It’s very hard to avoid the sin of sinas chinam. It actually takes mesirus nefesh to save oneself from it.
Every place where we find the subject of accepting Heaven’s Kingship, we find mesirus nefesh as well. For instance, Krias Shema. It’s all about accepting upon oneself Ohl Malchus Shamayim, and it says in it ובכל נפשך – “With all your soul,” which according to Chazal means, “Even if He takes your life.” This is literal mesirus nefesh, full self-sacrifice.
The greatest acceptance of Heaven’s Kingship is on Rosh Hashanah. What do we do on Rosh Hashanah? "You shall make yourselves into a burnt offering." So Chazal explain the pasuk. This is total mesirus nefesh.
Thus Malchus is always built on Avdus. Kingship is built on servitude. Because it’s not easy to just give up your personal identity before the overwhelming Majesty of Heaven. A person wants to remain “Reuven,” he doesn’t want to fade away into the collective anonymity of ושמנו קראת בשמך – “You called our name by Your Name.” A person finds it hard to accept the fact that “You called upon us Your great and holy Name.” This feels quite uncomfortable.
What does this mean, that I am called by Hashem’s Name? I want to be Reuven. My name is Reuven!
But being a Jew means getting rid of personal identity. This is mesirus nefesh.
