Why is the Nation of Israel considered greater than others? Why does G-d relate to Israel differently than the other peoples? Is this not discrimination? Why were the others created, if from the outset Israel takes precedence?
The sages told R' Zeira that one should "reject with the left hand and embrace with the right." R' Zeira, however, preferred to focus on the sin, not the sinner. He believed that even a hard-core sinner has a virtuous seed hidden away in his soul.