[Avodah] ohr lagoyim

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Mon, Jun 06, 2016 at 09:22:53AM -0700, saul newman via Avodah wrote:
: the only problem i have with their approach is that, had the Jewish people
: been eliminated from the earth [ch'v] after jesus' time, it implies
: their job was basically done -- since a billion xtians then took over,
: and a billion moslems after that. the direct interaction of jews w goyim
: in either xtian europe or moslem europe/asia/africa could be argued to

Unless you think our presence had a cultural impact that explains things
like why the doctrine of trinity evolved and why they don't go on Crusades
anymore.


On Mon, Jun 06, 2016 at 04:39:33PM -0400, Zev Sero via Avodah wrote:
:> So you see "ve'atim tihu Li mamlekhes kohanim..." as nevu'ah, not a
:> tzivui?

: 1) Yes, of *course* it's not a tzivuy; it's not even a nevuah.  It's a
: description of the deal being offered: if you listen to Me you will be
: My segulah, a mamlechet kohanim and goy kadosh.   That is clear pshat;
: anything else is a nice drasha, but  not relevant to halacha.

Targum Yonasan ad loc "vekhehanin meshamshin" -- to be a kohein is
inehrently to be called on to serve.

Qedushah could be something you do, something done to you, or in many
hashkafos, inherent. (R Meir Simchah haKohein miDvinsk argues against
this last one in both the MC and the OS. Vehemently; likening belief in
inherent qedushah to cheit ha'eigel.) But kehunah? I think it's a job
by definition.


Also the Sifri p' Chuqas #123 considers "mamlekhes kohanim vegoy qadosh"
as the kelal for the perat of "eleh devarim asher tedaber el BY... vayasem
lifneihem es kol hadevarim ha'eileh, asher tzivahu H'".

As the Malbim says, to be a kohein is to be meyuchad la'avodas H'. Kehunah
is a duty.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 45th day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        6 weeks and 3 days in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Tifferes sheb'Malchus: What is the beauty of
Fax: (270) 514-1507               unity (on all levels of relationship)?