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Chillul Hashem - Part 1 by Rabbi Asher Schechter Congregation Ohr Moshe

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Chillul Hashem - Part 1 by Rabbi Asher Schechter Congregation Ohr Moshe Chillul Hashem - Part 1 by Rabbi Asher Schechter Congregation Ohr Moshe Recent events have brought the term Chillul Hashem into the vernacular on a very regular basis. Many (but certainly not all) of our brothers and sisters (especially in the Chasidish and Yeshivish communities) have resisted the governing authorities' rules regarding COVID-19. Mask wearing, social distancing, and other precautions are not strictly adhered to. The press and the politicians tried to shame them into compliance putting the entire Orthodox Jewish Community in the spotlight for their activities. Many within the Jewish Community are appalled by these unsafe behaviors of Achenu Bnei Yisrael that put themselves and others at risk (and many are also angry at the unwanted and apparently anti-semitic singling out of our communities for chastisement). Now some in those communities are resorting to mischievous demonstrations against the stricter rules being promulgated upon them. Often times the words Chillul Hashem are used. Many have claimed that the Jews who publicly flout the safety laws and behave unlawfully are creating a Chillul Hashem as the Goyim berate us for our unsafe and illegal behaviors... The term Chillul Hashem is an Halachik one, not an emotional one. Not everything that a fellow Jew does (even if we feel strongly about the inappropriateness of that behavior) qualifies as a Chillul Hashem . In this several part essay, I would like to address the following question: Is a Yid who refuses to wear a mask and social distance in public and/or breaks the law while participating in a demonstration against the government's restrictions in violation of the rules of Chillul Hashem? Accusing someone of Chillul Hashem is no small matter. Chillul Hashem is arguably the worst Aveira one can commit. Chazal tell us that Chillul Hashem is the most difficult Aveira to atone for: מסכת יומא דף פו עמוד א שאל רבי מתיא בן חרש את רבי אלעזר בן עזריה ברומי: שמעת ארבעה חלוקי כפרה שהיה רבי ישמעאל דורש? אמר: שלשה הן, ותשובה עם כל אחד ואחד. עבר על עשה ושב - אינו זז משם עד שמוחלין לו, שנאמר (ירמיהו ג) שובו בנים שובבים. עבר על לא תעשה ועשה תשובה - תשובה תולה, ויום הכפורים מכפר שנאמר (ויקרא טז) כי ביום הזה יכפר עליכם מכל חטאתיכם. עבר על כריתות ומיתות בית דין ועשה תשובה - תשובה ויום הכפורים תולין, ויסורין ממרקין, שנאמר (תהלים פט) ופקדתי בשבט פשעם ובנגעים עונם, אבל מי שיש חילול השם בידו - אין לו כח בתשובה לתלות, ולא ביום הכפורים לכפר, ולא ביסורין למרק. אלא כולן תולין, ומיתה ממרקת, שנאמר (ישעיהו כב) ונגלה באזני ה' צבאות אם יכפר העון הזה לכם עד תמתון. Rabbi Masia ben Chorosh asked Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah in Rome: "Did you hear about the four methods of atonement that were taught by Rabbi Yishmael?" to which he responded, "Yes, but in reality, there are only three because Teshuva cannot be counted on its own since it is required with all the others in order for them to work." Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah explains: "If someone violates an Asei (positive commandment - e.g. doesn't take Lulav & Esrog on Sukkos) and he repents, he is forgiven immediately. If he violates a Lo Saaseh (negative commandment - e.g. eats treif) then Teshuvah is not enough, he must have Teshuvah and also he needs to experience a Yom Kippur in order to be forgiven. If someone violated a more severe Aveira that comes with the prescribed punishment of Kares (cutting off of the soul - e.g. eats Chelev - forbidden fats) or the Death Penalty (in Bais Din - e.g. Chillul Shabbos) then he needs Teshuvah, Yom Kippur, and Yisurim (physical pain and suffering) in order to cleanse him from the Aveira." Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah concludes, "And someone who has to atone for an Aveira of Chillul Hashem cannot suffice with the above three, rather he needs Teshuvah, Yom Kippur, Yisurim, and Misa (his final atonement comes upon his death after the above three have been accomplished)." Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah cites Pesukim for each of his rulings... This ruling is also found in the Talmud Yerushalmi quoting both Rabbi Masia ben Chorosh and Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah with slight changes - in the Yerushalmi's version the discussion takes place in the "Yeshiva", etc. - (end of Yoma 8,7) and it is Paskened in Halacha by the Rambam (Teshuvah 1, 4). This is the accepted ruling that is promulgated throughout all the Poskim, Sifrei Machashava, and Sifrei Mussar, etc.... Why is Chillul Hashem punished so severely? Rashi (Sanhedrin ibid) comments that it is because Chillul Hashem causes others to sin as well. When people see others who they respect doing an Aveira they are tempted to follow and do the same. Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid (Sefer Chasidim 20) says that the reason for the severe punishment is because an Averia that is done in public brings about much "embarrassment" (K'Vayachol - if it can be said) to Hashem... We will see later that there may be a practical distinction between these two opinions. [Despite the passage above, there are opinions that there is a way to atone for Chillul Hashem without having to wait until death. Rabbenu Bachyei (Vayikra 22,32) states that if one undoes the Chillul Hashem that he has committed by creating a Kiddush Hashem in that very same issue that he had previously created a Chillul Hashem, then he can be forgiven because he has removed the stain of the previously committed Chillul Hashem. A similar ruling is found in Shaarei Teshuva of Rabbenu Yona (4,5)] What exactly is Chillul Hashem ? The Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvos Lo Sa'aseh 63) and others (Sefer HaChinuch 295, etc.) define Chillul Hashem as any of the following three Aveiros. 1. Someone who is obligated to give his/her life in order to avoid an Aveira, but does not. For example, someone is being forced at gunpoint to worship Avodah Zarah. If he/she goes ahead and commits this grave sin (even in private) then he/she is guilty of Chillul Hashem . [There are 3 cardinal sins that a Jew is obligated to die and not violate - Avodah Zarah (idol worship), Shfichus Damim (murder), and Gilui Arayos (illicit relationships). In addition, if a Jew is being forced to commit any Aveira due to Shmad (in order to force his/her conversion away from Yiddishkeit) then they must give their life and avoid the Aveira.] 2. Someone who commits any Aveira (even in private) with the sole intention to anger Hashem and he derives no other pleasure from his act, he is guilty of Chillul Hashem. For example, if someone swears falsely using Hashem's name for no other purpose than to anger Hashem and to shirk his obligations of fidelity to, and respect for, Hashem he is guilty of Chillul Hashem. 3. A respected member of the community who behaves publicly in an inappropriate manner (even if it is not a technical violation of Halacha) is guilty of Chillul Hashem. More on this coming up, IY"H. For the purposes of our discussion, the first two categories are not applicable. Certainly, someone who refuses to wear a mask in public is not included in them. Let's delve into the third category and see whether or not they are guilty of Chillul Hashem. The source for the third category is the Gemara at the end of Yoma (broken down into segments for ease of reading). תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף פו עמוד א היכי דמי חילול השם? אמר רב: כגון אנא. אי שקילנא בישרא מטבחא ולא יהיבנא דמי לאלתר. אמר אביי: לא שנו אלא באתרא דלא תבעי, אבל באתרא דתבעי - לית לן בה. אמר רבינא: ומתא מחסיא אתרא דתבעי הוא. אביי כדשקיל בישרא מתרי שותפי יהיב זוזא להאי וזוזא להאי, והדר מקרב להו גבי הדדי, ועביד חושבנא. What are some examples of Chillul Hashem? Rav said, for example, if I would shop at a butcher store and not pay for my purchase right away (the butcher might think that Rav was planning on cheating him and never paying for his purchase). Abayei explained that this only applies in a community where it is not normal to allow purchasers to buy on credit and collect from them later. However, if it is an acceptable practice in this community to allow purchasers to buy on credit and collect from them later, we are not concerned for Chillul Hashem. Ravina added that Masa Mechasia (his home town) is a town where it is normal to allow purchasers to buy on credit and collect from them later. When Abayei would purchase meat from two partners, he would pay each of them one Zuz and then have them both make a Cheshbon together how much meat he should get (this would avoid any concern that he didn't pay the correct amount to both of them). .רבי יוחנן אמר: כגון אנא דמסגינא ארבע אמות בלא תורה ובלא תפילין Rabbi Yochanan said (another example of Chillul Hashem) is if I would publicly walk away from the Bais Medrash without Torah and without Tefillin (everyone expected Rav Yochanan to be constantly engrossed in Torah study while wearing his Tefillin. If Rabbi Yochanan would feel weak, he would have to sneak out rather than go out in public since it would appear that he no longer was committed to the intense lifestyle of constant Torah study with Tefillin - which would constitute a Chillul Hashem). יצחק דבי רבי ינאי אמר: כל שחביריו מתביישין מחמת שמועתו היינו חילול השם היכי דמי אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק: כגון דקא אמרי אינשי שרא ליה מריה לפלניא. אביי אמר: כדתניא, ואהבת את ה' אלהיך - שיהא שם שמים מתאהב על ידך, שיהא קורא ושונה ומשמש תלמידי חכמים, ויהא משאו ומתנו בנחת עם הבריות, מה הבריות אומרות עליו - אשרי אביו שלמדו תורה, אשרי רבו שלמדו תורה.
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