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In Isaiah 42:6 we read

I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and have taken hold of thy hand, and kept thee, and set thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations

I have seen it argued that it is a responsibility for Jews to act as example to the people of the world. Based on the fact that throughout global history Jews have had a very minor influence, and even today there are billions of people who have never heard of or are at best only remotely aware of the existence of Judaism at all, I would like to know if any Rabbinic authority has written on the subject of the seeming failure of the Jewish people to successfully be a light to the nations?

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  • @ShmuelBrin currently, several billion in China and India for starters. But in any case hearing about a book(s?) is the definition of success in being a light to the nations?!? –  Oct 20 '14 at 18:45
  • If I could have an explanation for why there are votes to close the question I would be able to edit and improve it. –  Oct 20 '14 at 18:46
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    @user6641, not sure you really can fix the question. Any answer is a matter of opinion. Nothing really wrong with the question, but not every question fits here. – Yishai Oct 20 '14 at 20:18
  • @Yishai would it improve the question if I changed it to ask if any Rabbinic authority has written on the subject of the seeming failure of the Jewish people to successfully be a light to the nations? –  Oct 20 '14 at 20:40
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    @user6641, yes, that would certainly be an objectively answerable question, although you might consider phrasing it more neutrally (e.g. "... on the subject of whether or not the Jewish people have successfully been ...") – Yishai Oct 21 '14 at 01:48
  • related http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/8826/759 – Double AA Oct 21 '14 at 14:03
  • user6641, I have edited a last paragraph in to my answer that you linked that may address this one! – Baby Seal Oct 21 '14 at 15:49
  • @Yishai I have edited the question –  Oct 21 '14 at 17:09
  • @user6641, I voted to reopen. I see I'm lonely in that assessment at the moment. – Yishai Oct 21 '14 at 17:13
  • I don't really understand the question. Is Sirius a failure in comparison to the Sun because we're further from it? Is it a failure of a star in and of itself? – Charles Koppelman Oct 21 '14 at 19:20
  • @CharlesKoppelman the question has been edited to ask if any commentators have addressed this perceived failure. This is what the answer listed below is addressing as well. –  Oct 21 '14 at 19:52
  • @user6641 whose perception? yours? – Charles Koppelman Oct 21 '14 at 20:50
  • @CharlesKoppelman if you can site sources which indicate that the Jews have been successful in being a light to the nations that would be an acceptable answer as well. –  Oct 21 '14 at 21:22
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    @user6641 I doubt you'll find anyone who considers our task to already be a closed book. – Charles Koppelman Oct 21 '14 at 21:56
  • are biblical verses acceptable as answers? like lev 26:14 on: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0326.htm, deut 28:15 on: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0528.htm, 29:23: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0528.htm, and 32: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0532.htm ? – Baby Seal Oct 23 '14 at 23:25
  • @BabySeal if you can cite rabbinic authorities who explain how the fact that the Jews sinned means they have failed to be a light to the nations, then yes. –  Oct 24 '14 at 13:34
  • I mean, to me it seems evident from the verses. I didn't cite these, but there are verses in deuteronomy about us being admired by the nations, when we keep the Torah and look at the above sources for what happens when we don't. We are despised. It is clearly contingent. – Baby Seal Oct 24 '14 at 13:53

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in this phase of history we are supposed to be working on being good students not good teachers.

the messianic era is when the Jews will be the teachers of humanity and the light unto the nations.

source

Rabbi Uziel Milevsky, former chief rabbi of mexico

http://dafyomireview.com/audio/m04-3_flaws_of_man_and_role_of_jews.mp3

nevertheless, he brings some examples of how judaism has successfully influenced the world, the concept of ethical monotheism - it all comes from us.

ray
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  • by ethical monotheism do you mean as mandated in the 7 Noahide mitzvot? I don't believe there is or has ever been any significant amount of people who practice that. –  Oct 20 '14 at 18:24
  • @user6641 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noahidism, especially http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noahidism#Modern_Noahidism – MTL Oct 20 '14 at 18:25
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    @Shokhet I am aware, which is why I wrote "significant amount" –  Oct 20 '14 at 18:47
  • @user6641 see the lecture where he quotes the sefer ikarim on certain aspects of christianity and islam – ray Oct 20 '14 at 20:15