Chasidut su Deuteronomio 32:9

Godly people first emerged into the history of the world with the advent of Jewish souls.¹⁵With Avraham Avinu., who was called, “ha’ivri,” which is the root of the word, “Hebrew.” The Jewish soul is called, “a Godly portion from on high,”¹⁶This verse (Iyov, 31:2), said by Iyov, is classically interpreted as his complaint, saying, perhaps with sarcasm, “look at the portion God has given me for all my good behavior, my house ruined, my children killed, and here I sit scratching my sores on a dunghill.” So it is interesting that in all of the cases I have reviewed in Chassidic writings it takes on the novel positive meaning that the soul of the Jew is a veritable portion of God. This is akin to the verse found near the end of the Torah (Devarim, 32:9), “God’s portion is His people,” which is interpreted to mean that the Jewish soul is connected to God. which rests among the Israelites, was revealed unto them, and prepares them to be a Chariot for the great and lofty revelation of Godliness that they merit through holy efforts. In the introduction to his work Shaarei Kedusha (Gates of Holiness) Rabbi Chaim Vital¹⁷Rav Chaim Vital, one of the greatest Kabbalists and the chief disciple of the Ari”zal, 1542-1620. writes, “When the soul is itself greatly refined, it becomes revealed to man, and it shall lead him in all his ways.” That is to say, it is possible to be a Tsaddik who merits neither prophecy nor divine inspiration (Ruach HaKodesh),¹⁸Prophecy presumably ended around the sixth century BCE, between the time of the destruction of the first temple (586) and its rebuilding under Ezra’s leadership. The Talmud records (Baba Batra, 12b) that after the destruction of the Temple, the power of prophecy was taken from the prophets and given over to children and fools (or madmen).” but indeed manages to achieve the level of feeling and knowing his own soul. This in itself is an admirable level which will lead him on his own way to knowing God.

Another way of understanding the verse: ‎ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת ‏כהנים‎. We have a tradition according to which there are three ‎‎“crowns” that can be worn by select people. (Avot 4,17) ‎They are: 1) the crown of the Torah; 2) the crown of the ‎priesthood. 3) the crown of kingship. The only one of these ‎‎“crowns” that can be handed down through inheritance from ‎father to son is the crown of the priesthood. In our verse the ‎concept of holiness through inheritance is expanded to include ‎the entire Jewish people as a whole. G’d assures Moses that as a ‎result of our performing His commandments we have all acquired ‎a hereditary claim to holiness. In Moses’ parting speech to his ‎people, Deuteronomy 32,9, he expands on this theme by saying: ‎כי חלק ה' עמו עקב חבל נחלתו‎, “for the Lord’s portion is His people, ‎Yaakov His own inheritance.” Moses implies that G’d has chosen ‎the Jewish people on account of the holiness transmitted to them ‎by their patriarchs which had become part of their genes. This is ‎the deeper meaning of the expression ‎ממלכת כהנים‎.‎

This love is not dependent on anything, as it says (Deuteronomy 7.7-8), "Not because you are more numerous than all the nations did the Lord want you and choose you... but by the Lord's love for you." That means it is love that is unconditional -- it is simply (Deuteronomy.32.9) "for the Lord's portion is His people."