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The contrast here is not between Jews and gentiles. Just the opposite, individual Jews and gentiles are equated in the comparison between humans and animals. What is the main difference between people (including Jews) and animals? People are more intelligent. The difference is only quantitative - people have higher IQ’s than animals. The contrast in this passage is between the soul of the Jewish nation and the soul of non-Jewish nations. Most nations were formed through natural processes and exist for collective self-preservation. The Jewish nation was created beginning with a Divine command - “God said to Abram, ‘Go….’” As we saw above, the Jewish nation exists not for itself, but for the world. This is a completely different existence from that of other nations. The difference has nothing to do with individual people, as people. The difference is between the “inner motivation, the aspiration” - the higher soul - of the nation of Israel and that of other nations. (en) |
