for the sake of all Creation
Chosen for privilege or commitment and responsibility
Are being a/the chosen people an entitlement & privilege or a commitment and responsibility?
I am beginning to understand that this is the most crucial issues corrupting and distorting the experience by many Jewish civilians and especially their children living east of the 1949 armistice lines.
When you just drive by military road blocks with out a second thought while observing tens of other cars being stopped and delayed, you can not help but sense that you have privileges others lack. Knowing that the only difference between you and those being stopped delayed and sometimes interrogated, is that you are Jewish and they are not, it a great contributor to knowing that here/there being Jewish affords you privileges that other do not enjoy. Its not necessarily because your or your society works harder, is in some way better, superior or that you are more peaceful or superior in any way. It’s simply that you are Jewish and they are not. That your army won and theirs lost.
With this exaggerated sense of entitlement and privilege goes a diminished sense of humility and of gratitude in the face of the overwhelming mystery of existence.
It becomes all too easy if not a positively, natural developmental process that from this experience the individuals generate a distorted grandiose sense of themselves, their people and nation in the scheme of human history.
Now, if you add that we are a “chosen people” AND that there is an entire army to protect me, no matter what I do, we have a serious problem in exaggerated self image and self understanding.
It is no wonder that that young people growing up their entire lives in well apportioned, relatively new and modern communities living in close proximity to people who look different, who exist in old less cared fore communities who instinctively lower their heads and gazes in the presence of the ruling elite, which any and every Jew automatically qualifies to be, easily can become corrupted in deep and subtle ways. It is a challenge beyond the ability of most young people to manage or overcome.
This is a deep corruption of the spirit and soul. It is the very antithesis of Judaism.
Not driving on Shabbat, not eating pork, observing Yom HaKippurim are all tools that enable us to achieve Judaism in our lives.
Loving mercy, pursuing justice and living humbly are actually being Jewish.
THIS I believe is the basis for the imperative to withdraw our civilians from Judea & Samaria ASAP
