א  לַמְנַצֵּחַ, מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד.1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
ב  יַעַנְךָ יְהוָה, בְּיוֹם צָרָה;    יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ, שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב.2 The LORD answer thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;
ג  יִשְׁלַח-עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ;    וּמִצִּיּוֹן, יִסְעָדֶךָּ.3 Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion;
ד  יִזְכֹּר כָּל-מִנְחֹתֶךָ;    וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה.4 Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, and accept the fat of thy burnt-sacrifice; Selah
ה  יִתֶּן-לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ;    וְכָל-עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא.5 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
ו  נְרַנְּנָה, בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ—    וּבְשֵׁם-אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל;
יְמַלֵּא יְהוָה,    כָּל-מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ.6 We will shout for joy in thy victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our standards; {N}
the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
ז  עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי—    כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה, מְשִׁיחוֹ:
יַעֲנֵהוּ, מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ—    בִּגְבֻרוֹת, יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ.7 Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; {N}
He will answer him from His holy heaven with the mighty acts of His saving right hand.
ח  אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב,    וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים;
וַאֲנַחְנוּ,    בְּשֵׁם-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר.8 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; {N}
but we will make mention of the name of the LORD our God.
ט  הֵמָּה, כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ;    וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ, וַנִּתְעוֹדָד.9 They are bowed down and fallen; but we are risen, and stand upright.
י  יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה:    הַמֶּלֶךְ, יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם-קָרְאֵנוּ.

She’s a 32 year old mother of four  who sustained major burns to her body last night and is in an induced coma and in need of an immediate recovery.

Psalms Chapter 20 תְּהִלִּים

א  לַמְנַצֵּחַ, מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד.1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
ב  יַעַנְךָ יְהוָה, בְּיוֹם צָרָה;    יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ, שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב.2 The LORD answer thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;
ג  יִשְׁלַח-עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ;    וּמִצִּיּוֹן, יִסְעָדֶךָּ.3 Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion;
ד  יִזְכֹּר כָּל-מִנְחֹתֶךָ;    וְעוֹלָתְךָ יְדַשְּׁנֶה סֶלָה.4 Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, and accept the fat of thy burnt-sacrifice; Selah
ה  יִתֶּן-לְךָ כִלְבָבֶךָ;    וְכָל-עֲצָתְךָ יְמַלֵּא.5 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
ו  נְרַנְּנָה, בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ—    וּבְשֵׁם-אֱלֹהֵינוּ נִדְגֹּל;
יְמַלֵּא יְהוָה,    כָּל-מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶיךָ.6 We will shout for joy in thy victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our standards; {N}
the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
ז  עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי—    כִּי הוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה, מְשִׁיחוֹ:
יַעֲנֵהוּ, מִשְּׁמֵי קָדְשׁוֹ—    בִּגְבֻרוֹת, יֵשַׁע יְמִינוֹ.7 Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; {N}
He will answer him from His holy heaven with the mighty acts of His saving right hand.
ח  אֵלֶּה בָרֶכֶב,    וְאֵלֶּה בַסּוּסִים;
וַאֲנַחְנוּ,    בְּשֵׁם-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַזְכִּיר.8 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; {N}
but we will make mention of the name of the LORD our God.
ט  הֵמָּה, כָּרְעוּ וְנָפָלוּ;    וַאֲנַחְנוּ קַּמְנוּ, וַנִּתְעוֹדָד.9 They are bowed down and fallen; but we are risen, and stand upright.
י  יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה:    הַמֶּלֶךְ, יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם-קָרְאֵנוּ.10 Save, LORD; let the King answer us in the day that we call. {P}

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם מִצְוֹתַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה: וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם: הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה:

You shall keep My commandments and perform them, I am the Lord. And you shall not desecrate My holy name, and I shall be sanctified amidst the Children of Israel. I am the Lord Who sanctifies you. Who took you out of the Land of Egypt to be a God to you. I am the Lord. 

(Leviticus 22: 31-33)

This week’s Parsha contains one of the most serious sins mentioned in the entire Torah - desecrating G-d’s name, but also, one of the greatest Mitzvot - sanctifying G-d’s name. Chazal teach that desecrating G-d’s name is so deplorable, that neither Yom Kippur, physical suffering or repentance, can atone for it. Rabbeinu Bachya explains the only way to amend a desecration of G-d’s name - a Chillul Hashem - is by sanctifying His name - a Kiddush Hashem. 

A passage in Ezekiel juxtaposes the issue of a Chillul Hashem, with leaving the Land of Israel. 

 וַיָּבוֹא, אֶל-הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר-בָּאוּ שָׁם, וַיְחַלְּלוּ, אֶת-שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי—בֶּאֱמֹר לָהֶם עַם-יְהוָה אֵלֶּה, וּמֵאַרְצוֹ יָצָאוּ.

And when they came unto the nations, whither they came, they profaned My holy name; in that men said of them: These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of His land.

(Ezekiel: 36:20)

The second half of this section, discusses the sanctification of G-d’s name, when He will gather His people, from the four corners of the earth. 

 וְקִדַּשְׁתִּי אֶת-שְׁמִי הַגָּדוֹל, הַמְחֻלָּל בַּגּוֹיִם, אֲשֶׁר חִלַּלְתֶּם, בְּתוֹכָם; וְיָדְעוּ הַגּוֹיִם כִּי-אֲנִי יְהוָה, נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, בְּהִקָּדְשִׁי בָכֶם, לְעֵינֵיהֶם. וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִן-הַגּוֹיִם, וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִכָּל-הָאֲרָצוֹת; וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם, אֶל-אַדְמַתְכֶם.

For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.And I will sanctify My great name, which hath been profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

(Ezekiel 36: 23-23)

The juxtaposition of the Ingathering of the Exiles and a sanctification of G-d’s name and the opposite as mentioned above, displays the significance of ישוב הארץ- living in the Land of Israel. 

In addition to this, Rashi’s commentary on this section of Ezekiel explains that the Jewish people automatically cause a Chillul Hashem, when they live in foreign lands. 

20: And they profaned My Holy Name: They lowered My honor. And what is the profanation? In that their enemies said of them, “These are the people of the Lord, and they have come out of His land, and He had no power to save His people and His land.”

23: And I will sanctify My… Name: Now what is the sanctification?“I will take you from among the nations.”

Whether or not we like it, even as individuals, we Jews are G-d’s ambassadors on earth, we represent Him. Moreover, on a national level, Israel and her government as a Jewish state, not only represent the Jewish people in a political sense, but should also represent G-d, Himself.

From this we can see the importance of Israel’s Jewish government, making a Kiddush Hashem - sanctifying Hashem’s name. This importance is further amplified, when we look at the last verse of this commandment from Leviticus. 

 הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי יְ־הֹוָ־ה

Who took you out of the Land of Egypt to be a God to you. I am the Lord. 

(Leviticus 22:33)

Many commentators explain that this verse, is the reason as to why we should make a Kiddush Hashem - because Hashem brought us out of Egypt. But, it can be looked at from another perspective. 

The Israelites left Egypt on the 49th level of impurity. Egypt was the prime example of immorality and debauchery, despite being a highly civilised country. The ultimate purpose of the Exodus, was the receiving of the Torah - the guideline to a moral life and the entry/settlement of the Land of Israel. 

From this we can see the importance of living a moral life, according to Torah and Mitzvot in the Land of Israel. We must do our utmost, to ensure that the Land of Israel and her government make a Kiddush Hashem, not just for her citizens, but on the global stage. Israel must be (and is) a beacon of democracy, political rights and civil liberties in the Middle East. Israel must maintain a higher standard. 

We are beginning to see Ezekiel’s prophecy, mentioned earlier, become a reality. Jews from around the world, U.S.A, Europe, Russia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Australia have made Aliyah and returned to their roots, their homeland. This Ingathering of the Exiles which we have seen in our own lifespans, has been accompanied by a global Kiddush Hashem. Israel was the first country to establish field hospitals after the disasters in Haiti and Japan. Israel has made numerous contributions to technology, medicine, literature and art in her mere 64 years of existence. Kol Hakavod!

May we merit to see a complete fulfilment of Ezekiel’s prophecy with the coming of Mashiach במהרה בימינו אמן.

Written with inspiration from Rabbi Moshe Lichtman