Kiddush Hashem
- The Torah was given to sanctify the name of G-d. Chazal
placed great emphasis on the obligation to sanctify the name of G-d and on
the severity of the punishment for the sin of profaning the name of G-d.
“Neither teshuva nor Yom Kippur nor suffering can atone for a person who
has profaned the name of G-d. They hold the punishment in abeyance until
death brings atonement. (Yoma 86a). In Pirkey Avos (4:4) we learn that
wild animals enter populated areas because of the sin of profaning the
name of G-d. The sin of profaning the name of G-d is punished (though not
in the same way) even when it is done inadvertently. - If a person does something before Jews or Gentiles that
would cause others to be ashamed of him, he has profaned the name of G-d
even if, strictly speaking, he didn’t do anything wrong. So, for
example, a person who becomes known for reading sifrei epicorsis or
drinking excessively at parties profanes the name of G-d. - There are averos for which a person is also punished
for profaning the name of G-d, such as making oaths that are vain or
false. - A person who turns to the gentile court is a rosho,
even if he takes a gentile to court, even if the gentile court judges the
case as a Jewish court would, even if both parties agree to turn to the
gentile court. It is as though he has scorned and rejected the Torah of
Moshe Rabbeinu, and that, of course, profanes the name of G-d. - A person who misleads a gentile and steals from him
violates a prohibition form the Torah and may cause the name of G-d to be
profaned. - A Jew is permitted to be a witness in a Gentile court
if a gentile calls upon him to do so. To refuse would profane the name of
G-d. - Everyone has to be careful to avoid doing something
which might cause people to speak badly of him, but talmidei chochomim should
be especially careful. Even when a person does not regard himself as a talmid
chochom, if others regard him as a talmid chochom, he must
conduct himself accordingly and be especially careful. Nowadays, anyone
who learns in a kollel is considered a talmid chochom. The Mishneh
Brura provides an example of how a talmid chochom should
conduct himself: Commenting on the din in the Shulchan Oruch (90:69)
that a person who is unable to daven with the tzibur should
nevertheless go to the synagogue to daven because it is a place that is
dedicated to kedushah, the Mishnah Brura says, “It is clear that
if the person is a talmid chochom and there is a possibility that
his arriving too late to daven with the tzibur would profane
the name of G-d, he should pray at home. - A talmid chochom should be careful, among other
things, to avoid speaking (even if he has already davened and is in
the middle of learning) during the davening and the recitation of
the Shma, for apart from the fact that it is forbidden, it profanes
the name of G-d. He must not be careless with the money of others, and if
he borrows, he should pay back the loan when it is due, for when a talmid
chochom seems unconcerned to conduct himself in a proper and ethical
way, people are quick to speak badly of him. He must never show disrespect
for another person, and be calm and respectful when addressing the public. - A person should not stop learning Torah to do a mitzvah
that can be done by another person. But if, by learning and not doing the
mitzvah, he will profane the name of G-d, he is permitted to do the
mitzvah. - Rabbeinu Yona writes in Sefer Shaarei Teshuva
that a person who has profaned the name of G-d should do teshuva by doing
things which will sanctify the name of G-d. Tzaddikim have said that if he
does teshuva mi-ahava, then he can atone for his sin in his
lifetime, and that diligent application to learning Torah also provides
atonement. The Peleh Yoaytz writes that a person who has incurred
the punishment of death from Heaven by profaning the name of G-d should
have the intention of giving his life over to G-d when reciting the Shma
and at the time of nefilas kapayim, for G-d regards a good
thought as a good deed.