Pisqa’ 971
1
“For you are a people consecrated (qadosh) to HASHEM your God” (Dt.14:2)—
[therefore,] consecrate (qadesh) yourself.
“For you are a people consecrated” (Dt.14:2)—
the holiness (qedushah) upon you
has caused [your consecration].
Another word:
[For you are a people consecrated” (Dt.14:2)—]
do not cause another people
to be consecrated like yourself!
“And HASHEM has chosen you” (Dt.14:2),
[as He says:]
“For Jacob was chosen by HASHEM” (Ps.135:4)—
to be His cherished people,
[as He says:]
“Israel, as His cherished people” (Ps.135:4).2
“And HASHEM has chosen you to be His cherished people from among all the peoples” (Dt.14:2)
this you [in the singular (bekhah)] teaches that each and every [Israelite]
is more beloved before the Holy One,
than all the nations of the world.
Is it possible to say that
[each Israelite] is even more [beloved]
than the founding Patriarchs [of Israel]?
The Teaching states:
“From among all the peoples who inhabit the earth” (Dt.14:2)—
from this verse, you may conclude that
[Israel is] most [beloved] among all its predecessors
and most [beloved] among all its successors,
but not more than the founding Patriarchs!