EXOD118 These two elements [religion and nationalism] have always been both intrinsic and necessary to Judaism, although this concept is often misunderstood by non-Jews and even Jews. For many years, other faiths and other peoples have used the phrase pronounced by God, “Let My people go,” when speaking about national aspirations. But the people uttering these words who yearned for peoplehood always forgot to look up the original text in the Torah. The words “Let My people go” in the Torah are always followed by the words “So that they can serve Me.” Therefore, God is clearly saying that nationalism is indeed important in Judaism, as long as it is followed by service to God, the core religious component of Judaism. Similarly, when G- d chose the Jewish people to be “His” people right before the Torah was given, he clearly defined what Judaism must become: a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. [Exodus 19:6]. Normally, priests are associated exclusively with the religious realm, and a kingdom is part of the political or nationalistic realm. Yet here, God says that Judaism must combine the political concept of the kingdom with the spiritual concept of priests. The very next phrase in the verse projects the same idea. Holiness is usually left to the realm of the religious, while nationhood is usually left to the physical, non-holy aspects of life. Yet God said that Judaism must combine the two and become a holy nation. When Ruth, the ultimate convert to Judaism and great-grandmother of King David, described the essence of Judaism, she uttered just four Hebrew words: “Ameich Ami v’Elkayich Elokai,” “your nation is my nation, and your God is my God.” Ruth 1:16. This encapsulates the essence of Judaism, and one aspect without the other is not truly Jewish.