Sanctifying Hashem's Name/1/en
Sanctification of Hashem's Name
Introduction
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:
(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 fraught with difficulties. First, the phrase "וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" is not formulated in the imperative, as expected of a command, but rather in the passive, as if it is the consequence of a different 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 and wider range of actions. As such, how is the phrase "וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" meant to be understood?
Martyrdom and Sanctification?
The sanctification of Hashem's name is commonly associated with the concept of forfeiting one's life for Hashem. Where does this idea come from?6 In the Book of Daniel,7 he and his friends are willing to be killed rather than transgress Hashem's commandments, but the Torah never clearly states whether or not one is obligated to do so. On one hand, Vayikra 18:5 teaches "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי... וָחַי בָּהֶם", often understood to mean that life trumps keeping commandments. On the other hand, Devarim 6:5 states "וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל נַפְשְׁךָ", perhaps suggesting that sometimes love of Hashem might come at the cost of life.8 Must one martyr one's self, and if so, under what circumstances and for which commandments? How is the concept related to that of sanctification of Hashem's name?
