Were Non-Jews Created to Serve the Jews?

"Hello there. My name is Ari. A few days ago, we celebrated in Düsseldorf, Germany, the introduction of a second Torah scroll to the Bukharan synagogue in the city. As we exited to the courtyard of the synagogue compound, I overheard a conversation between two gentlemen older than me who seemed more knowledgeable. The discussion was about our purpose to the non-Jews, with one claiming that Hashem sent the non-Jews to serve us for our purposes. I didn't intervene, but I recalled a verse from Isaiah I studied in school that said the people of Israel must be "a light unto the nations." As I understand it, the non-Jews are not here for us; rather, we are here for them, to teach them the way of Hashem, to lead them to peace, and to show them that it is not through wars but through education the way of Hashem. What is correct? Thank you in advance."

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Greetings,

It seems there is a misunderstanding here. Everyone is intended to serve one Master, who is Hashem.

(Pirkei Avot 6:11): "All that Hashem created in His world was created for His glory, as it says (Isaiah 43:7), 'Everyone that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have fashioned, even whom I have made.' And it says (Exodus 15:18), 'The Lord shall reign forever and ever.' Rabbi Chananiah ben Akashia says, Hashem desired to bestow merit upon Israel, therefore He increased for them Torah and commandments, as it says, 'Hashem desires for His righteousness' sake to make the Torah great and glorious.'"

We are all servants of Hashem. The people of Israel were chosen to be a treasured nation, and yet we are also His servants: "For the children of Israel are servants unto Me, they are My servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 25:55).

The sole purpose is to serve Hashem, and this purpose is achieved through Torah study and all its applications. For this purpose, the Creator fashioned many creations in the form of a kingdom, where Israel is the chief and core. The Israelites are akin to the king's children serving in the palace, and the nations of the world are like citizens of the kingdom. The chief focus is, of course, the king, and the purpose is to serve him - a purpose achieved with the involvement of all beings, with Israel as the spearhead, the head and the core guiding all the parts. Just as there is no king without subjects, and no body without limbs, so too there is no world without creations at various levels.

The people of Israel were chosen to uphold the Torah, through which the entire world exists: "Were it not for My covenant day and night, I would not have established the ordinances of heaven and earth."

Israel leads the world and is tasked with sustaining the world and all nations: "It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). For this reason, the fame of Israel spread throughout the world, to rectify the world and bring it closer to its complete redemption: "...and the primary reason for this is so that the majority of our lives in exile, because Hashem revealed to Abraham that his descendants would be a light unto the nations, and this can only happen when they are dispersed worldwide" (Netziv, Genesis 47:28).

As prophesied by the prophets: "And in the last days it shall come to pass, the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it... for out of Zion shall go forth Torah, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2). Then all will serve Hashem: "For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Hashem, to serve Him with one accord" (Zephaniah 3:9).

The world can be likened to one organism - the Israelites are the head, guiding the nations which are the limbs. Yet the limbs are part of the system. The chosen people were created to lead, and the nations to walk by their light. He and they - serve the blessed Creator. The Israelites are as the king's children: "And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). We all serve Hashem, and we are all destined to serve Hashem, not ourselves.

A testament to this are the angels: the angels are undoubtedly of a higher spiritual degree than humans. However, Hashem made them emissaries to His prophets. For with all their greatness, there is within humans a degree that isn't within them, which is the ability of free choice between good and bad. Humans rectify within creation things that even angels cannot complete or execute: "The Torah was not given to ministering angels" (Kiddushin 54a). All are partners to one goal, which is the glory of Hashem and fulfilling His will. For this reason, a righteous person can reach a higher degree than an angel, and a learned student can reach a higher degree than a High Priest: "I call heaven and earth to witness: be it Israelite, non-Jew, man or woman, servant or maidservant, according to the deed completed so rests the divine presence upon him" (Tanna Devei Eliyahu, chapter 9).

Only Hashem alone examines the heart and kidneys: "Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and mind" (Jeremiah 20:12), "I the Lord search the heart, I test the reins, and I give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruits of his deeds" (Jeremiah 17:10).

The role of non-Jews is to serve Hashem according to their level - and for this role, they will receive reward in the World to Come according to their level. However, the Israelites received the most crucial role in creation - engaging in Torah, therefore their reward is greater than any other creations in the World to Come (for as the effort is, so is the reward and closeness to Hashem). The Torah is the ultimate purpose. In the healthiest state of creation, non-Jews should merit Israel so that they may study Torah, and as is known, Israel grants merit to the world through its Torah - from which abundance descends to the whole world.

Ramchal (General Principles of Wisdom and Understanding, First Principle):

"What we can grasp about this is that the Almighty is surely the ultimate good, and the nature of good is to bestow goodness. This is what He desired, may He be exalted, to create beings that may receive His goodness, for where there is no recipient there is no bestowal, and truly to make the bestowal perfect, it is known in His supreme wisdom that it would be best if the recipients receive it through their labor, for then they will be owners of the good, not bearing the shame of receiving charity from another." (Da'at Tevunot 18)

"...The existence of mankind is built upon unfathomable wisdom, for the master, blessed be He, created many and great beings, all requiring supervision, none created in vain, and everything stands upon the fundamental pillar, that the master desires human service to rectify all deficiencies and for the person to elevate himself level after level until he cleaves to His holiness, blessed be He..."

"The one delving deeply into wisdom shall find that all creations are intricately connected one to another so that all must complete the matter toward which the supreme thought directed when the world was created, and all gather to one purpose, though its details are many and its arrangement deeper than man. The sages said, 'All that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created for His glory.' It is needful to understand this matter of glory and upon understanding this title will we understand the charge of all creations in fulfilling this glory. For now, it suffices to know that indeed all matters of creation are interconnected and gathered toward one purpose, knowing therefore that there is no perfection in matters when observed in isolation, but only when they are interconnected and unified toward one ultimate purpose. And truly you will see that in deeds, there is no evil found in the world except in the parts of things before they unite to complete the matter, but no fully completed deed is evil..." (ibid. 128)

The true purpose is the service of Hashem, with varying levels in achieving this purpose, which non-Jews also achieve according to their degree (indeed, any non-Jew who wants to can convert, and then they may achieve the highest purpose by fulfilling Torah and commandments). The people of Israel receive the highest purpose. However, we must remember all were designed to serve one single King, who is the purpose of the lives of all creations in the world.

Please also see:

https://www.hidabroot.org/article/109720

https://www.hidabroot.org/article/193604