Israel never failed to be superior to the best of the peoples, yet of them, Hashem expects very much more: “For the Holy One, blessed is He insists, with those close to Him, on details as fine as a hairbreadth” (Bava Kama 50A).  This is an important general principle, that from His people, He expects much more; and all the criticisms [of Israel] must be viewed in this light as being viewed through a magnifying-glass. ~ R’ Avigdor Miller zt”l