Parasha Emor

Many people have the custom of studying the popular mishnaic text, Pirkei Avot, The Ethics of the Fathers, during the weeks between Pesach and Shavuot. The first mishna in the second chapter quotes Rebbe (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the redactor of the Mishna, born 135 C.E.)
והוי זהיר במצווה קלה כבחמורה, שאין אתה יודע מתן שכרן של מצוות. והוי מחשב הפסד מצווה כנגד שכרה, ושכר עבירה כנגד הפסדה
…..Be as careful with a “light” mitzvah as with a “heavy” one, for you do not know the rewards of the mitzvot. Consider the cost of a mitzvah against its rewards, and the rewards of a transgression against its cost…. (Avot 2:1)

To understand this, we must ask ourselves: is the mishna implying that there is a hierarchy among the commandments, or rather suggesting that each of us will find certain mitzvot more challenging? There are many cogent arguments that can be made for both approaches.
Certainly there are commandments requiring physical action or inaction (saying the Shema, not eating treif, living in a succah, eating matza on Pesach, fasting on Yom Kippur) that could be easier or more enjoyable for some, and perhaps the reward is greater for those who find a particular mitzvah more challenging. And what are the rewards and costs? Could the same mitzvah be both “light” and “heavy”. Are some commandments really more important than others?

Consider this passuk (verse) from this week’s parasha:
וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ, אֶת-שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי, וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי, בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: אֲנִי יְהוָה, מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם.
“You shall not desecrate My Holy Name , rather I should be sanctified among the Children of Israel . I am G-d Who makes you holy.” (Leviticus 22:32)

The Jewish people were chosen by their creator to be aidim, witnesses, testifying to the existence of G-d, and of G-d’s presence in the world.

If a Jew should knowingly and publicly deny the Torah, and the divine authority , by ignoring its dictates, they are performing a Chillul Hashem-a desecration of G-d’s name. One of the reasons traditional Jews have often worn similar garments, a Jewish uniform, so to speak, is to underscore the fact that their every action in public will be viewed as a Jewish action, for better or worse.

How much more so under the scrutiny of our creator! When a Jew performs an act publicly that demonstrates the beauty, compassion, wisdom, or sensitivity of Judaism, he or she has made a “Kiddush Hashem“, a sanctification of G-d’s name.

Many people erroneously believe that the Torah’s laws of righteousness and fairness only apply to behavior towards other Jews.

The Jerusalem Talmud, in the tractate of Bava Metzia tells a story of the great sage Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach, a humble dry goods merchant, who’s gracious and fair dealings with his gentile neighbors were well known. Once, his pupils presented him with a donkey which they had purchased from an Arab. Under the neck of the animal they found a purse containing an expensive pearl, whereupon they joyously told their master that he might now cease toiling since the proceeds from the jewel would make him wealthy. Rabbi Shimon, however, replied that the Arab had sold them the donkey only, and not the pearl; and he returned the gem to the Arab, who exclaimed, “Praised be the God of Shimon ben Shetach!”

The ultimate opportunity for the sanctification of G-d’s name is in our adherence to the Torah’s principles under pressure, or even threat of loss of life.
The Torah teaches us that a Jew is obligated to sacrifice his or her own life in an act of Kiddush Hashem, rather than to commit murder, immorality, or idol worship. The millions of martyrs who died as Jews instead of living as idolators or gentiles have perhaps performed the highest level of sanctification of G-d’s name. The story of the Ten Martyrs we read in the synagogue on Yom Kippur is one of the most emotional and inspiring pieces in our entire liturgy.

One need not face death to achieve this level of spiritual attainment. When a minyan says kedusha (and thinks about what they are actually saying!) during the repetition of the Amidah prayer they are sanctifying G-d’s name, and when the opening words of the kaddish (sanctification) prayer are chanted the congregational response of Amein, Y’hay Sh’mai Rabba… is a literal Kiddush Hashem.

It is inspiring to see how the death of a loved one is the impetus for countless jews to re-examine their relationship with their creator and their community. By going to the synagogue to say the mourner’s kaddish one can turn his deepest sorrow into an opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of sanctifying the name of G-d. The spiritual force of the living and departed are combined and the results are far reaching in this world and the next.

What about the private arena? Is it possible to perform the mitzvah of kiddush hashem in a non public setting?
The very act of sanctification is actually an affirmation of our love of our creator, and a private statement of Shema Yisrael, and v’ahavta eit Hashem elokecha is indeed an opportunity to perform the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem in the privacy of our own rooms.

In most prayer books, and as written in a Torah scroll, the letters “Ayin” and “Daled” of the first verse are enlarged — encoded to spell out the Hebrew word “aid” — witness. When we say the Shema, we are testifying to the Oneness of God, the transcendental sanctification by our own pure thoughts and speech.

May we be blessed to fulfill the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem through life, and not death.

Can I get a witness?

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Greg