And the children struggled within her (25:22)
Whenever Rivkah would pass the doorways of Torah study at the academy of Shem and Ever, Jacob would push and wiggle to get out; and when she passed a house of idol-worship, Esau would struggle to emerge…
Rashi's commentary
It was a hot July day during the summer of 1866. The children of Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch, five-year-old Sholom DovBer1 and his brother Zalman Aharon, had just come home from cheder and were playing in the garden which adjoined their home.
In the garden stood a trellis overgrown with vines and greenery which offered protection from the heat of the sun. It was set up as a study, with a place for books etc., and Rabbi Shmuel would sit there on the hot summer days.
The children were debating the difference between a Jew and a non-Jew. Zalman Aharon, the elder by a year and four months, argued that the Jews are a "wise and understanding people"2 who could, and do, study lots of Torah, both its 'revealed part' and its mystical secrets, and pray with devotion and 'd'vaikus', attachment to G‑d.
Said the young Sholom DovBer: But this is true only of those Jews who learn and pray. What of Jews who are unable to study and who do not pray with d'vaikus? What is their specialness over a non-Jew?
Zalman Aharon did not know what to reply.
The children's sister, Devorah Leah, ran to tell their father of their argument. Rabbi Shmuel called them to the trellis, and sent the young Sholom DovBer to summon Ben-Zion, a servant in the Rebbe's home.
Ben-Zion was a simple Jew who read Hebrew with many mispronunciations and barely understood the easy words of the prayers. Every day he would recite the entire book of Psalms, pray with the congregation, and make sure to be present in the synagogue when Ein Yaakov3 was studied.
When the servant arrived, the Rebbe asked him: "Ben-Zion, did you eat?"
Ben-Zion: "Yes".
The Rebbe: "Did you eat well?"
Ben-Zion: "What's well? Thank G‑d, I was sated."
The Rebbe: "And why do you eat?"
Ben-Zion: "So that I may live"
The Rebbe: "But why live?"
Ben-Zion: "To be a Jew and do what G‑d wants." The servant sighed.
The Rebbe: "You may go. Send me Ivan the coachman."
Ivan was a gentile who had grown up among Jews from early childhood and spoke a perfect Yiddish.
When the coachman arrived, the Rebbe asked him: "Did you eat today?"
"Yes".
"Did you eat well?"
"Yes"
"And why do you eat?"
"So that I may live"
"But why live?"
"To take a swig of vodka and have a bite to eat," replied the coachman.
"You may go," said the Rebbe.
It is not helpful to the Jewish people to portray non Jews as less than us. All that does is give a reason to hate us. The world has a lot of "reasons" to hate us, lets not provide more reasons. We are the "chosen people"? Non Jews view that as an air of superiority that says they are less than us. I know what it means. Don't help the anti semites with this sort of tale.
Answering Ian Buda The Jewish advantage is in the behavior and in the transmission of our values. To successfully perform our mission of teaching our behaviors and values to the rest of the world we have been gifted, equipped with the abilities to do so. To be chosen is not a cause for arrogance but rather a cause for humility, to take seriously the responsibility of bringing the rest of the world closer to G-d. We are chosen, not because of arbitrary favoritism, but because our father Avraham proved himself committed to guiding his descendants to keep this responsibility. The more we humbly live up to this greatness, the more we are respected. We are hated when we claim Divine revelation at Sinai, yet fall short of inspiring our fellow man.
I see what you're saying, but it doesn't really help when a non-Jew is shown as they are here. Believe me, I used to think of myself as a non-Jew, and I would have been greatly offended if I had read this before getting back in touch with my Jewish roots.
What I would have done is the same here, but add at the end, "All needs to eat, but it's what we do afterward that makes the difference."
I read this comment the other day and my brain must have re-processed it because I remember part of it reading "Our job as a Jewish people is to inspire, and we only fail if we cannot accomplish that."
And my entire mind shifted when I remembered it that way. I feel more inspired in my Judaism. I put away my thoughts of what others think because I realize that I have the potential to be the Jewish person I want to see in the world.
So, thank you. Even though my brain shifted what you said a little, it has made things so much more clear. I am grateful.
Your addition would perhaps clarify the point being made in the story.
Taking offence at such a portrayal reveals that one aspires to something higher, and that is actually good, it means the Jewish message is Boruch HaShem successfully reaching people.