YOU TOO CAN PERFORM KIDDUSH HASHEM!

Iyar 15, 5783 / May 5-6, 2023

Parashat Emor

Torah: Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23

Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31

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This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of Rabbi Harold Kushner, who passed away on April 27, 2023/Iyar 6, 5783. Y'hi zikhro liv'rakhah.
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Lunch and Learn meets Tuesdays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live.
We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. 
On May 9, we'll be at BT Shabbat 63a, page 154 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 -  "אמר רב כהנא כד הוינא בר תמני סרי שנין"  - "R. Cahana said: 'When I was about eighteen years old,...'” 

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria: 
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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YOU TOO CAN PERFORM KIDDUSH HASHEM!

"You shall not profane My Holy Name (shem kodshi), for I will be sanctified (nikdashti) amidst the Children of Israel - I the Lord Who sanctifies you. (m’kadishkhem)" Leviticus 22:32

The term "Kiddush HaShem", the sanctification of the name of God, is generally associated with martyrdom - suffering execution rather than committing idolatry, for example. One should prefer death over the public desecration of God's name (Chillul HaShem). A primary example of such martyrdom is Rabbi Akiva, who recited the Sh'ma as the Romans executed him. He is also associated with Lag B'Omer, the 33rd day of the omer count (Tuesday Iyar 18/May 9 this year), when his students were miraculously delivered from a plague.

Rabbi Harold Kushner, z'l, in Chumash Etz Hayyim, teaches that the recitation of the Mourner's Kaddish (from the same root as kiddush) is literally a Kiddush HaShem. It is said by mourners in public, for it requires a minyan - a prayer quorum of 10 Jewish adults. Mourners, who might feel angry at God over the death of their loved one, stand up and proclaim, "Yitgadal v'yitkadash sh'mei rabbah - May His great name be magnified and sanctified." To which the others respond, "Amen." This recitation is a public affirmation of faith, which can only serve to strengthen the faith of all who are present. Saying "amen" places the respondent in the same position, from the standpoint of Jewish tradition, as the person who recites the kaddish - or any blessing, for that matter. Thus, every "amen" to the Mourner's Kaddish (or any other Kaddish) is also a Kiddush HaShem.

Every time a mourner wishes to stand up at a service and recite the Mourner's Kaddish, and a minyan is not present, the mourner and all those who are present are deprived of the opportunity to perform a Kiddush HaShem. And if you are not present, but could have been, you are preventing them from doing so - as well as missing out on the opportunity yourself! If you want to perform a Kiddush HaShem, without being a martyr, join your community at a worship service, and sanctify God's name "amidst the Children of Israel."

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom, Rabbi Emeritus
TBH/CBM

.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1 
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