Thoughts on Israel’s being the ‘Chosen People’

The theme of the Chosen People (am hanivchar) is repeated in a number of places in the Siddur, becoming a universally accepted principle of Jewish thought:

•From the blessing before recitation of the Shema: “Habocher b’amo Yisrael b’ahavah” (He who chose His people Israel in love).

•From Friday night Kiddush: “Ki banu bacharta v’otonu kidashta mikol ha’amim” (for He has chosen us and sanctified us above all other nations).

•From Festival Evening Kiddush: “Asher bachar banu mikol am v’romemanu mikol lashon” (Who has chosen us from all peoples and raised us above all nations.

•From the blessing for reading the Torah: “Asher bachar banu mikol ha’amim v’natan lanu et Torato” (Who has chosen us from all the nations and given us His Torah.

The concept of the am hanivchar is presented in this week’s parasha, Vaetchanan, as well: “For you are a holy people (am kadosh) to the L-rd, your G-d: the L-rd your G-d has chosen you to be His treasured people (am segulah) out of all the peoples upon the face of the earth.” (Sefer Devarim 19:5)¹

A careful reading of this pasuk teaches us that am kadosh and am segulah are two distinct aspects of our people’s designation as Hashem’s chosen nation. Am kadosh signifies that we are differentiated from all other nations in our singular dedication to the Master of the Universe and the precepts of His holy Torah. As such, we are the living embodiment of Moshe’s prayer to the Almighty following the Sin of the Golden Calf: “For how then will it be known that I have found favor in Your eyes, I and Your people? Is it not in that You will go with us? Then I and Your people will be distinguished from every [other] nation on the face of the earth.” (Sefer Shemot 3:16) 

In contrast to am kadosh, am segulah focuses on our special relationship with Hashem. This thought was clearly expressed by the 19th century German commentator, Rabbeinu Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, in his explication of our term: