[Avodah] Chillul HaShem when NJ are the observers

[Zev Sero]

On 14/11/2011 9:57 AM, Meir Rabi wrote:
> Is it not clear from Rashi that a Chilul HaShemis prompted by a negative impressions be it by Jews and NJws?

It depends what is causing this "negative" impression.  The argument
you are making is precisely that which was used in the last generation
to tell people to remove their yarmulke, because it's a "chilul haShem"!
Of course that is exactly backwards.  Wearing a yarmulke in public,
demonstrating in public that yidden are different, is a kiddush haShem.

When Haman says "yeshno am echad", that there is a nation that refuses
to follow the normal customs of society, he certainly views it negatively;
indeed he uses it as a reason to wipe us out r"l.  And yet it's clear from
that very source that this was a kiddush haShem.  And of course all the
kedoshim created "a terrible chilul haShem" according to your argument,
by refusing to serve AZ like everyone else, by making a spectacle of
themselves and insisting on their peculiar worship.  Avraham Avinu - what
a disgrace he was!  Chananya, Mishael, and Azaria - more chilul haShem!
Chana's children -- such chutzpah they had!  They certainly didn't make
the goyim think well of Jews!

The answer is obvious.  Kiddush haShem consists of the observer seeing
how yidden stick to haShem, Torah, and Mitzvos; whether the observer
likes it or not.  And chilul haShem consists of the observer seeing the
opposite, even if he approves and thinks us fine people for doing so.


-- 
Zev Sero        If they use these guns against us once, at that moment
zev at sero.name   the Oslo Accord will be annulled and the IDF will
                 return to all the places that have been given to them.
		                            - Yitzchak Rabin