A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY
This concept is very relevant to us in realizing what it means to be a Jew. By dint of being born Jewish, a child now enters the ranks of HASHEM’s people. We represent HASHEM; we are His Chosen Nation and His children. That comes with tremendous rights and responsibilities. When a Jew acts in a manner that is proper, it brings great honor to the King, and that person is rewarded accordingly. However, when a Jew acts in a manner not befitting his station in life, it isn’t considered the act of one individual, it is the act of a representative of HASHEM himself, and that single action becomes magnified many times over. When that act is done in public, there are two issues to deal with: the act itself and the reaction of those witnessing, especially if those around are themselves of royal lineage.
One of the most fundamental obligations of a Jew is in kiddush HASHEM. By acting as the Torah directs us, we bring more honor to HASHEM. By acting in a manner that is inappropriate, we bring dishonor to HASHEM. Because we are children of HASHEM, what we do reflects onto HASHEM. This greatly magnifies the significance of our every move. When we recognize our royal lineage, we can understand our great potential to accomplish as well as the grave responsibilities we have in life.
