The Chosen Nation

The Alter Rebbe in Shulchan Aruch siman 60 quotes the Magan Avraham that different words in ahavah rabba/ahavas olam correspond to the six rememberances and one should have them in mind when saying the words.  The words forזכירת מעמד הר סיני  are ובנו בחרת you have chosen us.  Har Sinai is where we, the Jewish people became “the chosen nation” and the gentiles were rejected.  At maatan Torah we became elevated above the rest of mankind, as the Kuzari describes.  The word בחירה  indicates that there is a concise decision made.  In what regard is there a need to contemplate and ten decide between Jews and gentiles?  To choose the neshama of a Jew over that of a gentile isn’t בחירה, its obvious.  The bechera is in regard to the גוף  of a Jew.  Even the physical, unrefined body of a Jew is more precious to Hashem than that of a gentile.  Hashem loves even our physical bodies from that of the gentiles.  The Tanya explains (chapter 49) that’s why these words a prelude to krias shemah.  If one will contemplate that from all the beings (both spiritual and physical,) that are in the world, Hashem desires for our physical bodies to serve him then the person will be aroused to have a great love for Hashem.  For if one realizes how greatly Hashem loves him, he will likewise feel such feelings of love to Hashem.  That is the way to fulfill ואהבת את ה'. 

The Ramban asks at the beginning of Lech Lecha why are we introduced to Avraham via a commandment of Hashem, lech lecha etc.  We should be given an intr. That Avraham was a tzaddik and that’s why Hashem appeared to him just like we find by Noach?  The Maharal answers the Torah is telling us that the choosing of Avraham isn’t dependent on his actions.  Once Hashem chose him, that merit is passed throughout the generations no matter what their actions are (Netzach Yisroel Chapter 11.)  The same kind of choosing occurred at maatan Torah.  Hashem chose Klal Yisroel not because they were deserving, rather because he willed to choose them.  That is why the Gemorah (Shabbos 89a) says (according to explanation of Eyun Yaakov) that the gentiles hate us because of maatan Torah.  Why do they hate us, we accepted the Torah and they didn’t?  They hate us because we weren’t chosen out of our own merit, but rather Hashem showed he loves us more.  That is what the goyim can’t comprehend and bear animosity to us because of it.  Based upon this we can explain a midrash pleah which says that when Moshe heard Anochi Hashem Elokecha he said baruch shelo asani goy-he gave thanks for not being a goy.  At this point in time where Hashem’s love for Klal Yisroel was revealed to be above human comprehension, Moshe had an added appreciation of the difference between a Jew and a goy and therefore felt compelled to thank Hashem for this distinction.  
   
The Or Hachaim asks why is the parsha named after someone who spent most of the years being an idol worshiper?  He explains that the Torah is teaching us that even amongst the goyim there are many smart people, even some who have ideas we adopt like Yisro’s court system, yet being smart doesn’t get you on Hashem’s “good list.”  It is only Klal Yisroel that have this special relationship.