Introduction

MANY POST-RABBINIC TEXTS teach that there is some essential difference between Jews and non-Jews. This teaching is not to be found in the Hebrew Bible at all, nor is it easy to find in post-biblical rabbinic writings. One of the first Jewish thinkers to emphasize that the distinction resides in a property shared by Jews and lacking in non-Jews is Judah Halevi. He called this property the amr al-ilahi, a term we have come across in our earlier discussions of Halevi's thought.

Halevi makes passing reference to the distinction between Jew and non- Jew in several places in the Kuzari. Towards the beginning of the book (i. 26) the Khazar king enquiringly states to the Jewish sage, ‘Your religious Law is a legacy for yourselves only.’ To this the sage replies in the next paragraph:

All humans are indeed descended from Adam. But some, the Jews, are more ‘choice’ than others. Halevi's protagonist is talking to a potential proselyte, a king no less, and tells him that if he, the king, were to convert he would share in the good fortune of the Jews, but not be equal to them. No one can accuse Halevi of beating about the bush!

At a later point (i. 96), following up on this claim, Halevi presents a history of the descent of the Jews, emphasizing their special character. The Khazar king admits the cogency of the theory, but pointedly asks: ‘ This is the true nobility that is passed down from Adam, inasmuch as Adam was the noblest creature on earth.