chillul Hashem

English

Alternative forms

• hillul Hashem

Etymology

Borrowed from Hebrew חילול השם.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xiːˈluːl hɑˈʃɛm/
• (Ashkenazi) IPA^(key): /ˈxɪlʊl hɑˈʃɛm/

Noun

chillul Hashem

1. A disgrace before God; especially, shameful behavior by a Jew seen as 'giving God a bad name'.
   • 2024, David Golinkin, “Does Jewish Law Require Yeshivah Students To Be Drafted At Age 18?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 70:

     Undoubtedly, the non-enlistment of Ḥaredi yeshivah students beginning in 1948, and its significant expansion from 1977 until today when there are 63,000 Ḥaredi yeshivah students not serving in the IDF, constitutes a massive Ḥillul Hashem. This has caused a high percentage of Jews in the State of Israel to be angry at the Ḥaredim and many secular Jews have distanced themselves from Judaism as a direct result of the exemption of Ḥaredim from military service.