Although some may deem the idea arrogant and exclusivist, no one can argue against the fact that the Old Testament of the Bible does indeed state that G-d formed a covenant, or special bond, with the people of Israel. According to the book of Exodus, the Lord said to them, “Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine, but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” For some Jewish people, this is one of the most important and meaningful parts of the religion. Others would like to do away with the idea of chosenness altogether, as it has been a known rationale for anti-semites and critics. It is my personal belief that the idea of the Jews as G-d's chosen people creates a positive sense of history and belonging amongst the Jewish people as a whole.
One of the first and most notable objections to the idea of the Jews as the chosen people was expressed by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, leader of the Reconstructionist movement. He felt that the term “chosen people” was misunderstood as a notion of superiority when in reality it is a representation of the Jews' obligation to G-d. Some people, Jews and non-Jews alike, view the belief in chosenness as an arrogant and religiously racist one. Entire texts have been written in attempt to prove that the idea of chosenness is a Jewish conspiracy to take over the world. In fact, much of the intense anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany stemmed from this opinion.
It is important to note that the word “covenant” is synonymous with “contract” and “deal”. The Lord did not simply tell the Jewish people that He would take care of them unconditionally, but rather He promised His protection and allegiance in exchange for respect and loyalty. The people of Israel were expected to honor and worship Him, and condemn the honoring and worshipping of other gods. The Lord said to the Jews, “If you do not obey …curses shall come upon you and take effect.” Despite the suffering that the Jews have faced throughout history, and the anti-semitism to which Jews around the world continue to be subject, the people as a whole have continued to uphold a strong belief in the Lord and follow His commandments.
Part of the covenant between G-d and the Jews includes what might be interpreted as a promise by the Lord to bring them to the Holy Land. According to Genesis 12:1-4,
”The Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your native land and from your father"s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation … Abram went forth as the Lord had commanded him.” Many Jews believe that this indicates not simply a right to the land of Israel, but an obligation to G-d of reaching it and flourishing within it as He commanded. Strong believers in this idea are called Zionists, or members of the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland in the land of Israel. They insist that by G-d's wishes, Jews are entitled to their own sovereign nation.
One of history's strongest believers in this cause was Judah Halevi (b. ca. 1080), a “poet and one of the profoundest thinkers Judaism has had since the closing of the canon.” Although he was originally a part of the upper-class court Jewry, he eventually realized that unless there was a return to Zion, the Jews would be doomed to be in a low and unfortunate worldly position. Unlike some Zionists who hold a more secular opinion, Halevi believed that a return to G-d must go hand-in-hand with the return to Zion. In his commentary on Judah Halevi, Henry Slonimsky writes, “Judah Halevi saw that, if the return to Zion must be the political remedy at a time when all seemed lost, the return to G-d must go along with it, the return to traditional Judaism with all its transcendent claims, as a means of renewing power; the return, therefore, to Revelation and Election.” He felt that if Jews came together in the name of the Lord, they would eventually become, at least, equal with Muslims and Christians as participants in global affairs and economy, and prosper as a recognized and respected people. Like many other Jews, Halevi held a strong belief that the election of Israel was indeed an exclusive one.
Unfortunately, this mentality is infamous for its linkage to conflict across the world, particularly in the Middle East, and particularly with people of the Islamic faith. Muslims believe that it is they, not the Jews, who hold the exclusive connection to Jerusalem. It is written in the Koran that a very important mosque belongs in Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa, and that a prayer at Al-Aqsa equals 500 prayers in less holy mosques. There is also a quote from the prophet Muhammad that, “There are still a group of Muslims victorious by Right and superior to their foes until the Orders of Allah come … In Jerusalem and in its neighborhood.” Who is to say who is correct in their attachment to Jerusalem and who is stepping on the others' territory?
