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13 Av 5767 Click Here to access the archives
שבת שלום - פרשת ואתחנן
Video Shiur

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Rabbi Pesach Wolicki

The Treasured People
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki

One of the most common phrases used to describe the People of Israel is "The Chosen People." The first mention of this concept appears in this week's parsha. However, the first time that the Torah mentions that G-d chose Israel, the purpose for which they are chosen is not mentioned.

"Because he loved your forefathers, He chose his descendants after him; and He took you out before Him with his great strength from Egypt." (Devarim 4:37). To be chosen means to be singled out. The question - "Chosen for what?" - remains.

Later in the parsha when this idea is mentioned for the second time, this question is answered. "For you are a holy people to Hashem, your G-d; Hashem, your G-d, chose you to be for Him a treasured people [heb. am segula] from all the peoples that are on the face of the earth." (Dev. 7:6)

 
The answer, then, is that the Israel is chosen to be a "treasured people." The Hebrew term segula, translated here as "treasured", appears four times in the Torah. All of these instances are as part of the phrase "am segula" - "treasured people."

The Ramban explains: "You shall be for me a segula from all the nations: that you shall be a treasure in my hand like a beautiful object that the king will not give into the hand of others. (see Ecclesiastes 2:8) . Or segula may mean cleaving [or closeness]." (Ramban Shemot 19:5)

According to the Ramban, to be treasured means to be beautiful, dear, and guarded closely. Is this the meaning of the term am segula - treasured people

Rashi's comment on the first appearance of the term am segula (Shemot 19:5) further develops this idea. "Segula: A favored [or beloved] treasury as in 'and the treasure of kings and provinces' (Kohelet 2:8) [i.e.] expensive vessels and precious stones that kings store away."

Rabbenu Bachya ibn Pakuda points this out explicitly. "That which is hidden, covered, and concealed from the eye is called 'segula'." (Shemot19:5)

From all of the above, the term "am segula" means that the Jewish people are to be not only dear to G-d but protected and hidden from view as well.

The word segula appears four additional times in other biblical text. In Tehilim 135:4 this term is used to refer to Israel - similar to its use in the Torah. In two other instances (Koh. 2:8, Divrei Hayamim 1 29:3) 'segula' refers to the wealth of kings. The fourth instance is as follows. "[Those who fear G-d] shall be for Me, says G-d the Lord of Hosts, for the day that I make a segula, I will be tender toward them as a man is tender toward a son who serves him." (Malachi 3:17)

The order of the words in the verse - as well as the trope - suggests that "segula" here refers to "the day", i.e. the redemption day itself. "For the day that I make a segula - that I have stored away and set aside to pay out my rewards." (Rashi ibid). Segula does not mean only a dear treasure that is guarded and stored away, but one that is to be brought out into the open at some later date.

The Talmud uses the term segula in a discussion of money that belongs to a minor. "If one has received [monies] that belong to a minor, he should make a segula for [the minor]." (T.B. Bava Batra 52a). The Talmud is stating that if one is in possession of monies belonging to a minor either through a suit, an inheritance, or because he was asked to guard them, he should not return them to the minor. Rather, he must set up a segula - a trust. (see Rashi on this line in the Talmud for further explanation)

If we combine all of the above sources, we may suggest that the term "segula" refers to a dear treasure that is closely guarded from harm. It is concealed from view and saved until a later date at which time it will be appropriate for it to be brought out into the open.

The People of Israel are described as am segula - a segula nation. Has this people been kept out of public view? We who have lived in the twentieth - and twenty- first - century laugh at this notion. Jews are anything but out of view. However, for most of the history of the past two thousand years Jews - the am segula - were very much hidden. General history books contain virtually nothing relating to the Jewish people during this period. It is only recently that this am segula has been brought out of its hiding place and has assumed a most visible place on the world stage.

Perhaps this change is the beginning of the fulfillment of the verse in Malachi quoted above: " For the day that I make a segula, I will be tender toward them as a man is tender toward a son who serves him."

May G-d bring the ultimate redemption speedily in our days.

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