The Torah calls the Jewish people treasured because they accepted a responsibility that helps all of humanity

not because they are more important than others.

What does Chassidus teach about the infinite Creator?

Chabad Chassidus, with more than 150,000 published pages of teachings (also lots of unpublished pages), explains patterns that help us understand the infinite Creator.

It teaches that the Creator exists beyond reality, gives existence to reality, and can create a world where human beings have real choice and responsibility without becoming separate from Him.

Why does Jewish law reject self-declared prophecy?

Jewish law does not accept self-authorized prophecy.

Belief in the infinite Creator is preserved through an unbroken tradition that began at Mount Sinai, where hundreds of thousands of Jewish men, women, and children experienced the revelation and passed that same account to their descendants.

What does Maimonides say a real prophet needs?

Maimonides explains that prophecy requires more than wisdom.

A prophet must possess exceptional character, a refined and disciplined mind, Divine approval, and a generation worthy of receiving that level of revelation.

Leadership in Torah is not established through personal claims but through a legal and spiritual framework that traces back to Sinai.

Maimonides wrote many of his teachings in Judeo-Arabic and was deeply familiar with the Arabic-speaking world, yet he maintained that no later prophet can replace or rewrite the Torah given through Moses.

From the Jewish perspective, Mohammed also confused the Arab world about what “chosen” means.

What does the Torah mean when it calls the Jewish people treasured?

The Torah does not describe the Jewish people as more valuable, or more loved by the Creator than other nations.

They are treasured because they accepted the responsibility that allows humanity’s purpose to continue.

Through Torah, the world has a path to reveal goodness, responsibility, and awareness of the Creator.

In that sense, the Jewish people do not prove that the Creator loves only one nation.

They point to something much bigger: humanity was beloved before creation, because the world itself was created so human beings could help reveal the Creator’s goodness.

Does chosen mean the Creator plays favorites?

If chosenness means being more important than others, the Creator begins to look like a being who plays favorites.

The Torah presents a different picture: different people and nations have different responsibilities, while every human being is created in the image of the Creator.

How does Jewish law test what is true?

From the Jewish law perspective, truth is not established through charisma, military success, or private revelation, but through standards that can be examined and traced back to Sinai.

“The Torah calls the Jewish people treasured because they accept a responsibility that helps all humanity, not because they are more important than others.” 

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Related guides:

How does the world of souls work? Maimonides on the World to Come as fully spiritual

A healthy kingship relationship can keep giving chances: a healthy kingship (Malchus) relationship

Greatest spiritual battle is about control vs relationship: good arguments while still struggling with fear, shame, or people-pleasing

Jewish mysticism explains how to have the most positive relationship with the universe: Jewish mysticism is relevant for all of humanity

All nations were invited to Sinai: every nation was invited to Sinai

Questions people ask

Are the Jewish people better than other nations?

No. Being the chosen people does not mean being more valuable. The Torah does not describe the Jewish people as more loved by the Creator than other nations. They are treasured because they accepted the responsibility that allows humanity’s purpose to continue, while every human being is created in the image of the Creator.

Can a later prophet change the Torah?

No. Maimonides maintained that no later prophet can replace or rewrite the Torah given through Moses. Jewish law does not accept self-authorized prophecy, and leadership in Torah is not established through personal claims but through a legal and spiritual framework that traces back to Sinai, where hundreds of thousands of people experienced the revelation.

What are the requirements to be a prophet in Judaism?

Maimonides explains that prophecy requires more than wisdom. A prophet must possess exceptional character, a refined and disciplined mind, Divine approval, and a generation worthy of receiving that level of revelation. From the Jewish law perspective, truth is not established through charisma or private revelation, but through standards that can be examined and traced back to Sinai.

What does the Torah say humanity was created for?

Through Torah, the world has a path to reveal goodness, responsibility, and awareness of the Creator. Humanity was beloved before creation, because the world itself was created so human beings could help reveal the Creator’s goodness. In that sense the Jewish people point to something much bigger than one nation.

“The Torah calls the Jewish people treasured because they accepted a responsibility that helps all of humanity, not because they are more important than others.”