Chutzpah : Secret of Jewish Survival?

Question

Shalom, Rabbi. I once heard from one rabbi that Chutzpah is so essential for Jewish survival. What is chutzpah, and why is it so important for Jewish survival? Thank you.

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    I cannot tell you for sure because I did not hear what the Rabbi said, but I am assuming that there is a need for a certain context to understand to what the Rabbi was referring to. In general, chutzpah is not as good attribute at all. It shows a certain disregard by the person being chutzpadik for the feelings of those around them, for authority and for rules. That really makes chutzpah an undesirable trait.

    However, chutzpah, when used in certain situations becomes a source of positive potential. For example, the State of Israel is pretty much built on chutzpah. The idea that a tiny nation of eight or nine million people can be a leader in high tech, in water conservation, in solar power (and the list goes on and on) really is rooted in the eternal “chutzpah” of the Jewish Nation to continue to exist. The belief that it is not the amount of Jews in the world that is the defining factor but, rather, our belief that God has chosen us and we will always be here. It is that “chutzpadik” approach to our existence that has allowed us not just to survive, but to flourish.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team