B’chol nafshecha, “with all your soul”: Afilu Hu noteil es nafshecha, “Even if He takes your soul.” According to the Mizrachi, this means that a person should be willing to give up his life for the sanctification of Hashem’s Name – when the situation warrants it. Eimek HaNetziv explains this as an enjoinment for one to feel a sense of love from Hashem even if his life is being taken for His sake. Horav Don Segal, zl, notes that Rashi uses the word noteil (es nafshecha), takes (your soul), rather than titein (you), give. He explains that while giving up one’s life to sanctify Hashem’s Name is clearly a lofty, spiritual achievement, it is not yet the apex of service to Hashem. The ultimate act of Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying Hashem’s Name in the sense of b’chol nafshecha, is when Hashem takes one’s life and the individual has no idea why this is happening. Nonetheless, his heart is filled with love for Hashem and he asks no questions, accepting Hashem’s decree with boundless love. This idea applies as well to b’chol meodecha (with all your possessions), which Chazal interpret as b’chol middah u’middah she’Hu modeid lach, “With every measure and measure that He measures for you.” In other words, whatever our Heavenly designated lot in life – we accept it with unswerving abiding love and devotion to Hashem. Even when the choice to sanctify is not of our own volition – but rather, we are compelled to do so – we still accept it with love.
