Daily Opportunities for Kiddush Hashem

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas Hatorah (www.bircas.org)

In Parshas Emor, we are commanded to sanctify Hashem’s Name (Vayikra 22:32) — the mitzvah of “kiddush Hashem,” meaning giving one’s life for Hashem. In Yesodei HaTorah (5:1-4), the Rambam states that kiddush Hashem applies if a Jew is forced to commit one of the Three Cardinal Sins. Also, in periods when gentiles seek to force Jews to abandon the Torah, one must give his life if forced to commit any transgression.

Ever since the despot Nimrod offered Avraham Avinu the choice of bowing down to an idol or being burned alive, Jews have given up their lives to sanctify Hashem’s Name. However, in most periods of our history, the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem as defined above by the Rambam was fulfilled only by rare individuals. Does that mean that the vast majority of the Jewish People have no part in this mitzvah?

To make our question stronger, note that the Rambam begins Yesodei HaTorah with the most fundamental mitzvos of Judaism — belief in Hashem, love and fear of Him. These are constant mitzvos that all Jews must fulfill. After discussing these three mitzvos, the Rambam goes on to kiddush Hashem. Contextually, it would seem that just as the first three mitzvos are fulfilled daily by every observant Jew, so too the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem. Is this possible? Is there any way, short of giving up one’s life, for the average Jew to sanctify Hashem’s Name on a regular basis?

Firstly, the Rashba (Responsa 1:55) addresses our subject by questioning a verse from Tehillim: “We have been killed for you the entire day” (44:23). What does Dovid Hamelech mean? It’s impossible to “be killed the entire day?” Rather, the Rashba explains (citing the Zohar): If one reads keriyas Shema each morning and evening, and as he says the words, “You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all of your heart and with all of your soul,” he resolves to be ready to give his life for the sake of Hashem, he has fulfilled the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem, at least on some level.

Second, the Rambam states later in the chapter quoted above: “If a person withholds himself from sinning, or does a mitzvah not because of any reason such as fear or honor, rather solely for the Creator, blessed be He, as was the case when Yosef resisted [sinning with] his master’s wife, this is a sanctification of Hashem’s Name” (Yesodei HaTorah 5:10).

Rav Chaim Friedlander explains that when we restrain ourselves and do not act on our base desires, we are, in effect, giving up our will for the sake of Hashem. Even though we are not giving up our lives, we are giving up our desires. This shows that the honor of Hashem is more important to us, and can therefore be called a degree of kiddush Hashem.

Someone told me recently that he was on an international flight, and suddenly a screen was lowered and a series of films began that were not suitable for an observant Jew, to say the least. “Next to me was a young avreich. He took his hat down from the overhead compartment, pulled it down so it covered his eyes — even though this looked quite silly to those around him — and he remained that way for the next nine hours,” he recounted.

As I listened, I thought to myself: “This is an example of kiddush Hashem the way the Rambam explained it in halacha 10.”

Mitzvos such as these, which come with hardships but are done for Hashem’s sake, are opportunities for all of us to sanctify Hashem’s Name.

For bnei Torah in particular, we have the chance to sanctify Hashem’s Name whenever we are in the presence of unlearned or irreligious Jews. As the sages state (Yoma 86a), when people see a ben Torah behaving with refinement, they say: Fortunate is his teacher who taught him Torah (and the opposite if a ben Torah behaves improperly…). When a ben Torah exercises self-control and avoids pettiness when dealing with others, this is included in the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem.

Rav Yerucham Levovitz, Mashgiach of the Mir Yeshiva in Poland, would tell bachurim that they had a merit that earlier generations did not have. In previous times, when almost all Jews were observant, a ben Torah did not stand out as a representative of Hashem in the world. Today, however, the irreligious gaze at us expecting perfect behavior, and are only too happy to pounce upon any shred of bad behavior. On the one hand, this is a heavy responsibility, but on the other hand, it is a great opportunity to sanctify Hashem’s Name in public, he would say.

Rav Nosson Zvi Finkel used to travel abroad to raise money for the yeshiva, even though he was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. Once, as he and his gabbai boarded a plane, they overheard a flight attendant comment: “Who would take such a sick person on an international flight?”

Rav Finkel told his gabbai that this person clearly did not understand what a great honor it is to be able to undertake a journey for the sake of Torah.

“I’m able to help Torah flourish in Eretz Yisrael, and I can also provide people in America with a living example of someone who cherishes Torah.”

Rav Finkel’s bracha to other roshei yeshivos, when they had to travel to raise money, was: “May your actions cause much kiddush Hashem.”

Rav Finkel’s own journeys abroad were very successful in this regard. People would flock to see him and receive his bracha. They often brought their children so they too could behold such a man, who despite his illness was willing to make such great efforts to support Torah. Each step of his journey generated tremendous kiddush Hashem.

May we be zoche to be mekadesh sheim Shamayim!