The story goes that the Torah was offered to all the peoples of the world
and each rejected it for one reason or another. The Jews accepted it and as
such have it as their burden and legacy. It has kept us alive for thousands
of years and made us the target of hate for as long.
When someone who wants to convert comes and asks, we are required to push
them away. We tell them that living a good life gets them into heaven just
as well as being a Jew. We tell them that they are asking to be hated and
attacked. We tell them that they would have to take upon themselves a Torah
which is more burden than most can handle. After all this (and more) is said
and they still want to convert can the process begin. Chosen? For pain, for
suffering but also for carrying the commandments of God and for being
everlasting.
The Assyrians? Gone. Babylonians? Gone. Even the Egyptians are not the same
peoples that they were in biblical times and no where near the same power.
One day in the far future Syria, Saudi Arabia, and even France will be gone
but we'll still be around. That is, if we keep the burden. If we keep what
we were chosen for.
> Me too :-) except this "chosen" thing has caused a lot of problems
> from misunderstandings by others over the ages. MikeyD, any comments?
> -Ben
>
> >Quite possibly that is the case, I am much more proficient in the IT
world than
> >I am in the theological one.
> >
> > Doug, I think you misunderstand the word "chosen".
> > At a time of polytheism and lawlessness, the Jews were
> > the people chosen to *bear the burden* of obeying moral laws,
> > i.e. the 613 Mitzvot (commandments).
> > So, this wasn't being singled out as favorites...
> > Hence the old joke "would you mind choosing someone else for a while?"
> >
> > -Ben
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