What Makes Israel a Chosen People?

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

Maimonides writes about Israel’s “3 Crowns” (Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:1):

Three crowns were conferred upon Israel: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty. Aaron merited the crown of priesthood, as Torah states, “And it will be an eternal covenant of priesthood for him and his descendants after him” (Num. 25:13)

David merited the crown of royalty, as Torah states: “His seed will continue forever, and his throne will be as the sun before Me” (Psalms 89:37).

The crown of Torah is set aside, waiting, and ready for each Jew, as Torah states, “The Torah which Moses commanded us is the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” (Deut. 33:4). Whomever desires may come and take it. 

Lest you say that the other crowns surpass the crown of Torah, Torah states, “Through me [Torah] do kings reign, princes decree justice, and nobles rule” (Proverbs 8:15-16 ). Thus, you have learned that the crown of Torah is greater than the other two.

God distinguished Israel from all peoples. This is not a genetic superiority, but a superiority of “designation” due to Torah values.  How do we define each of these crowns? First, priesthood refers to service to God, “avodah,” our relationship to God. Second, kingship refers to human governance, our relationship to man, such as justice, kindness and morality. Third, Torah is the pursuit of God’s wisdom, studying reality and God’s will for man. Israel is crowned over all of the peoples based on how they operate in these 3 areas. 

What makes these 3 areas most crucial is that these are the 3 core areas of life. 2 areas relate to “actions”: 1) priesthood is man’s act of subservient worship to God, and 2) kingship is man’s act of relating to others. And 3) is the “mental” area of thought and wisdom.  There exists no other preoccupation than these 3: relating to God, relating to others, and one’s private and independent act of thought.

The reason Torah surpasses priesthood and royalty is as stated: “Through me [Torah] do kings reign, princes decree justice, and nobles rule”:  Torah is the indispensable guide for the practices of priesthood and royalty. These 2 crowns of priesthood and kingship are Israel’s distinction which depend on Torah’s principles, the 3rd crown. But that’s is not the only reason for Torah’s superiority. The very involvement in God’s wisdom is man’s highest state; Torah study is the greatest mitzvah: it surpasses worship (priesthood) and society (kingship). Furthermore, priesthood and kingship must be expressed in God’s terms, not by invented religion or government, as man cannot know how what is “correct” worship, or “proper” laws of justice and morality. Torah must guide priesthood and royalty.

Why is lineage integral to priesthood and kingship, but not to Torah? It is because of their social element: priesthood and kingship are institutions “relative to others.” Such leadership roles must be stripped of one’s ego. In relative institutions like priesthood and kingship, where the individual priest and king lead others, the danger of pride must be removed by the restriction that priests and kings are selected not due to one’s merit. Priests and kings must identify with the perfected character of Aaron and David; their character perfections are the basis for both of them receiving their appointments. Future appointment by lineage thereby obscures the appointees’ self worth, safeguarding their posts safe from egotism. Equally crucial, it is only Aaron’s and David’s descendants who will most identity with and emulate their ancestors’ perfections, which determined God’s selection of them. Lineage generates identification. God determined Aaron and David’s perfection will be most emulated by descendants. Lineage is therefore vital for all future priests and kings.  

Next idea, the verses Maimonides quotes for priests and kings both include the words “lineage” and “eternal”:

“And it will be an eternal covenant of priesthood for him and his seed after him.” 

“His seed will continue eternally, and his throne will be as the sun before Me.”

This precise duplication of “eternal” and “seed”  must impress upon you God’s perfect wisdom! Such precise wording—throughout Torah—is God’s intentional lesson to offer us new brilliant insights. Why are priesthood and royalty eternal? Since they are conferred and guided by God’s unchanging Torah laws of priests and kings, God’s institutions of priesthood and royalty remain perfect—eternal—in their lineage from Aaron and David. 

Why does God also say that David's throne is "like the sun before me?" How does kingship shine forth God's will more than the priesthood? Just as the sun sheds light, the king enforces God’s laws, enlightening the nation in all walks of life and in all matters, unlike the more limited scope of priesthood.  

What makes Israel a Chosen People? It is our adherence to monotheism which dictates a subservience to our Creator displayed in priesthood, and our adherence to justice and morality governed by Jewish royalty. These are both guided by God’s Torah which is the greatest activity and man’s purpose.