In the Torah, in the prophecy of Bilaam, Israel is described as a nation which shall dwell alone. This, however, does not mean that Israel is to keep itself isolated from mankind. As Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi explains in his classic treatise of Jewish Faith, “The Kuzari,” Israel is the “heart of the nations.” Like the heart which sends life to all other organs from its central location in the body, Israel too is the source of the spiritual life of the nations, and often times physical blessing as well.

A new book, “Lighting Up The Nations: Jewish Responsibility Towards the Nations Today and in the Messianic Era,” sheds great illumination on this theme. A collection of essays written by a wide variety of scholars. Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh writes about, “The Fourth Revolution in Torah Learning.” An article by Rabbi Amichai Kohen focuses on “Gentiles Studying Kabbalah and Chassidut.” A fascinating case study by Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen examines a new fad in China – the learning of Kabbalah.

The book includes a deep dive into the implications of the eventual reunification of the Ten Lost Tribes with the rest of Am Yisrael, and a look at how the Third Temple is relevant for all of humanity, not just the Jews. And there is an extensive look at Biblical verses which emphasize the idea that the eventual universal worship of the One True God of Israel appears over and over throughout the Bible and in Jewish prayer.

I spoke to the editor of the book and one of its authors, Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler, Ph.D. I ask her if she discusses other aspects of the Torah when she addresses non-Jews.

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