The Mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem: When to Die — and How to Live — for Hashem

Kiddush Hashem, the sanctification of Hashem’s Name, involves giving up one’s life rather than violating Torah law. However, this mitzvah can also be fulfilled every day of our lives.

Mesirut Nefesh — Giving Up One’s Life for Hashem

Yehareg ve’al ya’avor (allow oneself to be killed rather than transgress) applies in cases where a Jew is ordered to commit murder, engage in illicit relations, or serve idols on pain of death. A Jew who is ordered to violate any other Torah law when the intention is to denigrate the Torah is also required to give up his life in many situations, even if the law concerned appears minor.

When a Jew gives up his life in such circumstances, this transmits an immensely powerful message that life is meaningless unless we can serve Hashem.

Source of the Mitzvah

The mitzvah is stated in Vayikra (Leviticus 22:32), along with the prohibition of chillul Hashem (desecrating Hashem’s Name):

“And you shall not desecrate My holy Name, but I shall be sanctified among the Jewish People. I am the Lord who sanctifies you.”

It is also referenced in Bamidbar (Numbers 20:12):

“Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of Bnei Yisrael (the Jewish People.”

After two sons of Aharon Hakohen (the High Priest Aaron) lost their lives, Hashem states:

“I will be sanctified by those who are close to Me” (Vayikra 10:3).

A Public Declaration

The obligation of mesirut nefesh (self-sacrifice) applies when one is forced to publicly violate a Torah prohibition. The Midrash explains:

“[The Torah] tells us, ‘And I shall be sanctified’ — give up your life and sanctify My Name. Might this apply even in private? The verse says: ‘among the Jewish People — among the many.”

Therefore, it is a positive commandment to give up one’s life when forced to sin in public.

According to Rambam (Maimonides):

“We are commanded to publicly proclaim this true faith, and not be afraid of any harm that may result. Even if a brutal tyrant arises and forces us to deny Hashem, we must not listen to him, but must give ourselves over to death with full resolve, and we must not allow [the ruler] to even suspect that we have denied [Hashem], even if our hearts remain faithful to Him.”

Additional Ways of Fulfilling the Mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem

In addition to giving up one’s life, this mitzvah also includes:

• Behaving in an ethical and honest manner and thereby bringing honor to Hashem and to those who live according to the Torah.
• Declaring Hashem’s praises in the presence of a minyan (quorum of ten).
• Readiness to give up one’s life for Hashem — even if only in thought.

Chillul Hashem — Desecrating God’s Name

The Talmud (Yoma 86a) teaches that a Torah scholar who lacks integrity in monetary matters or treats people disrespectfully desecrates Hashem’s Name:

“But someone who studies Torah and Mishnah, and serves Torah scholars, yet is not honest in business and does not speak gently with people — what do people say about him? ‘Woe to this man who studied Torah! Woe to his father who taught him Torah! Woe to his teacher who taught him Torah! This man studied Torah — look how corrupt his deeds are, how ugly are his ways!’”

Based on this teaching, Rambam rules that behaving with kindness and integrity publicly sanctifies Hashem’s Name:

“If a Torah scholar always behaves appropriately, speaks kindly with people ... greets them cheerfully, bears insults without retaliating, honors even those who belittle him, is honest in business ... and is always seen immersed in Torah while wrapped in tzitzit and crowned with tefillin, going beyond the letter of the law in all his deeds ... then all who see him will praise him, love him, and desire to emulate his ways. He sanctifies Hashem’s Name.

“Of such a person the Torah says: ‘He said to me, You are My servant, Yisrael, through whom I will be glorified’ (Yeshayahu-Isaiah 49:3).”

Sanctifying Hashem’s Name in a Minyan

The Talmudic Sages (Berachot 21b, Megillah 23b) derive from the Torah verse, “And I shall be sanctified among the Jewish People” the requirement for the presence of a minyan when we proclaim Hashem's praises.

This applies when we recite Kaddish, Kedushah (in the repetition of the Amidah), Barchu, Birkat Kohanim (the priestly blessing), and when we read from the Torah.

According to many halachic authorities, when we recite these sanctifications in a minyan, we fulfill the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem. According to the Arizal, when reciting Kedushah, we should consciously intend to fulfill the mitzvah of sanctifying Hashem’s Name (and this is codified in the Mishnah Berurah, the main source of halachic practice for Ashkenazi Jews).

Sanctifying Hashem’s Name in Thought Alone

One can fulfill the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem even in thought. Several rabbinic authorities write that when reciting the words “bechol nafsh’chah—with all your soul” during Keriyat Shema (the recitation of Shema), one should mentally accept upon oneself a readiness to sacrifice one’s life for the sake of Hashem’s sanctity.

When one truly has this intention, it is considered as if he had actually fulfilled the mitzvah in deed.

Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, one of the early Chassidic Masters, writes in his “Tzetel Katan”:

“Any time a person is not engaged in Torah study — especially if he is sitting idly alone in a room or lying in bed unable to sleep — he should reflect on this positive commandment of, ‘And I shall be sanctified among the Jewish People.’ He should envision and imagine a great and awesome fire burning before him up to the heavens, and how he, in order to sanctify Hashem’s Name, overcomes his nature and casts himself into the fire.

“And, since the Holy One [Hashem] associates a good thought to an action, it is considered that he is not sitting idly, but rather fulfilling a positive mitzvah from the Torah.”