Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to the Madlik podcast: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

Link to Transcript here: https://madlik.com/2024/11/14/god-forbid/

(יז) וַֽה׳ אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃ (יח) וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ־ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ ה׳ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא ה׳ עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה׳ זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (כא) אֵֽרְדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃

כב) וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י ה׳׃ (כג) וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃ (כד) אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (כה) חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (כו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה׳ אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וְנָשָׂ֥אתִי לְכׇל־הַמָּק֖וֹם בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃ (כז) וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אדושם וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ (כח) א֠וּלַ֠י יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה הֲתַשְׁחִ֥ית בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־כׇּל־הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית אִם־אֶמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה׃ (כט) וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֜וֹד לְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם אַרְבָּעִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה בַּעֲב֖וּר הָאַרְבָּעִֽים׃ (ל) וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדושם וַאֲדַבֵּ֔רָה אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִֽׁים׃ (לא) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אדושם אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃ (לב) וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדושם וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה אַךְ־הַפַּ֔עַם אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֲשָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָעֲשָׂרָֽה׃ (לג) וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ ה׳ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃

(17) Now ה׳ had said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, (18) since Abraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him? (19) For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of ה׳ by doing what is just and right, in order that ה׳ may bring about for Abraham what has been promised him.”

(20) Then ה׳ said, “The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave! (21) I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.”

22) The agents went on from there to Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before ה׳. (23) Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? (24) What if there should be fifty innocent within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it? (25) Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

26) And ה׳ answered, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty innocent ones, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” (27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes: (28) What if the fifty innocent should lack five? Will You destroy the whole city for want of the five?” “I will not destroy if I find forty-five there.” (29) But he spoke up again, and said, “What if forty should be found there?” “I will not do it, for the sake of the forty.” (30) And he said, “Let not my lord be angry if I go on: What if thirty should be found there?” “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” (31) And he said, “I venture again to speak to my lord: What if twenty should be found there?” “I will not destroy, for the sake of the twenty.” (32) And he said, “Let not my lord be angry if I speak but this last time: What if ten should be found there?” “I will not destroy, for the sake of the ten.” (33) Having finished speaking to Abraham, ה׳ departed; and Abraham returned to his place.

The closest ancient near Eastern parallel to Avraham’s entreaty of God, and the only ancient Near Eastern example we have of an individual pleading with a god on behalf of a people, comes from the
Hittite king, Mursili ll (reigned 1330-1295 BCE). Duringa time of widespread plague and enemy invasions, he complains of the gods unleashing indiscriminate disaster on the people and prays via the sun goddess,

"O gods, what is this that you have done? You have allowed a plague into Hatti, and the whole of Hatti is dying.... Whoever is a cause of rage and anger to the gods, and whoever is not respectful to the gods, let not the good ones perish with the evil ones. Whether it is a single town, a single house, or a single person, O gods, destroy only that one!"(CTH 376A i). [Güterbock, Hans G., Harry A. Hoffner Jr., and Theo P. J. van den Hout, eds. The Hittite Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. Chicago: The Oriental Institute of Chicago, 1980-.]


Although both Avraham and Mursili ll are concerned that good people should not be killed along with the bad, the latter is speaking about the extensive calamity that has already come upon the Hittites,
which he attributes to the gods'unprincipled judgment. While ancient Near Eastern people often viewed the gods as demanding that kings be just, the gods themselves did not always act justly. In contrast, Avraham expects God to act justly (v. 25), but he will now learn that"to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just" (v. 19) goes beyond both his expectations and all of ancient Near Eastern ethics - for not only will God not kill the righteous along with the wicked, but He will save all the wicked if there are but ten righteous people. Rabbi Dr. Jeremiah Unterman

Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel: Genesis (Multilingual Edition) Hardcover – June 1, 2024

(ב) ואברהם עודנו עומד לפני ה׳. וַהֲלֹא לֹא הָלַךְ לַעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו, אֶלָּא הַקָּבָּ"ה בָּא אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ, זַעֲקַת סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה כִּי רָבָּה, וְהָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "וַה׳ עוֹדֶנּוּ עוֹמֵד עַל אַבְרָהָם"? אֶלָּא תִּקּוּן סוֹפְרִים הוּא זֶה (אֲשֶׁר הֲפָכוּהוּ רַזִ"לִ לִכְתֹּב כֵּן) (בראשית רבה):

(2) 'ואברהם עודנו עומד לפני ה BUT ABRAHAM STOOD YET BEFORE THE LORD — But surely it was not he (Abraham) who had gone to stand before Him, but it was the Holy One, blessed be He, Who had come to him and had said to him, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great” and it should therefore have written here, “And the Lord stood yet before Abraham”? But it is a variation such as writers make to avoid an apparently irreverent expression (Genesis Rabbah 49:7) (which our Rabbis, of blessed memory, altered, writing it thus).

(ב) האף תספה. הֲגַם תִּסְפֶּה. וּלְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס, שֶׁתִּרְגְּמוֹ לְשׁוֹן רֹגֶז, כָּךְ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ, הַאַף יַשִּׂיאֲךָ שֶׁתִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע:

(2) האף תספה means wilt Thou also destroy. But according to the Targum of Onkelos which translates it (the word האף) in the sense of anger, the explanation would be as follows: will Your anger urge you to destroy righteous with wicked?

הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע, מַהוּ? אָמַר לוֹ: דָּבָר קָשֶׁה. בָּשָׂר וָדָם הָאַף סוֹפֶה אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁמָּא אַף אַתָּה כֵּן תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאַתָּה דָן אֶת הָרָשָׁע כָּךְ אַתָּה דָן אֶת הַצַּדִּיק, תָּם וְרָשָׁע אַתָּה מְכַלֶּה, חָלִלָה לְּךָ מֵעֲשׂת. חֲלָלָה כְּתִיב, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אֲמַר: אִשָּׁה זֹנָה וַחֲלָלָה (ויקרא כא, ז). לֹא חוֹל הוּא לָךְ, כָּךְ עָשִׂיתָ לְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וּלְדוֹר הַפְלָגָה, אֶתְמְהָה. אֵין דֶּרֶךְ זוֹ שֶׁלָּךְ.

Wilt Thou, indeed, sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What is implied by this verse? That he spoke harshly to Him and said: Anger consumes a human being, but is it possible that you are so angry that you would sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Would You judge the innocent as You judge the wicked? Would You destroy the innocent and the evil together? It is far from Thee to do after this manner (Gen. 18:25).

Since the Hebrew word hallilah (“it is far from thee”) contains the letters of the word hallalah (“profaned”), as in the verse A woman that is a harlot, or profaned (Lev. 21:7), this verse implies that he was suggesting, “Would it not be a profanation of Your name if You were to act in this manner? Did You do that with the generation of the flood, or the generation of the separation? Surely, that is not Thy way.”

חלילה לך. חֻלִּין הוּא לְךָ, יֹאמְרוּ כָךְ הוּא אֻמָּנוּתוֹ, שׁוֹטֵף הַכֹּל, צֵדִּיקִים וּרְשָׁעִים, כָּךְ עָשִׂיתָ לְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וּלְדוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה:
חלילה לך FAR BE IT FROM THEE — It is a profanation (חולין) of Yourself. People will say, “That is what He usually busies Himself with: He destroys every one, righteous and wicked alike” —and thus did You indeed do to the generation of the Flood and to that of the dispersal of nations (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 8).
חלילה. דבר שלא יתכן וי"א שהמלה כטעם חלול שאין בו כלום:

THAT BE FAR. Chalilah (that be far) means it is not possible. Others say that chalilah (that be far) is to be connected to the word chalul, which means empty.

Fill the Void (Hebrew: למלא את החלל - lemale et ha'ḥalal) is a 2012 Israeli drama film written and directed by Rama Burshtein.

Plot: Shira Mendelman, an 18-year-old Hasidic girl living in Tel Aviv, is looking forward to an arranged marriage with a young man whom she likes. However, on Purim, her family suffers a tragedy when Shira's older sister Esther dies in childbirth. The bereaved husband's mother approaches Shira's mother, Rivka, about the possibility of Yochay remarrying, believing it to be best for their child. The arranged marriage (levirite marriage) goes throug plot twist until at the end of the move, the void is filled and they get married.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fill_the_Void

(ז) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו לָ֚מָּה יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲדֹנִ֔י כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה חָלִ֙ילָה֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ מֵעֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃

(7) And they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything of the kind!

(א) חלילה לעבדיך. חֻלִּין הוּא לָנוּ, לְשׁוֹן גְּנַאי, וְתַרְגוּם חַס לְעַבְדָּיךְ – חַס מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְהִי עָלֵינוּ מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּתַּלְמוּד "חַס וְשָׁלוֹם":

(1) חלילה לעבדיך FAR BE IT FROM TIIY SERVANTS — It is a degradation (חולין a profane thing) — this is an expression denoting a shameful act. The Targum חס לעבדיך “a sparing to thy servants!” signifies “May there be a sparing from God upon us that we should not do this thing” The expression חס ושלום occurs often in the Talmud in this sense — Forbearance and peace!

א"ר אבא בר כהנא מאי דכתיב (בראשית יח, כה) חלילה לך מעשות כדבר הזה להמית צדיק עם רשע אמר אברהם לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע

חולין הוא מעשות כדבר הזה להמית צדיק עם רשע

§ The Gemara continues discussing the manner in which God metes out punishment. Rabbi Abba Bar Kahana says: What is the meaning of that which is written as part of Abraham’s prayer to God, when God informed him that He was going to destroy Sodom: “That be far [ḥalila] from You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked” (Genesis 18:25)?

This is what Abraham said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, it is a sacrilege [ḥullin] for You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked.

(לב) וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י ה׳ מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃

(32) You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people—I ה׳ who sanctify you,

(כא) וּמִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֥ לֹא־תִתֵּ֖ן לְהַעֲבִ֣יר לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ וְלֹ֧א תְחַלֵּ֛ל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י ה׳׃

(21) Do not allow any of your offspring to be offered up to Molech, and do not profane the name of your God: I am ה׳.

(י) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה׳ אַתָּ֥ה חַ֙סְתָּ֙ עַל־הַקִּ֣יקָי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָמַ֥לְתָּ בּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֣א גִדַּלְתּ֑וֹ שֶׁבִּן־לַ֥יְלָה הָיָ֖ה וּבִן־לַ֥יְלָה אָבָֽד׃ (יא) וַֽאֲנִי֙ לֹ֣א אָח֔וּס עַל־נִינְוֵ֖ה הָעִ֣יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־בָּ֡הּ הַרְבֵּה֩ מִֽשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה רִבּ֜וֹ אָדָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדַע֙ בֵּין־יְמִינ֣וֹ לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וּבְהֵמָ֖ה רַבָּֽה׃

(10) Then GOD said: “You cared about the plant, which you did not work for and which you did not grow, which appeared overnight and perished overnight. (11) And should not I care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not yet know their right hand from their left, and many animals as well!”cI.e., infants and animals are not held responsible for their actions.

הַתּוֹרָה חָסָה עַל מָמוֹנָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

the Torah spared the money of the Jewish people

לתולדות הביטוי "חס וחלילה"

מאת: מיכאל שניידר [ז"ל]

לשוננו פה, א (תשפ"ג), עמ' 51–63

לקריאת המאמר

הצירוף השגור "חס וחלילה" או בסדר הפוך, "חלילה וחס", נראה כמטבע שטבעו חכמים, אך הרושם הזה מתפוגג לאחר בדיקה קצרה. הביטוי אינו מופיע בספרות חז״ל, והעובדה שהוא נמצא בכמה דפוסים של התלמוד והמדרש נובעת מפיענוח מוטעה של ראשי התיבות ח"ו כ"חס וחלילה" במקום "חס ושלום".

תאריך פרסום 23/01/2023

For the history of the phrase "God forbid"

By: Michael Schneider

To our tongue here, 1 (2023), pp. 51-63

The common phrase "God forbid" (has Ve'hallia) or in the reverse order, "God forbid and God forbid", seems like a coin coined by sages, but this impression disappears after a brief examination. The expression does not appear in the Sage literature, and the fact that it is found in several patterns of the Talmud and the Midrash is due to a misinterpretation of the initials Het' Vav as "has and God forbid" instead of "Has V'Shalom".

Publication date 01/23/2023
I heard HaGaon HaRab Bentzion Musafi Shelita say (paraphrasing his Hebrew) "like there is no God- Has VeShalom."

† חָלִיל

n.m. flute, pipe, ח׳ 1 S 10:5 Is 5:12; 30:29; pl. חֲלִלִים 1 K 1:40 Je 48:36(×2).

Source: מקור: BDB Dictionary

Creator: יוצר: F. Brown, S. Driver & C. Briggs

† חָלִילָה

subst. c. ה loc., used as exclam. lit. ad profanum! i.e. far be it (for me, thee, etc.)! (v. BaNB 136)—ח׳ Gn 44:7 + 17 times, חָלִלָה Gn 18:25 + 2 times—alone, 1 S 14:45; 20:2; elsewhere c. לְ pers.: Gn 18:25b (J), 1 S 2:30; 20:9; 22:15; + מִן and inf. of act deprecated Gn 18:25a; 44:7, 17 (all J), Jos 24:16 (E), 1 S 12:23 2 S 23:17; + מִמֶּנּוּ ל (peculiarly) Jos 22:29 (P; = from it, even to rebel); + אִם (= surely not) 2 S 20:20 (ח׳ ח׳), Jb 27:5; strengthened idiom. by מיהוה, ח׳לִי מִיּ׳ sq. מִן and inf. 1 S 26:11 1 K 21:3 + 2 S 23:17 (read מיהוה, 𝔊L 𝔖 𝔗) = 1 Ch 11:19 (מאלהי) sq. אִם 1 S 24:7; ח׳ לָאֵל מֵרֶשַׁע Jb 34:10.

Source: מקור: BDB Dictionary

Creator: יוצר: F. Brown, S. Driver & C. Briggs

Arabic حَلَال‎ (ḥalāl).

halal (not comparable)

  1. (Islam) Permissible, according to Muslim religious customs, to have or do. quotations ▼
  2. (of food) Fit to eat according to Muslim religious customs.
  3. (figuratively, by extension) In accordance with standards or usual practice; acceptable.

כי הרב קוק ראה ב"חילונים" את החמור המקדים את ביאת הגאולה

מפריעה לו מאוד הגישה הפטרנליסטית או הטקטית, אשר אותה מייצגים לדעתו הרב קוק מחד והרב רבינוביץ מאידך. לפיכך בונה הוא גישה, המבקשת להתייחס ל"חילוני", כשווה, לא מתוך פטרנליזם, אלא מתוך הכרה בחשיבות עולמו המוסרי, גם אם זה איננו יונק מתוך עולמה של תורה

אלא שדבריהם אינם מובנים לכאורה. לעניות דעתי, מתוך עיון במקורות שונים של הרב קוק, נראה כי לא זו בלבד שהוא לא נקט בגישה "פטרונית" כלשונו של אורי, אלא שבבסיס תורתו עומדת הגישה ואף הדרישה לראות את הציבור החילוני כשווה, ובמידה מסוימת אף עדיף:

הנפש של פושעי ישראל שבעקבתא דמשיחא, אותם שהם מתחברים באהבה אל עניני כלל ישראל, לארץ ישראל ולתחית האומה,היא יותר מתוקנת מהנפש של שלומי אמוני ישראל, שאין להם זה היתרון של ההרגשה העצמית לטובת הכלל ובנין האומה והארץ. (אורות, עמ' פד, קטע מג)

לא היתה זו גישה טקטית או פטרונית. הרב קוק האמין באמת ובתמים כי ההתעוררות הציונית ה"חילונית", ודווקא ה"חילונית", יכולה וצריכה לתקן את הקלקולים שב"דתיות" הגלותית, ממנה אנו סובלים עד היום

For a Hebrew treatment of the same concepts see:

גישתו של הרב קוק לחילוניות המודרנית

Rav Kook viewed secularism not merely as a hidden expression of religion, but as much more than that too.

He interpreted secularization as an unconscious demand for refinement and elevation of religion. A good example of this was his assertion that, due to secularization – what he termed “the chutzpah of ikvata demeshicha” – the secrets of the Torah were being revealed. (The Aramaic phrase “ikvata demeshicha” refers to the period that the Talmud says will precede fulfillment of the messianic redemption, a time characterized by a deterioration and rebelliousness – “chutzpah” – in religious and political conditions.)

“Without the chutzpah of ikvata demeshicha, it would not be possible to explain the enigmas of the Torah with complete revelation,” he wrote. “Only through the condensing of the feelings that result from this chutzpah will it be possible to receive supreme rational enlightenment, and in the end, all will return to the absolute correction.”

Secularism not only brings revelations about the mysteries of the Torah; it also purifies the concept of godliness. According to Rav Kook, part of the redemption is the appearance of a noble and clean concept of godliness, and this process is accelerated by the new and rejectionist secularism:

“Since the time has come that the national revival has to occur, and the sprouting of the pride of the redemption comes into reality and must be revealed and it is possible for the nation to come together and achieve depth in life and the secrets of its power only through purified understanding This is the reason that the great negative force comes to the fore in the chutzpah of ikvata demeshicha, and this negativity will burn away everything weak and ugly in the conceptions of God.” The heresy that strengthens the nation also restores the concept of godliness and brings about revelation of the mysteries of the Torah.

One of Rav Kook’s more surprising statements is that redemption will come not only when religious Jews bring the secular back into the fold, but also when secular Jews bring the religious back: “The repair that will be brought about by the light of the Messiah is that the Jewish people will be made into a single union, and the soul of the God-fearing observers of the Torah will be mended by means of the completion of the spirit in the good criminals in relation to affairs of the general public, and the material and spiritual hopes to be attained through the human recognition and feelings.”

See: Three Paradoxes of Religious Zionism

Secular Zionism's patriotism elevates, not replaces, religion. Its anarchism reflects its passion rather than undermines it. And heresy is part and parcel of faith in God. These are the three significant statements of inverse logic proposed by Rabbi Kook. by

Micah Goodman, Sep 11, 2015

What on earth does חס ושלום mean literally, or what is its etymology? Why do people use that phrase in particular to "ward off" bad things?

Note that the use of this term is not universal among Jews / Hebrew speakers. For example, a very common term among Jews from the Sephardic diaspora, for the same purposes, is Bar Minan (בר מינן) - which literally translates from Aramaic as "outside from us" - very close to the "far from us" sense of חלילה. This term was also borrowed as a euphemism for the word "dead" (in reference to a deceased person) - and this is now the common sense people associate with "בר מינן"

מחזור אשכנז לראש השנה

, תפילת מוסף, יום ראשון של ראש השנה, חזרת הש"ץ

כִּסֵּא דִּין לְהָמִיר בְּשֶׁל רַחֲמִים: יָחִיד אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵֽקֶד נִשְׁפָּט. טְלָאָיו בּוֹ יְחֻנְּנוּ מִלְּהִשָּׁפֵט. חָלִֽילָה לְּךָ אֱלֹקֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט. זְכֹר לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט: וְאִם כְּאָדָם עָבְרוּ בְּרִית. הָאֵל כָּאֵל הַבֵּט לַבְּרִית. דִּבְּרוֹת אֵֽלֶּה דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית. גַּלֵּה בְּזִכְרוֹן שִׁלּוּשׁ בְּרִית: עוֹלָם בְּבַקְּרָךְ בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. בְּהַכְרָֽעַת צֶֽדֶק תַּכְרִֽיעַ שָׁנָה. אֲסוּמָה טְלוּלָה גְּשׁוּמָה אִם שְׁחוּנָה. אֲטוּמִים לְהַחֲיוֹת בְּטַלֲלֵי שֵׁנָה:

Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz

, Musaf, First Day of Rosh Hashana, Reader'

Turn to the sound of their shofar blasts from on high, / and exchange the seat of stern judgement for the throne of compassion.

For the special son who was judged as he lay bound on the altar, / may his offspring be graceously spared from judgement

Far be it from You, O God of justice; / be reminded ofAbraham's words:

"Should [the Judge of all the earth] fail to judge righteously?"

translation The Koren Rosh Hashannah Mahzor, R. Jonathan Saks.

In Arguing with God - A Jewish Tradition by Anson Laytner p 1161 trans:

Remember [the words]: He shall not act justly"