The Short Answer:
The Torah - which is an all time bestseller and studied by the world’s three major religions - recounts how the Jews were chosen by G-d to carry the responsibility of being His ambassadors to the world and mankind1 .
The Askmoses Answer:
Being chosen begins with choosing.
There was a time when no one in G-d’s world wished to recognize G-d, much less so obey His commands. After all, it is much easier to live in accordance with your own will, than to live in strict obedience to G-d’s word.
Then one day a man chose to recognize G-d. He chose to teach others about G-d. And most importantly, he chose to follow G-d’s directives, regardless of what they were.
G-d reciprocated. G-d chose to enter an eternal covenant with this man and his future descendents, regardless of who and where they were. This family would eternally be responsible to recognize G-d and obey His will, and in turn G-d would eternally recognize them and hold them dear to Him.
That man was Abraham, and his descendants are known today as the Jews.
Living chosen comes with responsibilities as well as privileges.
Whilst people of the world may eat just about anything they wish, the Jewish People were chosen to have a restricted diet, albeit a diet designed by G-d: Kosher. Whilst mankind may work any day of the week, the Jews were chosen to be forbidden to do any work on one day of each week, albeit a day G-d didn’t "work": Shabbat.
Whilst other cultures pick a language to call their own, the Jews will always be associated with one language, albeit G-d’s language: Hebrew. Whilst other peoples choose to settle where they please, the Jews will always have just one Homeland, albeit a land G-d chose for them: Israel. And whilst literature experiences fads, Judaism will always have one central book, albeit the book G-d chose to give them: the Torah.
For the Jew, being chosen means that G-d ought always be a factor - nay, the factor - when you make your choices. Being chosen is the awesome responsibility and tremendous privilege of introducing the world to its Creator and inviting the Creator to live amongst His creations.
Not being chosen gives you the ability to choose.
If one feels slighted by the fact that others are chosen, he need not be upset, he too can choose to be chosen. Through authentic conversion, i.e. through accepting all the responsibilities of Judaism, he too can be privy to its privileges.
More importantly, he can choose to remain "unchosen". He can choose to remain who he is. He can remain free of the responsibilities and forego the privileges of Judaism. Because in reality he has his own responsibilities and his own privileges. Birth is a testimony that G-d created you for a specific mission: namely the awesome responsibility and tremendous privilege of perfecting the world He created.
http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/174,2172022/Why-are-the-Jews-called-the-Chosen-People.html
The Torah - which is an all time bestseller and studied by the world’s three major religions - recounts how the Jews were chosen by G-d to carry the responsibility of being His ambassadors to the world and mankind1 .
The Askmoses Answer:
Being chosen begins with choosing.
There was a time when no one in G-d’s world wished to recognize G-d, much less so obey His commands. After all, it is much easier to live in accordance with your own will, than to live in strict obedience to G-d’s word.
Then one day a man chose to recognize G-d. He chose to teach others about G-d. And most importantly, he chose to follow G-d’s directives, regardless of what they were.
G-d reciprocated. G-d chose to enter an eternal covenant with this man and his future descendents, regardless of who and where they were. This family would eternally be responsible to recognize G-d and obey His will, and in turn G-d would eternally recognize them and hold them dear to Him.
That man was Abraham, and his descendants are known today as the Jews.
Living chosen comes with responsibilities as well as privileges.
Whilst people of the world may eat just about anything they wish, the Jewish People were chosen to have a restricted diet, albeit a diet designed by G-d: Kosher. Whilst mankind may work any day of the week, the Jews were chosen to be forbidden to do any work on one day of each week, albeit a day G-d didn’t "work": Shabbat.
Whilst other cultures pick a language to call their own, the Jews will always be associated with one language, albeit G-d’s language: Hebrew. Whilst other peoples choose to settle where they please, the Jews will always have just one Homeland, albeit a land G-d chose for them: Israel. And whilst literature experiences fads, Judaism will always have one central book, albeit the book G-d chose to give them: the Torah.
For the Jew, being chosen means that G-d ought always be a factor - nay, the factor - when you make your choices. Being chosen is the awesome responsibility and tremendous privilege of introducing the world to its Creator and inviting the Creator to live amongst His creations.
Not being chosen gives you the ability to choose.
If one feels slighted by the fact that others are chosen, he need not be upset, he too can choose to be chosen. Through authentic conversion, i.e. through accepting all the responsibilities of Judaism, he too can be privy to its privileges.
More importantly, he can choose to remain "unchosen". He can choose to remain who he is. He can remain free of the responsibilities and forego the privileges of Judaism. Because in reality he has his own responsibilities and his own privileges. Birth is a testimony that G-d created you for a specific mission: namely the awesome responsibility and tremendous privilege of perfecting the world He created.
http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/174,2172022/Why-are-the-Jews-called-the-Chosen-People.html
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