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In his commentary on Shemos 6<br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4><b>7
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>I will take you to Myself
as a people and I will be a God to you; you will come to know that I am
</i></b></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Hashem</font>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><b><i>, your God, Who brings
you out from under<br>
the burdens of Egypt.<br><br>
</i></b>RSRH writes <br><br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4><b><i>Li
l'am.</i></b></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> These two short
words are the first statement of Israel’s<br>
destiny. They express the quality that makes Judaism so unique. It
is<br>
entirely inappropriate to refer to Judaism as “the Jewish religion”; it
is<br>
thoughtless to define Judaism as a religion, to classify it with the
other<br>
religions, and then to be amazed that this “religion” includes so
many<br>
elements that transcend the conventional bounds of “religion.”
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Li
L'am</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>:<br>
Israel is to be a people unto God.<br><br>
This statement alone already makes it clear that Judaism, as
established<br>
by God, is not a religion at all. True, Judaism also embraces<br>
elements generally characterized as “religion,” but the term
“Judaism”<br>
is completely different and infinitely broader. In “religion,” God
has<br>
only temples, churches, priestly orders, congregations, etc. Nations,
peoples,<br>
are subject only to kings and governments; they are founded on<br>
the concept of statehood, not on religion and God. In Judaism,
however,<br>
God founded not a church, but a nation; a whole national life is to
be<br>
fashioned by Him. Israel will be His people, not just a congregation
of<br>
believers.</font></body>
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