Why-were-we-Chosen
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Throughout
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Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah =
History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or
Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of
Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history
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Please Note: Some alterations
or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), having been corrected like it once was pre
the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Thus study was originally written in 2001, and was online on hebraicstudies.com, However, there came a time I became critically ill, and unto this day I still live I a hospital bed, but at home with a live in carer, as well regular carers (from the myAgedCare organisation) but for dome time I was unable to pay when my site was due, and it was lost. However, as you can see this is almost the same site but now it is .net instead of .com. I did lose some studies, but thankfully, I have just relocated this study located elsewhere. I pray you enjoy it and gain something special from it. For interest, I am 81 at this time.
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The question you may ask ourselves, why were we chosen? Frankly, it would seem from the following Verses that יְהוָה - the LORD, בָּרוּךְ הוּא - Blessed be He, chose Avraham and then B’nei Yisrael for no ‘inherent’, ‘innate’ or ‘ontological quality’ or ‘trait’ in ‘him/them’. Thus let us now read the following verses, which will make things much clearer!
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Let us commence by reading בְּרֵאשִׁית - Bereshit - Genesis 12:103. (All verses are from the JPS-1917 version).
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ
וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ, לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל, וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ, וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ; וֶהְיֵה, בְּרָכָה
וַאֲבָרְכָה, מְבָרְכֶיךָ, וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ, אָאֹר; וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ, כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה
“Now יְהוָה - the LORD said unto Abram: ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed”.
We will continue with דְּבָרִים - Devarim - Deuteronomy 7:6.
כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה, לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ: בְּךָ בָּחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה, מִכֹּל הָעַמִּים, אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה
For thou art a holy people unto יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha: יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha hath chosen thee to be His own treasure, out of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth”.
And now we will read דְּבָרִים - Devarim – Deuteronomy 10:15.
רַק בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁק יְהוָה, לְאַהֲבָה אוֹתָם; וַיִּבְחַר בְּזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם, בָּכֶם מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים-כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה
“Only יְהוָה - the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you, above all peoples, as it is this day”.
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Considering the three sources above, we could still ask, why would it seem that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim chose us? Thus it will seem from the next verses that there is a “covenantal relationship”, a sort of “quid pro quo” … “if you do this… then I will choose you”.
We will now read שְׁמוֹת - Shemot - Exodus 19:1-6. (This time in English).
“In the third month after the children of
We will now read דְּבָרִים - Devarim - Deuteronomy 26:16-19.
“This day יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha commandeth thee to do these statutes and ordinances; thou shalt therefore observe and do them with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast avouched יְהוָה - the LORD this day to be thy אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, and that thou wouldest walk in His ways, and keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His ordinances, and hearken unto His voice. And יְהוָה - the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be His own treasure, as He hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all His commandments; and to make thee high above all nations that He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in glory; and that thou mayest be a holy people unto יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha, as He hath spoken”.
Questions to consider:
Thus, what is required of ‘B’nei Yisrael’ in order for us to become אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s “treasured possession”? Is it, that we think the chosenness of the Hebrew people is due to an ‘intrinsic worth’, an ‘extrinsic potential’ or part of ‘a deal/covenant with אֱלֹהִים - Elohim?’
What do these al these sources say about אֱלֹהִים’s relationship with the rest of the nations of the world? The next verse will provide the answer.
What about אֱלֹהִים’s Relationship with other nations?
שְׁמוֹת - Shemot - Exodus 19:5.
“Now therefore, if ye will hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine”.
All the Earth is Mine:
Now that is reality, for this is without a doubt אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s earth!
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For interest: This study was shared with just two rabbis in the world and they were free to use it, with no acknowledgement required, especially one of these being a very dear friend of mine in the UK, who has sadly now passed away, יִשְׁכַּב בְּשָׁלוֹם - “Yish’kav b’sha’lom”.
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Please Note: “hebraicstudies”
links are located down the page!
This site was originally created, for those
who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work
on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and
always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance,
for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He!
However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of
studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following through a number of
our prophets...
“The More Torah,
the More Life”,
For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD
of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat,
as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and
continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before
food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
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