English translation — אמור ב

1.

On the verse in our parshah¹

"And you shall not profane My holy name, and I will be sanctified among the children of Israel" — it says in Toras Kohanim: after it is stated there that the explanation of "and I will be sanctified" is "sacrifice yourself and sanctify My name

(one might think [this applies] to an individual, therefore it says, etc.)

" — "From here they said: Whoever sacrifices himself with the intention that a miracle be performed for him, no miracle is performed for him; [if he sacrifices himself] without the intention that a miracle be performed for him, a miracle is performed for him."

And it brings two proofs for this — "For so we find with Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who said to Nebuchadnezzar, etc., and when Marienus seized Papus and Luliyanus his brother in Ludkiya, he said to them, etc."

(as below, section 3).

Rashi in his commentary on the Torah

brings the content of the matter from Toras Kohanim

(with changes,

as below, section 6)

and this is his language:

(after his commentary on "and you shall not profane" and after explaining that "and I will be sanctified" means "sacrifice yourself and sanctify My name...

among the children of Israel")

: And when he sacrifices himself, he should sacrifice himself with the intention of dying, for whoever sacrifices himself with the intention of a miracle, no miracle is performed for him, for so we find with Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who did not sacrifice themselves with the intention of a miracle, etc.

But the Rambam in the book Yad,

in the Laws of the Foundations of the Torah²,

where he writes the laws of sanctification of the Name,

does not bring down that when one is sacrificing oneself for sanctification of the Name the intention must be "in order to die"

(based on the words of the Toras Kohanim cited above³).

Simply, one can say,

that the Rambam holds that the matter that is stated in Toras Kohanim is not meant as a condition for obligation <b>in halacha</b> in the commandment of sanctification of the Name,

but rather as an addition of a <b>new</b> matter and narrative and the like.

And emphasized in the language of the Toras Kohanim: "<b>They said</b>: Anyone who sacrifices himself for a miracle to be done for him, they do not do [a miracle] etc., and for a miracle not to be done for him, they do [a miracle] etc." — a style of a statement in itself and of <b>narrative</b>.

From this, however, that Rashi <b>changes</b> and says this in the language of a Tanna and instruction of how to fulfill the mitzvah — "<b>And when he</b> gives himself over <b>he should give himself over on condition</b> <b>to die</b>" — it is understood,

that Rashi accepts this matter mentioned in the Torat Kohanim⁴

as a <b>law</b> in the mitzvah of sanctification of the Name⁵

(And furthermore: since Rashi brings this down in his commentary on the Torah — which "I⁶

did not come except for the plain meaning of the verse" — it is a proof that this is a law that pertains to the understanding of the plain meaning of the verse).

And it can be said that the dispute of Rashi and Rambam in the explanation of the words of the Torat Kohanim is a general dispute regarding the category of the mitzvah of sanctification of the Name.

2.

And it can be said the explanation in this:

The mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem is — in the language of the Toras Kohanim — "Give yourself over and sanctify My name",

that a Jew should be moser nefesh without any calculations,

he is ready to perish G-d forbid rather than transgress on the

(more severe)

transgression,

with which he sanctifies His name, blessed be He.

When a Jew is moser nefesh for the sanctification of His Name, blessed be He, and the Most High causes circumstances so that the Jew should be saved,

and needless to say when the rescue comes through a miracle — through this His great Name is sanctified even more&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;.

But the question is,

whether &lt;b&gt;the&lt;/b&gt; manner of Kiddush Hashem

(through a miracle and rescue)

is a part of the &lt;b&gt;mitzvah&lt;/b&gt; of Kiddush Hashem

("Give yourself over and sanctify My Name")

which the person fulfills,

or this is a matter in and of itself — it is a thing that &lt;b&gt;the Most High&lt;/b&gt; does a miracle in order to sanctify His Name, blessed be He, in the world.

And this is the difference between Rashi and the Rambam:

Rashi teaches,

that what the Toras Kohanim says "&lt;b&gt;from here they said&lt;/b&gt;" is a continuation in the explanation of the manner of fulfillment of the commandment of sanctification of the Name — and when a Jew is saved through a miracle,

the fulfiller of the commandment has a connection

(to the miracle and consequently)

to the addition in sanctification of the Name and is obligated also in this.

And this is derived from that which the verse says "and I will be sanctified",

in the nifal form and in the imperative form&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;,

that the entire sanctification of the Name comes in the manner of "nifal" of the Holy One, blessed be He,

also the miracle of salvation of the Jew which is performed by the Holy One, blessed be He,

is the sanctification of the Name through this — a part of the commandment of sanctification of the Name which the person fulfills.

And this makes &lt;b&gt;smooth&lt;/b&gt; what the Toras Kohanim says "from here they said: anyone who gives himself over on condition that a miracle be done for him, no miracle is done for him,

and for one not [intending] that a miracle be done for him, a miracle is done for him" — for prima facie: when a Jew fulfills "&lt;b&gt;give&lt;/b&gt; yourself over and sanctify My name",

he is not supposed to do this conditionally,

that the Almighty should save him through a miracle,

then this is indeed not a matter of "give yourself over" — on the contrary, he makes a condition&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

"on condition" &lt;b&gt;fulfillment&lt;/b&gt; of himself!

But the explanation is: the Tosefta adds here,

as above,

that in this manner the "and I will be sanctified" is fulfilled completely: when a Jew gives himself over — in a manner of "not to perform a miracle for him",

then "they perform a miracle for him" — and the complete "and I will be sanctified" is fulfilled,

that the Most High makes a miracle and saves the one who gives himself over.

3.

Based on this one will also understand why the Tosefta elaborates in the two proofs

(from Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and "and when Marienus seized etc.")

: — and this is the language

(in the first proof)

For we find regarding Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah that they said to Nebuchadnezzar

We have no need to answer you concerning this matter

(We are not concerned about this to take counsel what to answer you, for the reply is ready and fluent in our mouth.

Rashi on the verse).

Behold, there is our God whom we serve, He is able to save us from the burning fiery furnace, and from your hand, O king, He will save.

But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your god, nor will we bow down to the golden image that you have set up.

The Tosefta brings the entire lengthy statement that Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah said to Nebuchadnezzar — not only the end of their words "But if not

(He will save

let it be known to you, O king, etc."

(That in any case they will not bow to that "image",

not reckoning whether they will be saved or not —),

but also that which they said that the Almighty can save them from the fiery furnace — because this is relevant to the mitzvah of sanctification of God's Name: When a Jew gives his life for the sanctification of God's Name

(to sanctify His Name, may He be blessed),

he must know that the Almighty can save him — and the saving is

(still)

a matter in the sanctification of the Name of Heaven

And this Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah said to Nebuchadnezzar: they know that the Almighty "&lt;b&gt;is able&lt;/b&gt; to deliver us",

but even "if not" they will in no way bow to the "statue" and they are ready to give their lives for the sanctification of His name.

4.

Then the Torah-Or brings a second proof: And when Marienus seized Pappus and Lulianus his brother in Ludkiya, he said to them: If you are of the nation of Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, let your God come and save you from my hand. And they said to him: Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were worthy, and Nebuchadnezzar was fit that a miracle be performed through him,

but you are a wicked king, and you are not fit that a miracle be performed through you,

and we are liable to death before Heaven, and if you do not kill us, there are many harmful forces before the Omnipresent, many bears, etc., but in the end the Omnipresent will demand our blood from your hand.

They said: They did not move from there until deputies from Rome came upon him and crushed his brain with clubs.

That is: in continuation and addition to the first proof — that the perfection of "and I will be sanctified" is when the Most High makes a miracle and saves the one who is moser nefesh — the Toras Kohanim emphasizes the matter,

On the other hand,

that when the Most High does <b>not</b> save the one who is moser nefesh,

it is because he is not worthy that His name should be so sanctified through him¹³.

And based on this will be sweetened

(or more — <b>compelled</b>)

also the continuation in Toras Kohanim that in practice <b>they</b> — Pappus and Lulianus — merited that the "and I will be sanctified" should be fulfilled in perfection¹⁴,

because there was a miracle — "they did not move from there until there came..

and they took out his brain with reeds".

5.

The Rambam however holds,

that <b>the</b> manner of sanctification of the Name that is explained in Toras Kohanim

(that His name, may He be blessed, becomes sanctified through the miracle)

is not a halachah,

but an additional detail in the homiletics of the Torah regarding the virtue of the commandment and its reward.

The definition of a commandment that is upon the halachah is the action of man and not a thing that the Most High does

(even when the <b>cause</b> for this is the action of man)

; and certainly not a thing that occurs through a miracle,

for Torah and its commandments are not set up that one should fulfill them through a miracle¹⁵.

And likewise in our matter: the mitzvah of sanctification of the Name &lt;b&gt;in halachah&lt;/b&gt; is — the deed and action of the person,

that the Jew gives himself over to be killed for sanctification of the Name.

And as the Rambam brings this out in Sefer HaMitzvos&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;

: "And the subject of this commandment, which we are commanded to publicize this true faith in the world and not to fear from harm&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

of any injurer, and even though a coercer comes upon us to request from him to force us that we not listen to him, but we give ourselves over to death and we will not mislead him to think that we denied, even though our hearts believe in Him, may He be exalted&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;.

And this is the mitzvah of sanctification of the Name with which the children of Israel are commanded in their entirety&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

meaning, permitting ourselves to die at the hand of the coercer for the love of Him, may He be exalted, and the faith in His unity, as did Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, etc."

(As he elaborates there).

From this it is understood that the detail and part in sanctification of the Name,

that comes as a result of this that the Almighty saves the Jew through &lt;b&gt;a miracle&lt;/b&gt;,

is a separate matter and not a part of the fulfillment of the mitzvah of "and I will be sanctified" of the person.

And perhaps²⁰

It can be said that the completeness of the fulfillment of the commandment of sanctification of the Name consists specifically in that the one who gives himself over to be killed is actually killed²¹

for the sanctification of His name, may He be blessed²²

(But when he is saved by a miracle,

the fulfillment of the commandment of sanctification of the Name is not so

(in a tangible way and consequently —)

complete²³).

And precisely the language of the Rambam²⁴

: "Anyone of whom it is said he should be killed and not transgress <b>and was killed</b> and did not transgress, behold this one <b>sanctified the</b> <b>Name</b>": The Rambam precedes "and was killed"

(and only then)

and did not transgress"

(not "and did not transgress and was killed")

— because the main completeness of sanctification of the Name is not

(so much)

in that "he did not transgress"

(and was saved in a miraculous way),

but rather in that he was killed for the sanctification of the Name,

since thereby is brought out in a revealed and tangible way the strength of the faith of the one who sanctifies and his love for God²⁵.

And with this will be sweetened what the Rambam continues²⁶

"And these are the victims of the kingdom whose rank no rank surpasses, and about them it is said²⁷

For on Your account we are killed all day long, we are considered as sheep for the slaughter, and about them it is said²⁸

Gather to Me My pious ones, who make a covenant with Me over a sacrifice"²⁹.

For at first glance,

the book Yad of the Rambam is a book of <b>laws</b> and not

(so)

of homilies on the verses regarding the reward of the commandments —

What is relevant in &lt;b&gt;Halacha&lt;/b&gt; the virtue of those "killed by the kingdom whose virtue no virtue surpasses and about them it is said etc."?

But the Rambam brings this down because this is a part in the definition of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem: this is not a matter of "virtue"

(separate),

but this is an elevation&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;

in the &lt;b&gt;fulfillment of the mitzvah&lt;/b&gt of Kiddush Hashem itself; they fulfilled the mitzvah in the ultimate perfection of it&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;.

It turns out,

that according to the Rambam's system, the completeness of the intention of "V’nikdashti" in the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem — the sanctification of His name, blessed be He, which is achieved through "our allowing ourselves to die"³¹

(which demonstrates <b>within</b> Bnei Yisrael the strength of faith of the Jew)

— consequently has no place to say that "they perform a miracle for him" is a part of the mitzvah of "V’nikdashti".

6.

Based on all the above, one must explain several differences in Rashi regarding the explanation of the Toras Kohanim

(as follows)

— because according to Rashi in the simple meaning of Scripture it turns out,

a third manner

(the intermediate manner between Toras Kohanim and Rambam)

in the definition of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem.

From the changes in Rashi's commentary:

Rashi brings only the first case from Toras Kohanim

("on condition of a miracle, they do not perform a miracle for him")

and omits the case "not to perform a miracle for him &lt;b&gt;they perform a miracle for him&lt;/b&gt;".

a)

(a)

He brings only the proof from Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

— not the second proof from "And when Tryphon seized etc."

(as in Toras Kohanim).

(b)

In the proof from Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah itself, Rashi does not quote the lengthy discourse

(as in Toras Kohanim),

but only the part whose content is that "they did not surrender themselves for the sake of the miracle"

("And it is not known to you, O king, etc. He will save and if not, let it be known to you&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;

etc."&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;)

This is because the second proof and the first part of the discourse of Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah — pertain to the matter of "one for whom it is not fitting to perform a miracle, they perform a miracle for him"

(as above section 3-4)

which Rashi does not bring].

b)

Also the matter "whoever gives himself over on condition of a miracle, no miracle is performed for him" Rashi does not say as a separate thing

(as in Toras Kohanim),

but as a <b>reason</b> for what he says earlier "and when he gives himself over, he should give himself over on condition to die — <b>that</b> all

(not "<b>and</b> all")

whoever gives himself over etc.'³⁵.

What in addition to the change regarding Toras Kohanim — is also in essence the matter not understood: how does it fit to say,

that the reason for "he should give himself over on condition to die" is

(the negative side)

"that whoever gives himself over on condition of a miracle <b>no miracle is performed for him</b>" — not only is the matter

("no miracle is performed for him")

not giving a reason why he should give himself over "on condition to die",

but on the contrary,

this brings out the opposite,

that in concealment there is a thought of "to perform a miracle for him"!

7.

And it can be said the explanation in this:

It was spoken earlier,

that according to the Toras Kohanim the object

("and I will be sanctified")

is a part of the body of the commandment of sanctification of [God's] name,

so that the "

(not to perform a miracle for him)

they perform a miracle for him" pertains also to the knowledge and intention of the person at the time of fulfilling the commandment — he needs to know that the Almighty can save him and that thereby the perfection of sanctification of [God's] name will be revealed

(and emphasized in the proofs from Toras Kohanim,

as above).

But in pshut pshat it is not appropriate to say,

that the sanctification of G-d's name that comes through the miracle of salvation by &lt;b&gt;Hashem&lt;/b&gt; should be a part of the &lt;b&gt;commandment&lt;/b&gt; of sanctification of G-d's name of &lt;b&gt;man&lt;/b&gt;; rather the commandment is

(&lt;b&gt;in the manner&lt;/b&gt; mentioned above, total in the system of the Rambam)

— the action of man,

"&lt;b&gt;Give over&lt;/b&gt; yourself &lt;b&gt;and sanctify&lt;/b&gt; My name".

The commandment of sanctification of G-d's name is the "sanctify My name" that is accomplished through the "give over yourself" of man&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;

(That at the time one sees how a Jew is &lt;b&gt;ready&lt;/b&gt; for self-sacrifice,

His name, may He be blessed, becomes sanctified in the world*&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;).

(with the proofs etc.,

as in Toras Kohanim)

— because according to Rashi's explanation, the fulfillment of the commandment of man does not consist in that the Omnipresent should sanctify His name further through the performance of the miracle].

Ay,

the Torah says "Venikdashti" (and I will be sanctified) in the nif'al form — from which it is implied that the sanctification of G-d's Name that the &lt;b&gt;Almighty&lt;/b&gt; makes

(through the performance of the miracle)

is indeed related to the commandment of sanctification of G-d's Name — Rashi explains,

that this comes to teach an additional &lt;b&gt;addition&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;

in the "&lt;b&gt;self-sacrifice&lt;/b&gt;" of the person,

that it must be in the manner of "he should sacrifice himself &lt;b&gt;with the intent to die&lt;/b&gt;":

Were it not for this explanation, one could think,

that when someone sacrifices himself "with the intent of the miracle"

(he hopes and relies that the Almighty will perform a miracle and save him)

— there is entirely no lack in the sanctification of G-d's Name

("sanctify My Name"),

because outwardly his intention is not apparent,

those who stand by see only his &lt;b&gt;deed&lt;/b&gt;,

that he sacrifices himself to death — the deficiency here is only that &lt;b&gt;he&lt;/b&gt; performs the commandment not for its own sake in its purity.

On this the verse says "<b>And I will be sanctified</b>" — that also the sanctification of G-d's name through the action of the Holy One, blessed be He, is related to the commandment of sanctification of G-d's name,

and therefore — "And when he gives himself over, he should give himself over <b>with the intention to die</b>

(Because if not,

<b>he prevents</b>, as it were, that the Most High should sanctify His name through a miracle,

because)

whoever gives himself over with the intention of a miracle, <b>they do not perform a miracle for him</b>".

It comes out,

that the emphasis in Rashi is the <b>opposite</b> of the emphasis of the Toras Kohanim: according to the Toras Kohanim, one learns from "And I will be sanctified" that the commandment of sanctification of G-d's name includes the knowledge that "they perform a miracle for him",

the Most High can save him and through this there will be a complete "And I will be sanctified"; according to Rashi, one learns from "And I will be sanctified" the opposite — that the intention of the person must be "<b>with the intention to die</b>"

(In order not to "prevent", as it were,

the possibility of "And I will be sanctified" in a revealed and tangible way).

8.

Based on the above, a difference between Toras Kohanim and Rashi will be sweetened — in Toras Kohanim the language is "

(Whoever gives himself over etc.)

but in Rashi it says

("he shall give himself over)

&lt;b&gt; with the intent to die&lt;/b&gt;":

According to Toras Kohanim,

then by him there must

(also)

be the knowledge that the Almighty can make a miracle and save him

(so that a complete sanctification of G-d's name should come out),

it comes out,

that his self-sacrifice is not with the full intention and purpose "&lt;b&gt;with the intent to die&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

— it is only that he, on his part, is &lt;b&gt;ready&lt;/b&gt; and gives himself over &lt;b&gt;even if&lt;/b&gt; the Almighty will &lt;b&gt;not&lt;/b&gt; make any miracle

(to achieve the perfection of sanctification of G-d's name)

&lt;b&gt;and that a miracle should not be done for him&lt;/b&gt;",

— "&lt;b&gt;and that a miracle should not be done for him&lt;/b&gt;";

Not so according to Rashi, it is learned from "venikdashti" that "when he gives himself over, he should give himself over &lt;b&gt;with the intention to die&lt;/b&gt;" — not thinking at all about the salvation that the Almighty can make.

9.

And may it be His will that through this involvement in the laws of sanctification of the Name, one should merit very soon the nullification of the exile — that the very essence of the matter of exile is as the explicit verse that the Scripture spoke "My name is profaned among the nations"&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;,

the opposite of sanctification of the Name;

And it becomes the perfect "ונקדשתי" before the eyes of all the nations,

"וקדשתי את שמי הגדול ..

וידעו <b>הגוים</b> כי אני ה'"^39-

In the true and complete redemption through our righteous Mashiach,

Speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Emor 5742)