Sifrei Deut. 343
https://www.sefaria.org/Sifrei_Devarim.343.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
14. First He went to the children of Esav, and He asked them: Will you accept the Torah?
They asked: What is written in it? He answered: "You shall not kill" (Shemoth 20:13).
They answered: The entire essence of our father is murder
https://www.sefaria.org/Sifrei_Devarim.343.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
15. Second he went to the children of Ammon and Moav and asked them: Will you
accept the Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered "You shall not
commit adultery." They answered: L-rd of the Universe, ervah (illicit relations) is our
entire essence,
https://www.sefaria.org/Sifrei_Devarim.343.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
16. Third he went and found the children of Yishmael and asked them: Will you accept the
Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered: "You shall not steal" (Shemoth,
Ibid.) They answered: L-rd of the Universe, our father's entire essence is stealing
https://www.sefaria.org/Sifrei_Devarim.343.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
17. There was none among the nations to whom He did not go and speak and knock at
their door, asking if they would accept the Torah, And with anger and wrath will I take
revenge of the nations because they did not accept (the mitzvot)." And even the seven
mitzvot that the sons of Noach took upon themselves they would not obey.
https://www.sefaria.org/Sifrei_Devarim.343.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
18. Only Israel accepted the Torah with all of its explanations and inferences, but the sons
of Noah could not obey the seven mitzvot (Noahide Laws)
https://www.sefaria.org/Sifrei_Devarim.343.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
19. God’s calling
• Called Israel to righteousness
• Gave Israel to the nations as a light to open their eyes
• Israel will in some way “save” the nations
• Israel was the only nation who would accept the “yoke of Torah”
• Therefore, Israel exists to obey the Torah
19
21. Kingdom of God
1. Invisible Kingdom — God reigns invisibly in the realm of heaven
2. Universal Kingdom — God reigns providentially over the world
3. National Kingdom — God will reign visibly on the earth
Solomon Schechter, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, (Vermont: Jewish Lights, 1993), pp. 65-115.
22. Kingdom of God
1. Invisible Kingdom — God reigns invisibly in the realm of heaven
2. Universal Kingdom — God reigns providentially over the world
3. National Kingdom — The reason Jews must exist
Solomon Schechter, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, (Vermont: Jewish Lights, 1993), pp. 65-115.
23. The idea of the National Kingdom (Messianic reign on earth) is closely
connected with the redemption of Israel from the exile. Israel are the
people for whose sake the world was created; and it is on them that the
world was based…the kingdom of heaven is maintained by them. The
National Kingdom will one day be realized through them.
Schechter , 98
25. 7. Social justice.
Judaism seeks the attainment of a just society by the application of its teachings to
the economic order, to industry and commerce, and to national and international
a
ff
airs. It aims at the elimination of ma
n
made misery and su
ff
ering, of poverty and
degradation, of tyranny and slavery, of social inequality and prejudice, of ill will and
strife. It advocates the promotion of harmonious relations between warring classes on
the basis of equity and justice, and the creation of conditions under which human
personality may
fl
ourish. It pleads for the safeguarding of childhood against
exploitation. It champions the cause of all who work and of their right to an adequate
standard of living, as prior to the rights of property. Judaism emphasizes the duty of
charity, and strives for a social order which will protect men against the material
disabilities of old age, sickness and unemployment.
“Columbus Platform”, (1937), https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-columbus-platform-1937
26. Jews Should continue to exist because called to advocate for social
justice
“Columbus Platform”, (1937), https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-columbus-platform-1937
28. Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: If only the Jewish people
would keep two Shabbatot in accordance with their halakhot, they would be
immediately redeemed, as it is stated: “So said God to the eunuchs who will keep My
Shabbatot” (Isaiah 56:4), and it is written after that: “And I will bring them to My holy
mountain and will let them rejoice in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7).
Shabbat 118b:4
https://www.sefaria.org/Shabbat.118b.4
29. 1. When the world was created, the divine sparks were scattered.
2. Every Jew has a divine spark within them
3. Israel’s mission is to elevate (unite) the sparks, thus uniting God
4. Jews accomplish that by keeping the Mitzvot
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2863166/jewish/Scattered-Sparks.htm
32. Max Dimont
1962
Jews survived because of moral
teaching in Bible and Talmud
Jews should continue because their
society is the best of human civilization
32
33. To be a moral beacon to the international
Community
34. “David Ben-Gurion, in particular, regarded the calling to be “a light unto the nations” as
a central mission of the State of Israel.”
Founding Zionists believed that the State of Israel would be a moral beacon in the
international community following World War II, and in the midst of the Cold War.
Jews in the diaspora are ontologically connected to the Modern State of Israel.
Therefore, Jews must continue to exist.
Alexander Kaye (2020) “Or la-goyim”: From Diaspora theology to Zionist dogma, Journal of Israeli History, 38:1, 191-211, DOI: 10.1080/13531042.2020.1782810
