Jews As A Chosen People
In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jews are the chosen people, chosen to be in a covenant with God. This idea is first found in the Torah (the five books of Moses, which are also included in the Christian Bible) and is elaborated on in later books of the Hebrew Bible. Much is written about these topics in rabbinic literature. The three largest Jewish denominations—Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism—maintain the belief that the Jews have been chosen by God for a purpose.
Read more about Jews As A Chosen People: Chosenness in The Bible, Rabbinic Jewish Views of Chosenness, Modern Orthodox Views, Conservative Judaism Views, Reform Judaism, Alternative Kabbalistic and Philosophical Views, Reconstructionist Criticism, Influence On Relations With Other Religions, Ethnocentrism and Racism
Famous quotes containing the words chosen people, jews, chosen and/or people:
“We Americans are the peculiar, chosen people—the Israel of our time; we bear the ark of the liberties of the world.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“No doubt Jews are most obnoxious creatures. Any competent historian or psychoanalyst can bring a mass of incontrovertible evidence to prove that it would have been better for the world if the Jews had never existed. But I, as an Irishman, can, with patriotic relish, demonstrate the same of the English. Also of the Irish.... We all live in glass houses. Is it wise to throw stones at the Jews? Is it wise to throw stones at all?”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat,
Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,
In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth
Rose out of Chaos:”
—John Milton (1608–1674)
“What people call impartiality may simply mean indifference, and what people call partiality may simply mean mental activity.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936)