Mitzvah #6

To Sanctify G‑d’s Name in Public

 (Leviticus 22:32)

Category:

Positive

Definition:

Kiddush Hashem- To die for the sake of G‑d. The Hebrew word “Kiddush” means to sanctify, to make holy, to exalt. To show that G‑d is not limited by the constraints of this world and therefore neither is our Service of Him.

Reason:

The purpose of mankind’s creation is only to serve G‑d. Our entire existence should express this idea; therefore it is required of us to give up our lives for the service of G‑d (Mitzvot).

Who/When/Where?

·        Must be kept by men and women

·        At all times and under any circumstance

·        At every moment of the day and night.

How do I keep it?

Allow oneself to die in order to keep the Mitzvot and/or not transgress them.

Details:

ü There are 3 Mitzvot for which one must always give up their life rather than transgress: 1) Idol worship

                      2) Forbidden sexual relationships which legally (halachically)                       cannot be considered marriage, eg. A brother and sister

                 3) Murder.

ü For all other Mitzvot, the circumstances determine whether or not one must be killed rather than transgress:  

         -During a time of persecution, when anyone who acts as a Jew would be killed, one must allow themselves to be killed rather than transgress even the minutest details of a Mitzvah.

          -During a time of relative calm, in private, one should transgress and not be killed.

         - During a time of relative calm, in PUBLIC a) if it is for the amusement of the one threatening, transgress but b) if it is to make you denounce your Judaism/publically act as a non-Jew, one must let themselves be killed.

Chassidic Perspective:

The word Kadosh means separate and as such is usually translated as “holy”. Something holy is separate from the mundane, a lofty existence.

Before the world was created there was G‑d and His infinite revelation (light). G‑d then “cleared a space” from any revelation (darkness). He then brought a small ray of revelation to power the many worlds and spheres that followed. These limited worlds are sustained by a limited amount of life commensurate with what they can receive and contain. The G‑dly revelation that existed before the world’s creation is not limited, it is a different type of existence and is kadosh-holy and separate from the realm of limitations.

When a person is killed in the name of G‑d they act beyond logic and reason, beyond what feels good, beyond all limitations. By doing so they draw down the G‑dly revelation that transcends all limits into all the worlds down to the lowest point- our physical world. They achieve the impossible-drawing the infinite into the finite.

For this reason, martyrs who were killed sanctifying G‑d’s name hold the highest place among our nation. Any other mitzvah that a person does draws down a limited amount of G‑dliness into a specific, limited sphere. This Mitzvah draws down the unreachable.

In one’s day to day life, giving up one’s life means to give up one’s will. When confronted with a desire that conflicts with a Mitzvah, the Torah’s perspective, or a Jewish custom, the first thing one must do is remove, give up, their personal desires. Not through rationalizing how wrong the desire is or how right the Mitzvah is but, rather, by surpassing logic and simply setting aside personal wants. Through this one can achieve a small degree of this lofty Mitzvah in every action that they do.