Foundations of the Torah Chapter 5

כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצֻוִּין עַל קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כב לב) "וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל". וּמֻזְהָרִין שֶׁלֹּא לְחַלְּלוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כב לב) "וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי". כֵּיצַד. כְּשֶׁיַּעֲמֹד עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים וְיֶאֱנֹס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבֹר עַל אַחַת מִכָּל מִצְוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ יַהַרְגֶּנּוּ יַעֲבֹר וְאַל יֵהָרֵג שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּמִּצְוֹת (ויקרא יח ה) "אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם". וָחַי בָּהֶם וְלֹא שֶׁיָּמוּת בָּהֶם. וְאִם מֵת וְלֹא עָבַר הֲרֵי זֶה מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ:

The entire House of Israel is commanded concerning the sanctification of this great Name, as it is said, "And I will be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel (Leviticus 22:32)." And they are warned that they not desecrate it, as it is said, "And you shall not desecrate My Holy Name (Leviticus 22:32)." In what manner? When an idolater stands and coerces an Israelite to transgress one of the commandments that are stated in the Torah or be killed, he should transgress and not be killed, as it says, "which a person will do them and live by them" (Leviticus 18:5) - and live by them and not that he should die by them. And if he died rather than transgress, behold [such a] one is obligated [to pay] with his soul.

בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת חוּץ מֵעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים. אֲבָל שָׁלֹשׁ עֲבֵרוֹת אֵלּוּ אִם יֹאמַר לוֹ עֲבֹר עַל אַחַת מֵהֶן אוֹ תֵּהָרֵג. יֵהָרֵג וְאַל יַעֲבֹר. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים מִתְכַּוֵּן לַהֲנָאַת עַצְמוֹ. כְּגוֹן שֶׁאֲנָסוֹ לִבְנוֹת לוֹ בֵּיתוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת אוֹ לְבַשֵּׁל לוֹ תַּבְשִׁילוֹ. אוֹ אָנַס אִשָּׁה לְבָעֳלָהּ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. אֲבָל אִם נִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַעֲבִירוֹ עַל הַמִּצְוֹת בִּלְבַד. אִם הָיָה בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ וְאֵין שָׁם עֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יַעֲבֹר וְאַל יֵהָרֵג. וְאִם אֲנָסוֹ לְהַעֲבִירוֹ בַּעֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יֵהָרֵג וְאַל יַעֲבֹר. וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַעֲבִירוֹ אֶלָּא עַל מִצְוָה מִשְּׁאָר מִצְוֹת בִּלְבַד:

When is this the case? With the other commandments besides idol worship, sexual immorality and murder. But with these three sins, if he says to him, "Transgress one of them or be killed," he should be killed and not transgress. When is this the case? At a time when the idolater intends it for his own pleasure; for example, if he forces him to build his house on Shabbat or to cook his meal or if he forces a woman to have intercourse, and similar to this. But if he intended it only to have him transgress the commandments, if [the Jew] were by himself and there are not ten [others] from Israel, he should transgress and not be killed. But if he forced him to have him transgress in the midst of ten of Israel, he should let himself be killed and not transgress. And even if he only had the intention to have him transgress only one of all of the commandments.

וְכָל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא בִּשְׁעַת הַגְּזֵרָה אֲבָל בִּשְׁעַת הַגְּזֵרָה וְהוּא שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד מֶלֶךְ רָשָׁע כִּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וַחֲבֵרָיו וְיִגְזֹר גְּזֵרָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַטֵּל דָּתָם אוֹ מִצְוָה מִן הַמִּצְוֹת. יֵהָרֵג וְאַל יַעֲבֹר אֲפִלּוּ עַל אַחַת מִשְּׁאָר מִצְוֹת בֵּין נֶאֱנָס בְּתוֹךְ עֲשָׂרָה בֵּין נֶאֱנָס בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים:

And all of these things are when it is not a time of [religious persecution]. But at a time of [religious persecution] - and that is when an evil king, like Nevuchadnetsar and his colleagues, rises up and makes decrees against Israel to eliminate their religion or a commandment from [all of] the commandments - he should let himself be killed and not transgress even one of all of the commandments; whether he is forced in the midst of ten or whether he is forced by himself among the idolaters.

כָּל מִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ יַעֲבֹר וְאַל יֵהָרֵג וְנֶהֱרַג וְלֹא עָבַר הֲרֵי זֶה מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ. וְכָל מִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ יֵהָרֵג וְאַל יַעֲבֹר וְנֶהֱרַג וְלֹא עָבַר הֲרֵי זֶה קִדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשֵּׁם. וְאִם הָיָה בַּעֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי זֶה קִדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשֵּׁם בָּרַבִּים כְּדָנִיֵּאל חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וַחֲבֵרָיו. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הֲרוּגֵי מַלְכוּת שֶׁאֵין מַעֲלָה עַל מַעֲלָתָן. וַעֲלֵיהֶן נֶאֱמַר (תהילים מד כג) "כִּי עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ כָל הַיּוֹם נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ כְּצֹאן טִבְחָה". וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (תהילים נ ה) "אִסְפוּ לִי חֲסִידָי כֹּרְתֵי בְרִיתִי עֲלֵי זָבַח". וְכָל מִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ יֵהָרֵג וְאַל יַעֲבֹר וְעָבַר וְלֹא נֶהֱרַג הֲרֵי זֶה מְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם. וְאִם הָיָה בַּעֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי זֶה חִלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם בָּרַבִּים וּבִטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהִיא קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם וְעָבַר עַל מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהִיא חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעָבַר בְּאֹנֶס אֵין מַלְקִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ בֵּית דִּין אֲפִלּוּ הָרַג בְּאֹנֶס. שֶׁאֵין מַלְקִין וּמְמִיתִין אֶלָּא לְעוֹבֵר בִּרְצוֹנוֹ וּבְעֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּנוֹתֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמּלֶךְ (ויקרא כ ה) "(וְנָתַתִּי) [וְשַׂמְתִּי] אֲנִי אֶת פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא". מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ הַהוּא לֹא אָנוּס וְלֹא שׁוֹגֵג וְלֹא מֻטְעֶה. וּמָה אִם עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁהִיא חֲמוּרָה מִן הַכּל הָעוֹבֵד אוֹתָהּ בְּאֹנֶס אֵינוֹ חַיָּב כָּרֵת וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין. קַל וָחֹמֶר לִשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה. וּבַעֲרָיוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים כב כו) "וְלַנַּעֲרָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה דָבָר". אֲבָל אִם יָכוֹל לְמַלֵּט נַפְשׁוֹ וְלִבְרֹחַ מִתַּחַת יַד הַמֶּלֶךְ הָרָשָׁע וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה הִנֵּה הוּא כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל קֵאוֹ. וְהוּא נִקְרָא עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים בְּמֵזִיד וְהוּא נִטְרָד מִן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וְיוֹרֵד לַמַּדְרֵגָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹּם:

Anyone about whom it is stated that he should transgress and not be killed and he [nonetheless] lets himself be killed and not transgress, behold [such a] one is obligated [to pay] with his soul. And anyone about whom it is stated, that he should let himself be killed and not transgress and is killed and did not transgress, behold [such a one] sanctified the Name. And if it was among ten of Israel, behold, [such a] one sanctified the Name in public, like Daniel, Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah, and Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. And these are the victims of the government of which there is no level above their level. And about them is it written (Psalms 44:23), "Since for you are we killed all the day; we are considered like sheep of the slaughterer." And about them it is [also] stated (Psalms 50:5), "Gather for Me all my pious ones, those have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." And all about whom it is stated, let him be killed and not transgress, and he [nonetheless] transgresses and does not let himself be killed, behold, [such a one] is desecrating the Name. And if it was among ten of Israel, behold, [such a one] has desecrated the Name in public. And [such a one] nullified a positive commandment, which is the commandment of sanctification of the Name; and he transgressed a negative commandment, which is desecration of the Name. And nonetheless, since he transgressed under duress, we do not give him lashes - and it is not necessary to say that the court does not put him to death, even if he killed under duress. As we only give lashes and put to death one who willfully transgresses with witnesses and a warning, as it is stated with someone who gives of his seed to Molekh (Leviticus 20:5), "And I will (give) [set] My face to that man." And they learned from tradition that such a one is not under duress and not accidental and not through an error. And if [regarding] idol worship - which is more weighty than everything [else] - the worshipper under duress is not liable for excision, all the more so for the other commandments that are written in the Torah. And with sexual immorality, it states (Deuteronomy 22:26), "And to the maiden, do not do a thing." But if he could spare his soul and escape from under the hand of the evildoer king and he does not, behold he is like a dog that returns to its vomit. And he is called one who worships idols willingly and he is expelled from [reaching] the world to come and he goes down to the lowest level of Gehinnom.

נָשִׁים שֶׁאָמְרוּ לָהֶם עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים תְּנוּ לָנוּ אַחַת מִכֶּן וּנְטַמֵּא אוֹתָהּ וְאִם לָאו נְטַמֵּא אֶת כֻּלְּכֶן יִטָּמְאוּ כֻּלָּן וְאַל יִמְסְרוּ לָהֶם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֵן אִם אָמְרוּ לָהֶם עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים תְּנוּ לָנוּ אֶחָד מִכֶּם וְנַהַרְגֶּנּוּ וְאִם לָאו נַהֲרֹג כֻּלְּכֶם. יֵהָרְגוּ כֻּלָּם וְאַל יִמְסְרוּ לָהֶם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְאִם יִחֲדוּהוּ לָהֶם וְאָמְרוּ תְּנוּ לָנוּ פְּלוֹנִי אוֹ נַהֲרֹג אֶת כֻּלְּכֶם. אִם הָיָה מְחֻיָּב מִיתָה כְּשֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי יִתְּנוּ אוֹתוֹ לָהֶם. וְאֵין מוֹרִין לָהֶם כֵּן לְכַתְּחִלָּה. וְאִם אֵינוֹ חַיָּב מִיתָה יֵהָרְגוּ כֻּלָּן וְאַל יִמְסְרוּ לָהֶם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל:

Women to whom idolaters said, "Give us one of you and we will defile her - and if not, we will defile all of you" - they should all be defiled and not give them one soul of Israel. And so [too], if the idolaters said to them, "Give us one of you and we will kill him - and if not, we will kill all of you" - they should all be killed and not give them one soul of Israel. And if they specify to them and say, "Give us x or we will kill all of you" - if he was guilty of death like Sheva ben Bichri, they should give him to them, yet we do not instruct them so, ab initio; but if he is not guilty of death, they should all be killed and not give them one soul of Israel.

כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ בָּאֳנָסִין כָּךְ אָמְרוּ בָּחֳלָאִים. כֵּיצַד. מִי שֶׁחָלָה וְנָטָה לָמוּת וְאָמְרוּ הָרוֹפְאִים שֶׁרְפוּאָתוֹ בְּדָבָר פְּלוֹנִי מֵאִסּוּרִין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה עוֹשִׂין. וּמִתְרַפְּאִין בְּכָל אִסּוּרִין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה בִּמְקוֹם סַכָּנָה חוּץ מֵעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בִּמְקוֹם סַכָּנָה אֵין מִתְרַפְּאִין בָּהֶן. וְאִם עָבַר וְנִתְרַפֵּא עוֹנְשִׁין אוֹתוֹ בֵּית דִּין עֹנֶשׁ הָרָאוּי לוֹ:

In the same way as they spoke about duress, so [too] did they speak about illness. How is this? One who became sick and is veering towards death and the physicians said to him that his cure is with a certain thing from the prohibitions of the Torah, we do [that prohibition]. And we heal ourselves with all the prohibitions of the Torah in a situation of [mortal] danger, except for idol worship, sexual immorality and murder - as with them, we do not heal ourselves even in a situation of danger. And if he transgressed and healed himself, the court punishes him with a punishment that befits him.

וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בִּמְקוֹם סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת אֵין עוֹבְרִין עַל אַחַת מִשָּׁלֹשׁ עֲבֵרוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו ה) "וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ" אֲפִלּוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ. וַהֲרִיגַת נֶפֶשׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל לְרַפְּאוֹת נֶפֶשׁ אַחֶרֶת אוֹ לְהַצִּיל אָדָם מִיַּד אַנָּס דָּבָר שֶׁהַדַּעַת נוֹטָה לוֹ הוּא שֶׁאֵין מְאַבְּדִין נֶפֶשׁ מִפְּנֵי נֶפֶשׁ. וַעֲרָיוֹת הֻקְּשׁוּ לִנְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב כו) "כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָקוּם אִישׁ עַל רֵעֵהוּ וּרְצָחוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כֵּן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה":

And from where [do we know] that even in a situation of mortal danger, we do not transgress one of these three prohibitions? As it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:5), "And you shall love the Lord, your G-d, with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all of your resources" - even if he takes your soul. And the killing of one soul of Israel for the healing of a different soul or to save a man from rape, is a thing that the mind leans to - that we do not destroy a soul for the sake of [another] soul. And sexual immorality is compared to [killing of] souls, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 22:26), "as when a man rises against his neighbor and murders his soul, so is this thing."

בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים שֶׁאֵין מִתְרַפְּאִין בִּשְׁאָר אִסּוּרִים אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם סַכָּנָה. בִּזְמַן שֶׁהֵן דֶּרֶךְ הֲנָאָתָן כְּגוֹן שֶׁמַּאֲכִילִין אֶת הַחוֹלֶה שְׁקָצִים וּרְמָשִׂים אוֹ חָמֵץ בְּפֶסַח אוֹ שֶׁמַּאֲכִילִין אוֹתוֹ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. אֲבָל שֶׁלֹּא דֶּרֶךְ הֲנָאָתָן כְּגוֹן שֶׁעוֹשִׂין לוֹ רְטִיָּה אוֹ מְלוּגְמָא מֵחָמֵץ אוֹ מֵעָרְלָה. אוֹ שֶׁמַּשְׁקִין אוֹתוֹ דְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן מַר מְעֹרָב עִם אִסּוּרֵי מַאֲכָל שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין בָּהֶן הֲנָאָה לַחֵךְ הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר וַאֲפִלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא בִּמְקוֹם סַכָּנָה. חוּץ מִכִּלְאֵי הַכֶּרֶם וּבָשָׂר בְּחָלָב שֵׁהֵן אֲסוּרִים אֲפִלּוּ שֵׁלֹּא דֵּרֵךְ הֲנָאָתָן. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין מִתְרַפְּאִין מֵהֶן אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא דֶּרֵךְ הֲנָאָתָן אֵלָּא בִּמִקוֹם סַכָּנָה:

When is this the case that we heal ourselves with the other prohibitions only in a situation of danger? At a time when they are in the way of their enjoyment - for example, we feed the sick person insects or creeping animals, or chamets on Pesach or we feed him on Yom Kippur. But [if] it is not in the way of its enjoyment - for example, we make a bandage or plaster from chamets or from orlah (fruit from a tree's first three years), or we give him things to drink that have something bitter mixed in with forbidden foods; as behold, there is no enjoyment to his palate - behold, this is permissible even not in a situation of danger; except for mixtures of the vineyard and meat with milk, as those are forbidden even not in the way of their enjoyment. Therefore we do not heal ourselves from them, even not in the way of their enjoyment, except in a situation of danger.

מִי שֶׁנָּתַן עֵינָיו בְּאִשָּׁה וְחָלָה וְנָטָה לָמוּת וְאָמְרוּ הָרוֹפְאִים אֵין לוֹ רְפוּאָה עַד שֶׁתִּבָּעֵל לוֹ. יָמוּת וְאַל תִּבָּעֵל לוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הָיְתָה פְּנוּיָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ לְדַבֵּר עִמָּהּ מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַגָּדֵר אֵין מוֹרִין לוֹ בְּכָךְ וְיָמוּת וְלֹא יוֹרוּ לְדַבֵּר עִמָּהּ מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַגָּדֵר שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל הֶפְקֵר וְיָבוֹאוּ בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ לִפְרֹץ בַּעֲרָיוֹת:

One who places his eyes on a woman and he becomes sick and is veering towards death [from it], and the physicians say there is no cure for it until she has intercourse with him - he should die and she should not have intercourse with him, even if she is single. And even to speak with her from behind a fence, we do not instruct him [to do]. And he should die and we [still] do not instruct him to speak with her from behind a fence, so that the daughters of Israel not be abandoned, and come through these things to break down [the laws of] sexual immorality.

כָּל הָעוֹבֵר מִדַּעְתּוֹ בְּלֹא אֹנֶס עַל אַחַת מִכָּל מִצְוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה בִּשְׁאָט בְּנֶפֶשׁ לְהַכְעִיס הֲרֵי זֶה מְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם. וּלְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בִּשְׁבוּעַת שֶׁקֶר (ויקרא יט יב) "וְחִלַּלְתָּ אֶת שֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי ה'". וְאִם עָבַר בַּעֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי זֶה חִלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם בָּרַבִּים. וְכֵן כָּל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מֵעֲבֵרָה אוֹ עָשָׂה מִצְוָה לֹא מִפְּנֵי דָּבָר בָּעוֹלָם לֹא פַּחַד וְלֹא יִרְאָה וְלֹא לְבַקֵּשׁ כָּבוֹד אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַבּוֹרֵא בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּמְנִיעַת יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק עַצְמוֹ מֵאֵשֶׁת רַבּוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשֵּׁם:

Anyone who knowingly, without duress, transgresses one of the commandments that are stated in the Torah, contemptuous of soul, in order to anger, behold, [such a one] is desecrating the Name. And therefore, it is said regarding a false oath, "and you profane the Name of your G-d; I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:12). And if he transgressed among ten of Israel, behold [such a one] has desecrated the Name in public. And so [too], anyone who abstains from transgression or performs a commandment, not for any worldly reason - not fear, and not awe, and not to seek honor - but for the sake of the Creator, Blessed be He, like Yosef the righteous one's holding himself back from his master's wife, behold [such a one] is sanctifying the Name.

וְיֵשׁ דְּבָרִים אֲחֵרִים שֶׁהֵן בִּכְלַל חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם. וְהוּא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָם אָדָם גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה וּמְפֻרְסָם בַּחֲסִידוּת דְּבָרִים שֶׁהַבְּרִיּוֹת מְרַנְּנִים אַחֲרָיו בִּשְׁבִילָם. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָן עֲבֵרוֹת הֲרֵי זֶה חִלֵּל אֶת הַשֵּׁם כְּגוֹן שֶׁלָּקַח וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתֵן דְּמֵי הַמִּקָּח לְאַלְתַּר. וְהוּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ וְנִמְצְאוּ הַמּוֹכְרִים תּוֹבְעִין וְהוּא מַקִּיפָן. אוֹ שֶׁיַּרְבֶּה בִּשְׂחוֹק אוֹ בַּאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה אֵצֶל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וּבֵינֵיהֶן. אוֹ שֶׁדִּבּוּרוֹ עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת אֵינוֹ בְּנַחַת וְאֵינוֹ מְקַבְּלָן בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת אֶלָּא בַּעַל קְטָטָה וְכַעַס. וְכַיּוֹצֵא בַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ הַכּל לְפִי גָּדְלוֹ שֶׁל חָכָם צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּדַקְדֵּק עַל עַצְמוֹ וְיַעֲשֶׂה לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין. וְכֵן אִם דִּקְדֵּק הֶחָכָם עַל עַצְמוֹ וְהָיָה דִּבּוּרוֹ בְּנַחַת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת וְדַעְתּוֹ מְעֹרֶבֶת עִמָּהֶם וּמְקַבְּלָם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת וְנֶעֱלָב מֵהֶם וְאֵינוֹ עוֹלְבָם. מְכַבֵּד לָהֶן וַאֲפִלּוּ לַמְקִלִּין לוֹ. וְנוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן בֶּאֱמוּנָה. וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה בַּאֲרִיחוּת עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וִישִׁיבָתָן. וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה תָּמִיד אֶלָּא עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה עָטוּף בְּצִיצִית מֻכְתָּר בִּתְפִלִּין וְעוֹשֶׂה בְּכָל מַעֲשָׂיו לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִתְרַחֵק הַרְבֵּה וְלֹא יִשְׁתּוֹמֵם. עַד שֶׁיִּמָּצְאוּ הַכּל מְקַלְּסִין אוֹתוֹ וְאוֹהֲבִים אוֹתוֹ וּמִתְאַוִּים לְמַעֲשָׂיו. הֲרֵי זֶה קִדֵּשׁ אֶת ה' וְעָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (ישעיה מט ג) "וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר":

And there are other things that are in the category of desecration of the Name. And it is when a man great in Torah and famous for piety does them, such that the creatures murmur about him on their account - and even though they are not sins - behold, [such a one] is desecrating the Name. For example, he purchased [items] and does not give the money of the purchase immediately - and he has [the money] - and the sellers end up claiming [the debts] and he pays on credit; or he enjoins in much mirth or eating or drinking at [the venues] of ignorant people (amei ha-arets) or with them; or that his speech with the creatures is not calm and he does not greet them with a pleasant countenance but rather is contentious and angry, and similar to these things. It is all according to the greatness of the sage that he must be exacting with himself and act beyond the letter of the law. And so [too], if the sage is exacting with himself and his speech is calm with the creatures and his way is pleasant with them and he greets them with a pleasant countenance and is insulted by them but does not insult them [back], honors them - even those that belittle him - and does business in good faith, and does not enjoin in the frequent hospitality of the ignorant and their gatherings and is not constantly seen; but rather is involved in Torah [study], wrapped in fringes (tsitsit), crowned by tefillin and comports himself - in all of his actions - beyond the letter of the law. And that is [if he also] does not distance himself greatly and not become strange. [This will end in] all praising him and loving him and desiring his actions. Behold, [such a one] has sanctified the Lord; and about him the verse states (Isaiah 49:3), "And He said to me, 'My servant are you, Israel, so that through you I will be glorified.'"