[Avodah] Chilul Hashem

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Mar 06, 2018 at 09:51:22PM +0000, Ben Bradley via Avodah wrote:
: I've been trying to work out what I think is a basic question in
: hilchos chilul hashem.

Tangent: The expression "chilul hasheim" (ChS) is older than referring to
G-d as "Hashem". And besides, the notion of desecrating the Unchangable
One makes no sense. The term is intended to be "desecration of the
name/reputation" of G-d, which is why I spell it "hasheim" and not
"Hashem".

: The gemara in Yuma 86a , says that someone who learns Torah and
: interacts positively with people is mekadesh H', darshened from the
: pasuk 'V'ahavta es H' Elokecha' - 'You should cause others to love
: Hashem'. Conversely [ch"v]...

Notice the gemara doesn't limit this to a person who is "gadol baTorah
umeforsim bachasidus", to quote the Rambam you cite, Yesodei haTorah 5:11.
For that matter, among the examples of behaviors the gemara lists as
something that has people associate his behavior with sheim Hashem and
Torah is "umeshameish TC" -- we're talking about students!

Working just from the gemara, any visibly O Jew should assume that non-O
Jews and non-Jews (and many O Jews as well) will similarly judge Devar H'
by their actions.

Within that, there will obviously be a matter of degree. If you are a
known gadol baTorah, then the coupling in peole's minds is tighter than
if you are studying with or apprenticing under a TC, and of course the
one trying to become a TC more than the rest of us. And so Rav, and R'
Yochanan each explains what the demands are of someone with a reputation
"kegon ana". R Nachman Bar Yitzchaq gives the example, "that people say
'May his Master forgive Plonia.'" Nothing about "like me", just anyone
who causes people to say this.

> Rashi indicates this gemara refers to an 'adam chashuv', who is
> known for his Torah learning'.

The only occurance of "adam chashuv" in Rashi on that sugya is "keshe-..."
in d"h "be'emor lahem am H' eileh" (on the gemara's quote of Yechezqeil
36:20). No mention of being known for Torah learning, although the rest of
the paragraph in the gemara does.

And, interestingly, Rashi doesn't only talk about the adam chashuv
sinning, but that he sins and pur'anos come on him, and everyone says
"what did it benefit him". I would have thought the ChS was that the
Torah and frumkeit didn't produce better people, and that's what the
Rambam talks about as well, Rashi seems to be saying the ChS is that
people will think he deserves a better fate than he's getting, and the
problem of theodicy is the ChS. He gets this from the use of the pasuq,
which talks about nakhrim that the Jews are exiled among saying "am
Hashem eileh?!" and (Rashi adds) Hashem couldn't save them? (Yechezqil
continues "umei'atzo yatz'u".)

So, Rashi speaks of two examples, the Adam chashuv and national. It
would seem they are indeed examples, and the logic stated by the gemara
would apply to a lesser extent to any observant individual.

The question remains why the Rambam speaks in terms of gedolim, without
giving other examples to imply it's not ONLY of gedolim. Without the
Rambam, things point to gedolim having to be more careful, but each
person has to watch their middos and appearances proportional to how
much people identify them with Torah observance.

Among the Rambam's list in 5:11 is "sheyirbeh bischoq" (being overly
silly?). Kesef Mishnah (ad loc) sources R' Yehudah in the mishnah (Demai
pereq 2) who says that someone who accepts chaveirus should also accept
not to be overly silly (shelo yarbeh bischoq). And the KM says that when
the Chakhamim disagree, that's only that being trusted on maaser isn't
a level where this appearance issue would be a ChS. But the chakhamim
would agree that a TC shouldn't. Thus the Rambam.

So it would seem that the KM doesn't take the Rambam's discussing only an
"adam gadol baTorah umfusam bachasidus" to mean the issue only applies
to gedolim. Just that gedolim have to be very very careful.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Man can aspire to spiritual-moral greatness
micha at aishdas.org        which is seldom fully achieved and easily lost
http://www.aishdas.org   again. Fulfillment lies not in a final goal,
Fax: (270) 514-1507      but in an eternal striving for perfection. -RSRH