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“Therefore you shall keep My commandments and do them. I am Hashem. You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be made holy among the Children of Israel. I am Hashem Who makes you holy, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your G-d. I am Hashem." (Vayikra 22:31-33).
Rashi (31) interprets “‘You shall guard My mitzvos’ - this is mishna, learning Torah. ‘And do them’ - this is the action, fulfilling mitzvos.” The juxtaposition to the next phrase, (32) “You shall not defile My holy name” can be understood as highlighting a consequence of one who learns Torah but does not perform mitzvos properly. In this context, mitzvos refer to mitzvos sichliyos (Rambam, Shemoneh Perakim, chapter 6), which the human mind can readily understand as laudatory actions. Their performance yields kiddush Hashem, sanctifying Hashem’s name. Their violation causes chilul Hashem, desecrating Hashem’s name.
The Gemara (Yoma 86a) teaches that one who learns Mishna and is honest and polite makes Hashem’s name beloved. People say, “This person learned Torah, see how beautiful (na’im) his ways, how correct (mesukanim) are his deeds.” Hashem is thereby glorified (Yeshaya 49:3), creating a kiddush Hashem. If he is dishonest and impolite, people will say “This person learned Torah, how damaged (mekulkalim) are his deeds, how ugly (mechu’arim) are his ways.” Of him it is said (Yechezkel 36:20) “They came (vayavo) among the nations and they desecrated My holy name, when it was said of them “These are the people of Hashem and they left His land”.
It emerges that the more learned one is, the greater the opportunity and obligation of kiddush Hashem are. The Gemara (Yoma ibid.) adds that for a renowned Torah scholar, even the appearance of impropriety constitutes a chilul Hashem. Complete atonement for causing a chilul Hashem is not achieved by teshuva, Yom Kippur and yissurim; they all forestall punishment, but only death achieves atonement.
Seforno (23:32) cites the aforementioned pasuk in Yechezkel. Am Yisroel is told “You shall be holy, for I, Hashem, am holy” (Vayikra 19:2). Hashem created us in His image (Bereishis 1:26). Therefore, you should be like Hashem as much as possible, in mind (b’iyun) by learning Torah, and in deed, by keeping mitzvos (Seforno 19:2). This parallels Rashi’s interpretation of mishna and mitzvos, which create kiddush Hashem (22:31,32). Since you are kedoshim, do not desecrate My holy name by actions which are “lacking (chaseiros) and disgusting (megunos)”, as Yechezkel taught. Perhaps these two terms used by the Seforno refer to the Gemara. Being impolite is lacking, being dishonest is disgusting, and both lead to the chilul Hashem described by Yechezkel.
Rashi explains the singular form, “vayavo” (36:20), as referring to Beis Yisrael (36:17). Rav S.R. Hirsch (36:20, the haftora of Parshas Parah) echoes the Seforno: “The moral failings of individual members” cause chilul Hashem. “The nations regard us as one inseparable unit, and take the crimes and weaknesses of even the most estranged Jew as a reflection of all Jews, and, what is worse, of Judaism itself. All the more careful must each individual be to avoid bringing discredit on Hashem!”
Sadly, the files of the outrageous and disgusting misdeeds of an estranged Jew are the subject that has consumed this country, its Congress and its President, for many months. This, as Rav Hirsch taught, is a chilul Hashem.
Traditional and observant Jews, especially learned ones, are held to a higher standard, as the Gemara (Yoma ibid.) explains. Unfortunately, there are incidents of dishonesty which make headlines. Traditional Jews with massive Ponzi schemes, Orthodox Jews guilty of dishonesty or immorality, and even learned Jews with questionable business practices, all have desecrated Hashem’s name publicly. We all must avoid chilul Hashem and strive for kiddush Hashem.
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Rashi (36:20) cites a midrashic understanding (Pesicha Eichah Rabbasi 2) of the singular “vayavo” as referring to Hashem. He comes with us among the nations. He hears what our captors say: “This is the people of Hashem. He is unable to save them.”
Radak elaborates: This is a chilul Hashem. Hashem left His people in exile. They desecrate Hashem’s name by their sins which extend their exile. The nations say that Hashem lacks the ability to take them out of exile (see Bamidbar 14:16).
This type of chilul Hashem has existed since the time of Yechezkel, throughout the long and perilous galus. The murder of millions of Jews after churban Bayis Sheini, during the Holocaust, and everything in between, desecrates Hashem’s name. The horrors of October 7 are the most recent example of chilul Hashem.
Yechezkel (36:23-28) describes how Hashem will sanctify His great name that is desecrated among the nations. “I will gather you from all the lands and bring you to your land (Eretz Yisrael). I will purify you. You will dwell in the land that I gave to your forefathers.”
The Seforno (22:32) explains “I will be sanctified (v’nikdashti) among Bnei Yisrael” in this manner. “I will make wonders before all of the people (Shemos 34:10). I took you out of Mitzrayim, I am Hashem (22:33). As in the days of you coming out of Mitzrayim, I will show them miracles (Micha 7:15).”
As Rav Hirsch taught, each and every member of Am Yisrael must avoid chilul Hashem and create kiddush Hashem. As the Gemara (Yoma ibid.) states, the greater the person, the greater the opportunity for kiddush Hashem and the damage of chilul Hashem. Specific examples of kiddush Hashem are honesty and politeness of a learned Jew, which make Hashem’s name beloved to others. The order of people’s reaction “His ways are beautiful, his deeds are correct” is reversed. His ways are polite, his deeds are honest. Being polite extends beyond the letter of the law and draws the greater admiration of the people, and love of Hashem.
Reaction to a dishonest and impolite learned Jew is in order “His deeds are damaged, his ways are ugly”. The greater chilul Hashem is dishonesty, violation of the law. The lesser evil is being impolite, a terrible deficiency (chaseiros), not as disgusting (megunos) as dishonesty.
The medrash (Devarim 3:3) recounts a story. R’ Shimon ben Shetach bought a donkey from a non-Jew. His talmidim found a precious stone hanging from its neck, and told him “The bracha of Hashem enriches.” He responded, “I bought a donkey, not a precious stone”. He returned it to the non-Jew, who responded “Blessed is Hashem, the G-d of Shimon ben Shetach.”
The Yerushalmi (Bava Metzia 2:5) elaborates: R’ Shimon ben Shetach wanted to hear the non-Jew say “Blessed is the G-d of the Jews” more than all the treasure in the world. Kiddush Hashem, especially for a talmid chacham, is priceless. As noted, Hashem created us in His image, so that we be like Him and sanctify His holy name.
The Smag (aseh 74) writes: now that the galus has extended more than enough, a Jew should separate himself from the emptiness of this world, and hold onto the perfection of Hashem which is truth. He should not lie to a Jew or a non-Jew and not fool them in any way. He should sanctify himself even with that which is permissible [i.e. the lost item of a non-Jew].
The Be’er Hagolah (Choshen Mishpat 348:5) states: I am writing this for the generations. I have seen many enrich themselves by fooling non-Jews. They did not prosper. All their possessions were lost, and they left nothing to their heirs. By contrast, many made a kiddush Hashem, and returned large amounts of money given to them mistakenly by non-Jews. They became great, wealthy and successful, and left a fortune to their descendants.
The Smag concludes: When Hashem comes to save us, the non-Jews will say “He did right, because we are men of truth, and the Torah of truth is on our lips.” However, if we are deceitful toward non-Jews, they will say “look what Hashem did, He chose as His portion thieves and deceivers.”
Honesty is the best policy. It makes Hashem beloved to others. It creates kiddush Hashem and avoids chilul Hashem. It makes a person wealthy. It will hasten the geula, and the ensuing kiddush Hashem, when the nations say that we deserve to be redeemed. May our honesty bring an end to the chilul Hashem of the extended galus and the recent attack in Eretz Yisrael. May Hashem show us miracles as He did in Mitzrayim and sanctify us by the ultimate geula.
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