Emor

Whilst reading this weeks parasha of Emor, we come across 2 verses one immediately after another.

22:31

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃

You shall faithfully observe My commandments: I am the LORD.

And 22:32

וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃

You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people—I the LORD who sanctify you,

The first one is straightforward, a clear and positive direction to keeps Gods commandments and that is followed up by the statement, our very first of the Ten Commandments - “I am the LORD”.

The second one is slightly more interesting. Firstly it is a negative commandment, telling us what we must not do which is “profane Gods name” then it tells us the reason why “that I may be sanctified”. Followed up yet again by “ I am the LORD”.

And after that, is where it becomes interesting.

“I the LORD who sanctify you”

From this verse in Emor, we take the teaching of Chilul Hashem and its opposite, the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem. These are two very special mitzvot because they directly impact our lives on a constant basis. These guide us in our behaviour from one moment to the next. With every choice we make, every word we say, we can either bring dishonour to God or raise God through our negative or positive actions.

I remember as a child growing up in the UK, how I wore my school uniform every day. I attended a Jewish Day School and remember vividly the words of my teacher ringing in my ears.

“Remember, when you are in public, wearing your school uniform, you are clearly at a Jewish school, you must make sure you behave your best, make a Kiddush Hashem, not a Chilul Hashem”.

Sort of how we have to behave so as not to show up our parents.

As an adult, I can recognise it is exactly that. God, as we call Avinu, is in that role, our parent and it is up to us to sanctify God’s name with a Kiddush Hashem whenever we can.

So many of our ethics and teachings are recognisable within modern culture if we care to look carefully. And this is one too..

“behave as if you are on camera”. The concept that we are being watched, possibly even judged.

Our behaviour is so important to God that it is inextricably commanded, act poorly and it reflects on me, act well and you too, will be sanctified.

The modern wearing of a kippah, is in many traditions so that we have a visible reminder at all time that God is with us. The beauty of both Chilul and Kiddush Hashem are that even without a kippah upon our heads, through our choices, words and behaviour, God is within us.

So, have you done a good deed today? Have you helped someone or maybe said a kind word? Living actively within the Jewish community we are all messengers of God and our actions allow us to fulfil this mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem.

We have a responsibility to teach, and to demonstrate how we can raise and praise Hashem from the simplest verse, tucked away in the middle of a Torah portion about laws, sacrifices and priests.

Blessed is God who raises us up through his Torah and teachings and allows us to sanctify him in every way.

Shabbat Shalom.