Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

That we not do anything through which the name of the Heavens is profaned among people: That we were prevented from profanation of God, may He be blessed, and that is the opposite of that sanctification of God about which we are commanded — as we will write in the commandment after this — as it is stated (Leviticus 22:32), “And you shall not profane My holy Name.” The transcriber wrote in the name of Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 63): “This iniquity is divided into three parts — two are upon the collective, and one on the individual. The first collective part [is] in any case that one is asked to transgress one of the commandments during a time of persecution, and the enforcer intends for [him] to transgress — whether from the light commandments or from the weighty — or if one is asked to transgress idolatry, sexual immorality, or murder even not during a time of persecution; he is obligated to give his life and be killed rather than transgressing. And if he transgressed and was not killed, he has already profaned God in public and has violated its stating, ‘And you shall not profane My holy Name,’ and his sin is very giant. However he is not lashed, as he was coerced — since the court only has the ability [to give out] lashes or death for volitional [acts], with desire, with witnesses and with a warning. The language of Sifra Kedoshim, Section 4:13 about one who gives from his seed to Molech, [that] I will place ‘My face against that person’ (Leviticus 20:5), is that they, may their memory be blessed, said ‘“That” one, and not coercion, nor inadvertent, nor mistaken.’ It has already been elucidated to you that a person who worships idolatry under coercion is not liable for excision, and all the more so, death of the court. However, he has violated profanation of the Name.

“The second collective part is when a person commits a sin without desire for it or pleasure; but [rather] with his action, he intends to anger [God]. This is also profaning the Name of the Heavens and he is lashed. And therefore it stated (Leviticus 19:12), ‘And you shall not swear falsely in My name and profane the Name of your God.’ As this one displays the causation of anger with this thing, since there is no physical pleasure in it. And the part which is upon the individual is when a person who is famous for acts of kindness and good deeds commits an act which appears to the public as a sin, such that this act is unfitting for a pious person like this to do — even if it is a permissible act, he has profaned the Name. And this is [the understanding of] their, may their memory be blessed, saying (Yoma 86a), ‘How is profaning the Name? [...] “Such as if I purchase meat from the butcher and do not give him money immediately.” [...] Rabbi X said, “Such as if I walk four ells without tefillin and without words of Torah.”’ And this negative commandment is already repeated elsewhere and it is stated (Leviticus 18:21), ‘and you shall not profane the Name of your God, I am the Lord.’” To here [are his words.]

I will write the root of this commandment and some of its laws and all of its content — as is my custom — in the commandment of sanctification of the Name, which is adjacent.