"The Way of G-d"
Part 2: “Divine Providence”
Chapter 4: “Israel and the Other Nations”
Paragraphs 8 and 9
It's not only our interactions with G-d through the mitzvah system that draws
our people especially close to Him. It's His interactions with us as well.
We'll explore that idea now, as well as the vital role we Jews play in the
great rectification of the universe, as we conclude our explanation of the
chosen-ness of the Jewish Nation.
We're taught that G-d interacts with other peoples through the agency of
their appointed archangel, as each of the seventy core nations of the world
has a particular archangel overseeing its perpetuation and well-being.
The point to be made here is that our people's welfare is *directly* overseen
by G-d Himself. After all, our life's mission, as we've indicated, is to draw
close to and commune with G-d. In fact, though, the interaction is two-sided;
for we commune with G-d in close proximity, and He communes with us in kind.
That's not at all meant to imply that G-d has abandoned or is unaware of
other peoples! Who would dare even think that of G-d Almighty? The point is
that He interfaces with their archangels directly and it's *they* who
directly interact with the nation under their auspices. Understand, though,
that there's a very fine and subtle metaphysical difference between direct
interaction on G-d's part and indirect, but a real one nonetheless. There
are instances though in which G-d does directly interact with non-Jews or an
entire Gentile nation, but they're exceptions to the rules, and with a
particular end in mind.
Thanks to that direct, dare we say "intimate" interaction between G-d and
ourselves, we Jews thus play a crucial role in G-d's ultimate aim: universal
rectification. For G-d allows His will to be swayed by our wishes and deeds,
in a manner of speaking, the way all lovers succumb to their beloved's wishes
(though the truth be known, G-d allowing His will to be swayed is in fact a
playing out of His will in the end -- but that's beyond our discussion here).
Thus we have it within us to draw down G-d's light into the entire world or
to withhold it, by virtue of the fact that we interact with G-d so broadly
and all-encompassingly thanks to His mitzvah-system. Others though, with less
mitzvot and hence less direct intervention with G-d, haven't as broad an
effect upon the world at large, though they certainly do affect their archangel's being
as well as their own with their deeds.
This series is dedicated to the memory of Yitzchak Hehrsh ben Daniel,
and Sarah Rivka bas Yaakov Dovid.
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