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Vayeshev- Kiddush Hashem
For this year’s Parsha Lesson I will be focusing on a chinuch (parenting/ educational) lesson that can be derived from the Dvar Torah.
Background
In this week’s parsha we learn the story of Yosef being sold into slavery to Potiphar in Mitzrayim (Egypt). While Yosef started off as a menial laborer and slave, his master quickly realized how gifted and capable he was and promoted him to being in charge of his entire estate and all of his dealings. Potiphar’s wife was intrigued by him and pursued him for over a year, trying many different tactics to seduce Yosef. Finally, frustrated and feeling spurned, Potiphar’s wife concocted a story and had Yosef imprisoned.
The Rambam, in his magnum opus, Mishnah Torah (Yesodei HaTorah 5:10), says that if someone either fulfills a mitzvah (positive commandment) or refrains from doing an aveira (prohibition) ‘for no other reason other than to uphold the command of the Creator of the world, that is what it means to make a ‘kiddush Hashem’, sanctifying the name of Hashem.’ What is the example of this? The Rambam says that the primary example of this is Yosef refusing the overtures of Potiphar’s wife.
Question
How is this a ‘kiddush Hashem’? When going out in public and behaving properly, when a Jewish person is in the public eye and they do that which is correct, that is a ‘kiddush Hashem.’ But this episode of Yosef refusing the overtures of Potiphar’s wife was in private and unseen by anyone else. How was this a ‘kiddush Hashem’?
Answer
The idea of ‘kiddush Hashem’ is doing that which is proper, in accordance with the Torah or the command of Hashem, thereby demonstrating that the word of Hashem is more important and serious than all other considerations. To show that Hashem’s command and will is ‘kadosh’ or removed and above any other considerations and prerogatives, that is fundamentally what it means to make a ‘kiddush Hashem.’
To demonstrate to others that the word of Hashem is important is certainly even more meaningful, that is a ‘kiddush Hashem b’rabim’ (in public) which is a very lauded and venerated accomplishment. However, when one does act in public there are often many other motivations and interests that the person has- other than the importance of the word of Hashem. As the Rambam says, for a ‘kiddush Hashem’ to be a ‘kiddush Hashem’, the person must be doing it ‘for no other reason in the world, not for fear, not to seek honor- only because of the Creator, Blessed be He.’
While it is true that there is an idea of ‘kiddush Hashem’ which is that the name of Hashem should be loved and respected by people seeing a Jew acting properly, that is an outcome of behaving properly and doing that which Hashem wants us to do. To behave in a way that others around us want to behave, which is NOT in accordance with the will of Hashem, is not a kiddush Hashem.
The story of Yosef is therefore not only AN example of kiddush Hashem, but it is fitting to be THE primary example that the Rambam brings to elucidate this idea. Yosef was clearly not acting for any audience or benefit. In fact, Yosef no doubt understood that refusing the matron of the home in which he was a slave would no doubt have severe negative repercussions, yet he refused anyway. Yosef was a young, healthy and vigorous bachelor, and was no doubt racked with tremendous unfulfilled passion, yet he refused anyway. Yosef was all alone, by himself, in a foreign, immoral land (Mitzrayim was, famously, a wildly hedonistic and immoral land) where his behavior would be very normal and probably lead to certain privileges, yet he refused anyway.
The only reason why Yosef refused Potiphar’s wife, was because he knew that the Creator of the world, Hashem, forbids and views as abominable, such behavior. And therefore Yosef refused, time and time again and is held up, for all time, as THE example of someone being ‘mekadesh Hashem’, showing that the word of Hashem is above and beyond more important than any other consideration in the world.
Chinuch Lesson
How important it is to convey the idea of making a ‘kiddush Hashem’, to our children, our students and ourselves, properly. Properly understood, the imperative to make a ‘kiddush Hashem’ can be very motivating to real, fundamental morality and proper behavior in a positive way.
When we convey to our children, and when we properly understand, that making a ‘kiddush Hashem’ means, primarily, to NOT be concerned about what anyone around us thinks about what we’re doing, and to only be concerned with whether our behavior is good in the eyes of Hashem, this creates a strong foundation for self-esteem and strong moral integrity. When we understand that it is more important and easier to start by focusing on making a ‘kiddush Hashem’ in private, rather than tackling the public sphere, then we will have a chance to develop and grow the necessary backbone to be able to resist the public eye and societal pressure when that does come along.
And when we realize, and convey to our children and students, that making a ‘kiddush Hashem,’ definitionally, must have as its starting point the clarity as to what it is that Hashem wants- that will spur learning and clarifying from our great Rabbis and teachers the proper understanding and knowledge as to what it is that Hashem wants of us in all the myriad of life’s situations.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Shabbos!
Rabbi Eli Meir Kramer
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