Sanctifying Hashem's Name/1/en

Sanctifying Hashem's Name

Introduction

Interactive Module

Must Man Sanctify Hashem?

The concept of sanctifying Hashem's name ("קידוש השם‏") is considered by many to be one of the central precepts of Judaism.  Perhaps surprisingly, however, nowhere in Torah is there an explicit command to do so. Though several verses admonish against profaning Hashem's name, both in connection with specific prohibitions¹ as well as more generally,² no parallel directive exists for sanctification.  Hashem speaks repeatedly about His sanctifying of the nation,³ but it is unclear whether it is man, or only God, who can sanctify Hashem Himself.⁴  After all, how can a human make Hashem holy?  What would it mean to sanctify His name?

"וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"

The often cited source for the obligation to sanctify Hashem's name is found in Vayikra 22:

EN/HEע/E

(לא) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם מִצְוֺתַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם אֲנִי י"י. (לב) וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קׇדְשִׁי וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי י"י מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם. (לג) הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי י"י.

(31) And ye shall keep My commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.
(32) And ye shall not profane My holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord who hallow you,
(33) that brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.

This source, however, is far from a simple one.  First, the phrase "וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי" is not formulated in the imperative, as expected of a command, but is rather a passive form, as if it is merely the consequence of a previous action.  Moreover, the verse comes at the end of a unit dealing with priestly laws, suggesting that it is aimed at them specifically.  In fact, throughout the previous chapters, there are numerous parallel verses,⁵ all of which target specific priestly rituals and have little to do with the rest of the nation's actions.  On the other hand, this verse does differ from the parallel verses in that it is preceded by the general instruction of "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם מִצְוֺתַי" and closes with the additional "הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם", perhaps allowing for a connection to both a broader audience ("בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל") and a wider range of actions.

Martyrdom and Sanctification?

The sanctification of Hashem's name is commonly associated with the concept of sacrificing one's life for Hashem.  Yet, it is difficult to find an explicit discussion of the obligation of martyrdom in the Torah.⁶  It is only in the much later book of Daniel,⁷ that we read of how Daniel and his friends were willing to be killed rather than transgress various commandments.⁸  Does the Torah mandate forfeiting one's life?  If so, under what circumstances and for which commandments?  Finally, is martyrdom related to the sanctification of Hashem's name and the aforementioned verses of Vayikra 22?

¹ See Vayikra 19:12 with regards to swearing falsely, Vayikra 20:3 regarding worship of the Molekh, and Vayikra 21:6 and Vayikra 22:2 regarding priestly conduct.  In the Prophets and Writings, mention of desecration of Hashem's name is also connected to prostitution (Amos 2:7), idolatry (Yechezkel 20:39), murder (Yechezkel 36:19-24), and defiling the Mikdash (Yechezkel 43:7-8, Malakhi 1:11-12).

² See Vayikra 22:32: "וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קׇדְשִׁי".

³ See, for instance, Vayikra 20:7-8, 21:23, and 22:32.

⁴ See Yechezkel 36:23 where Hashem speaks of how He will sanctify His own name, but see also Yeshayahu 29:22-23 which describes children sanctifying His name (RambamSefer HaMitzvot Positive Commandment 9About R. Moshe b. Maimon, following Shir HaShirim Rabbah, interprets this verse to refer to the stories of martyrdom in the Book of Daniel).  In Bemidbar 20:12, as well, Moshe and Aharon are chided for not sanctifying Hashem.

⁵ Variations of "וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל.. כִּי אֲנִי י"י מְקַדְּשָׁם" appear in Vayikra 21:6, 21:15, 21:23, 22:2, and 22:15.

⁶ As noted above, the context of the verse "וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", understood by many to be the source for "קידוש השם", is not overly connected to forfeiting one's life.  The verse of "וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל נַפְשְׁךָ" in Devarim 6:5 is another potential source for the obligation of martyrdom (see Approaches and Ahavat Hashem); however, it too can sustain multiple other interpretations.

⁷ See Daniel 1, Daniel 3, and Daniel 6.

⁸ While Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah risk their lives in Daniel 3 over idolatry, Daniel acts similarly in Daniel 6 for prayer, and they all appear to place themselves in jeopardy in Daniel 1 over the dietary laws.