DIVREI MENACHEM BY MENACHEM PERSOFF Special Projects Consultant, OU Israel Center [email protected]

values, namely, reciprocity (see Kohlberg’s Kiddush stages of moral development). Because He brought us out of Egypt to be our God, so we Hashem: should accord Hashem honor and loyalty – and act accordingly.

The Quest of Hashem () is one of the most severe sins and most easy erhaps one of the most obvious to come by. In psychological and principles of the Jewish faith is circles, much is made of the effect we have one of the most difficult to observe P on others, knowingly and otherwise. For consistently. For some of us who attend example, we all know people who have said, to life’s chores, the daily grind so absorbs “If that’s the way observant Jews behave, us that our religious sensitivities and what can you expect of me?” We are also responsibilities pass us by. We are so aware, for instance, of the horrendous immersed in our worries that we forget the impact of on society. I have set Hashem“ – שויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד :axiom always before me” (Tehillim 16:8). It just takes a slip of the tongue to destroy lives completely. It takes courage and In this week’s Parsha, we learn about the perseverance, however, to act constantly sanctification of Hashem’s name (Kiddush in a way that gives rise to Kiddush Hashem. Hashem) and its converse, desecration of His name (Chillul Hashem). In the spirit of Not for nothing, we pray that “we should ‘Depart from evil and do good,’ Hashem find grace and good understanding in the instructs Moshe to teach that “You shall sight of God and man” (Benching – Grace not desecrate My holy name, rather I after meals). No wonder that following should be sanctified among Bnei Yisrael; I these mandates, the Torah introduces the am Hashem Who sanctifies you, who took Mo’adim – times (like Shabbat) to forget the you out of Eretz Mitzrayim to be a God unto daily struggles and spend quality time with you: I am Hashem” (Vayikra 22:32-33). Hashem. Then we might better cultivate our relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Ideally, we should behave in a way that Hu, thus to fulfill our mission in this world. causes a Kiddush Hashem because Hashem .May it be His will – כן יהי רצון is Kadosh (Parshat ). However, Hashem now appeals to a lower sense of Shabbat Shalom!

48 TORAH TIDBITS / EMOR 5781