Page 28 - HaMizrachi YmYm 2020 FLIPv3

Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel

The Challenge of

Kiddush Hashem

s Shavuot approaches and as a The sense that Kiddush Hashem the people of the Lord and are gone
representative of the Torah in and Chilul Hashem result from how forth out of His land.” (Yoma 86a)
Athe world, I began pondering the impact our actions have upon
the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem, others may jar somewhat in terms of Am Yisrael represents G-d’s Name in
sanctifying the Divine Name, and the authenticity. the world to non-Jews. This view is
corresponding prohibition against expressed many times in Tanach.
Chilul Hashem, desecrating the It is in vogue today to wish to live “our On our own internal, Jewish stage,
Divine Name. own truth” and not put on a façade. G-d’s Name is represented by anyone
However, responsibility comes with
We commonly use the term Hashem, the territory. To pretend that my identified with Torah, to one degree
meaning ‘the Name,’ to signify G-d. actions carry no meaning beyond my or another.
A person cannot desecrate G-d. But small personal circle exhibits, at best,
when it comes to G-d’s Name, His a great deal of naïveté. “” The State of Israel has
reputation in the world, or His effect placed us in the public
upon human beings – that can be “And you shall love the L-rd your eye, in an almost
elevated or stained. G-d” – let the Divine Name become
beloved through you. If one studies Biblical arena, but
Desecration of G-d’s Name can Scripture and Mishnah and ministers in a renewed light.
range across a broad spectrum of to Torah scholars, and is honest in
contexts: from military defeat for the business and speaks pleasantly to
IDF and Israel’s exile amongst the others, what do people say about And once again, the State of Israel
nations, through a momentary lack of him? “Happy is his father who taught has placed us in the public eye, in
courtesy by a young girl in a skirt or a him Torah; happy is his teacher who an almost Biblical arena, but in a
man in a kippah, to rabbis accused of taught him Torah; woe unto those renewed light.
harassment. who have not studied Torah. For this
man has studied the Torah, look how Now, after 2,000 years of exile, we
The possibilities for Kiddush Hashem, fine his ways are, how righteous his Jews are faced with the ultimate test
the sanctification of G-d’s name, are deeds! Of him, Scripture says: “And of Kiddush Hashem: can we remain
equally diverse, as the slogan at Ben- He said unto me: You are My servant, strong, standing firm among the
Gurion Airport – “Abroad We Are Israel, in, whom I will be glorified.” nations, adopting a non-apologetic
All Ambassadors” – reminds us; or as stance to defending ourselves, while
we see from time to time when Israeli But one who studies Scripture and at the same time striving for a just
rescue delegations rush to disaster- Mishnah and ministers to Torah and good society, one that sanctifies
stricken areas. scholars, but is dishonest in business G-d’s name both internally and to the
and discourteous in his relations with world? A society that makes us proud,
Within the span between the people, what do people say about and inspires us as Torah Jews?
cleanliness of a Talmid Chacham’s him? “Woe unto him who studied
clothes, and the readiness to give the Torah; woe unto his father who
our lives rather than commit a taught him Torah; woe unto his
serious transgression, lies our own teacher who taught him Torah! For
responsibility to be a living testimony this man has studied the Torah, and
to the fact His seal is truth and His look how corrupt are his deeds, how
Torah is a Torah of chesed (kindness), ugly his ways; of him, Scripture says: Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel teaches
a Torah of life. “In that men said of them: These are Torah at midrashot in Israel

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