The Implications of the Mitzva of Kiddush Hashem

The concept of a kiddush Hashem is so inherent to Jewish life, yet so misunderstood. What is its essence? Is it a mitzvah? Let us unveil its implications.

In Parashat Emor, the Torah commands us: “You shall observe My commandments and perform them: I am God.  You shall not desecrate My holy Name, and I shall be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people – I am God who sanctifies you.” (Vayikra 22:32-33) These pessukim can be broken down further to demonstrate three distinct mitzvot. The first one is clear – keep the mitzvot of the Torah that I, Hashem, have commanded. The second one that follows – do not desecrate Hashem’s name – a prohibition of not making a chilul Hashem. The third one can be defined as sanctifying Hashem’s name, a kiddush Hashem.

The Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 296) qualifies the latter as a mitzvah “To sanctify His name, may He be blessed, as it is written (Vayikra 22:32): ‘And I will be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Israel.’” The intent of this mitzvah is that we are commanded to publicize Hashem throughout the world. HaRav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l notes that it’s not only sanctification, making a kiddush Hashem, but standing with it is also the issur, a prohibition, of not making a chilul Hashem, a desecration of His name. Meaning, they are two sides of the same coin. By choosing to create a kiddush Hashem you are intentionally not creating a chilul Hashem. Simply put, kiddush Hashem is the positive to the chilul which is negative.

Considering the positive side of this dual commandment, it would appear that making a kiddush Hashem would presuppose not making a chilul Hashem. Seemingly then, according to this logic, you can accomplish both simultaneously. However, the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem, according to the Gemara in Yoma 86a, has another layer. The Gemara states that making a kiddush Hashem means “make[ing] the name of Heaven beloved through you.” Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein defines this further explaining that we as a people are charged with bringing those that we meet to an appreciation of Hashem and an ultimate closeness. This is accomplished through our “living example” he posits. He succinctly sums it up stating, “God in the world is through the example of our own behavior.” 

The Gemara in Yoma, Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein elaborates, explains that a person who is associated with a life that is lived based on the Torah dictates will then be honest in dealings with others and speak gently to everyone at all times. Behaving in a way that inspires others will fulfill the passuk, “Through you, I will be sanctified.” Choosing to speak with kindness to strangers, going out of one’s way to help someone cross the street, holding a door, helping to carry someone’s bags, or simply saying good morning can fulfill this mitzvah and create a space for the sanctification of God’s name in this world. Adding a unique caveat, the Gemara continues, that a person who learns Torah, but does not behave in an honest or kind way, creates a chilul Hashem.  Creating a kiddush Hashem would lead others to reflect saying, “Oh, that Jewish man is always so nice to me. I like Jewish people.” 

The Tzemach Tzedek deepens our understanding and brings down through his chassidic teachings that there is no greater mitzvah than that of kiddush Hashem. The actions performed when creating a kiddush Hashem bring down the revealed light of Hashem in a way that even learning Torah and doing other mitzvot cannot

All of these work in tandem when you consider the beraita regarding Devarim 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God,” Rav Lichtenstein zt”l teaches. Abaye explores this by saying that one demonstrates his love for Hashem by learning His Torah, dealing with people pleasantly. This is further evidenced by Yeshayahu 49:3 as it states, “He said to me, you are My servant, Yisrael – that through you I am glorified.” All of our actions that lead to others reflecting positively on Jews, Torah, and ultimately Hashem are ways in which we can accomplish a kiddush Hashem and avoid making a chilul Hashem. Choosing to act with pleasant ways and kindness to others creates a space for the sanctification of Hashem’s name.

The Rambam¹ focuses on another layer of creating a kiddush Hashem regarding the ultimate choice– sacrificing oneself in an act of dying al kiddush Hashem. Rav Soloveitchik zt”l writes that the duality of kiddush Hashem exists in both the physical and experiential. At times, we are called upon to sacrifice ourselves to Hashem in ways that can include parts of our personality, physical pain, and even extinction of life. This occurs when we surrender our will to His will. The physical sacrifice is defined as resulting in dying al kiddush Hashem, and the experiential is categorized wherein we restrain our wills or wants as they don’t match the will of God. Even a small act that is discrete in nature and private would be sufficient in the fulfillment of kiddush Hashem.

The Tzemach Tzedek deepens our understanding and brings down through his chassidic teachings that there is no greater mitzvah than that of kiddush Hashem. The actions performed when creating a kiddush Hashem bring down the revealed light of Hashem in a way that even learning Torah and doing other mitzvot cannot. However, this structure is in regards to dying al kiddush Hashem. He states, “Although an intimidator approaches us, desiring to induce us to abandon our faith, we should not listen to him, but instead sacrifice our lives…This is the mitzvah of Kiddush HaShem which the Jews are commanded to observe (Rambam, ibid).”

Yet, our history stands in stark contrast to this demand to die Al kiddush Hashem. It is not something that we as Jews seek out or are encouraged to do. On the other hand, the gemara (Brachot 61b) relays the well-known story of Rabbi Akiva who was arrested by the Romans for teaching Torah. His skin was raked off his body by Roman soldiers as a punishment. He gratefully expressed his ability to scream out “shema” and finally fulfilled the mitzvah of “…and you shall love God with all your life.” He had interpreted the verse to mean, “even if they should take your life from you.” He, though, had run and hid from the Romans as long as he could; he did not seek out self-sacrifice.

Judaism is all about life; a life that is lived all kiddush Hashem. We work on being “mekadesh,” sanctifying the world around us on a daily basis. We as Jews are held to a higher standard, both by ourselves and by the world at large. Within this framework, talmidei chachamim and role models of our generation are held to an even higher standard imposed by society on their actions more than their learning and Torah knowledge. The Slonimer Rebbe explains that kiddush Hashem is not just another mitzvah, but it is essential to who we are. It is a constant, every moment of every day of our lives. Even moreso, it is “metzuvin” according to the Rambam. Meaning, it is commanded for every single person – “kol beit yisrael.”

The essence of sanctifying Hashem’s name in the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem is a constant mission. It cannot be checked off of a list. It is contained in the small, mundane aspects of daily life. Each moment is an opportunity to achieve our goal of representing Hashem and being marbeh k’vod shamayim. The mitzvah of kiddush Hashem is the opportunity through our speech, actions, and will to open the eyes of others around us to what a Jew is. A Jew is someone created by Hashem and who chooses every day to emulate His ways not simply through Torah learning, but by the actions and presentation of ourselves.

¹  _{Sefer HaMitzvot, positive commandment 9}