7: Article excerpt, Rabbi Jack Abramowitz’s “296. Kiddush Hashem: The obligation to sanctify God’s Name," ca. 2010-2018.
In this excerpt, Rabbi Jack Abramowitz explains the concept of kiddush hashem, the 296th mitzvah given in the Torah. It states a person’s obligation to die rather than break three key commandments.
Suggested activity: Ask students: according to Orthodox belief, would Ozzie’s demand that his classmates and teachers profess belief in Jesus Christ constitute a situation in which death would be preferable to sin? If so, what does it say about this community that its members are willing to do what he asks? Regarding this text from Abramowitz, ask students to consider what it might mean to be commanded to be “zealous” in disregarding the commandments, when usually zealousness is thought to involve extreme adherence to them.
Source: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, “Kiddush Hashem: The obligation to sanctify God’s Name,” in series “Taryag” of the 613 mitsves, <https://www.ou.org/torah/mitzvot/taryag/mitzvah296/> (ca. 2010-2018), accessed April 10, 2018.