Rabbi Alan Iser
Parshat Emor
Two of the most important concepts in Judaism are derived from this week’s Torah portion, Emor. They are: kiddush hashem, the mitzvah of sanctifying God’s name, and chillul hashem, profaning God’s name. Both are based on two phrases in Leviticus 22:32: “I will be sanctified among the Israelites” and “You shall not profane My holy name.”
The rabbis in the Talmud understood kiddush hashem to mean that Jews should be willing even to give up their lives for the sake of our religion. However, they limited this requirement to three cardinal commandments: apostasy, murder and sexual sins, such as adultery (Sanhedrin 74a). All other prohibitions may be transgressed to save your life.
However, the Sages made an exception to this rule. During a time of religious persecution, when political forces are trying to force Jews to violate our religion, we are not allowed to publicly transgress even a minor precept. Rather we must give up our life (Sanhedrin 74b).
Chillul hashem is the failure to become a martyr, instead violating one of three cardinal mitzvot or transgressing one of the minor precepts during a period of religious persecution.
Although there were many Jewish martyrs in our history, Jews sometimes failed this test and did convert to Christianity and Islam under coercion. Many still continued to secretly practice Judaism.
However, kiddush hashem and chillul hashem can apply not just to extreme situations, but to everyday life as well. Indeed, this is inherent in other Talmudic and medieval explanations of the two concepts.
Maimonides, in his code of Jewish law, the Mishneh Torah, says chillul hashem occurs when a sage acts in a way that will cause others to speak disparagingly of him. Among the examples he cites are not paying your bills on time or interacting angrily with others, rather than speaking in a pleasant, gentle manner. Conversely, if the sage is honest in his business dealings, speaks pleasantly with others and honors others, even if disrespected by them, that is kiddush hashem (Hilkhot Yesodei Hatorah 5:11).
Maimonides’ instructions for proper behavior need not be confined to Jewish spiritual leaders but should apply to everyone. Fair or not, as a religious minority, when people know we are Jewish, they regard our actions as representative of Judaism.
I am particularly aware of this, having lived in several smaller Jewish communities and in a Philadelphia suburb where Jews were a novelty. When Jews act kindly and respectfully toward non-Jews in our daily lives, our behavior may cause them to reflect on our religion and think: It is Judaism that makes them decent, upright individuals.
In these turbulent times, how we behave toward our adversaries is important and can be a form of kiddush hashem. Sadly, the converse is also true.
Who can forget the shame that Bernard Madoff, a seemingly observant Jew, brought to the Jewish community?
If you are of a certain age, you may have been brought up with the Yiddish phrase, “pass nisht fur a Yid” (“a Jew doesn’t do that”) or “a shanda fur die goyim” (“a shame before the gentiles”). While these admonitions can be overdone, they also can be useful.
Kiddush hashem can be understood in a broader way as anything that brings glory and honor not only to God but to Judaism and the Jewish people as well. We all have the ability to do that through the way we lead our lives.
Rabbi Alan Iser is an adjunct professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Saint Joseph’s University. The Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia is proud to provide diverse perspectives on Torah commentary for the Jewish Exponent. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Board of Rabbis.
