During the Holocaust, the Nazis tortured the Jews before murdering them. The rabbi of the Ukrainian town Lanovitz spoke publicly with his community moments before they were all taken to the cemetery, where they were murdered. He told them to accept death with joy, for theirs is a death sanctifying the Divine Name, dying for being Jews.

Dear brothers, we are passing into the kingdom of heaven…After the great suffering and the hell on earth that we have experienced, you are assured of reaching the inner realms of paradise…Therefore, do not be worried; go to your fate with joy. We are fortunate that we have the merit of being able to die as Jews. This type of death is considered dying to sanctify the Divine Name, for our only crime is our being Jewish. (Rabbi Areleh Rabin)

Rabbi Elhanan Wasserman was murdered with other rabbis and students from the Kovno Ghetto. When they were taken to the place where they were to be murdered, the rabbi turned to his students and told them that they were now fulfilling the greatest mitzva of all – sanctifying the Divine Name. The fire that burns in our bones, he said, is the fire that will renew the Jewish nation.

Apparently, in heaven they view us as righteous people, for they want us, to atone for all of Israel with our lives. We must now repent, immediately, right here, for not much time is left…. We are now fulfilling the greatest mitzva: sanctifying the Divine Name. The fire that will blaze within our bones is the fire that will reestablish the Jewish nation. (Rabbi Elĥanan Wasserman)

Before Rabbi Yisrael of Grodzisk and his community entered the extermination area in Treblinka, the rebbe turned to his followers and told them not to question God’s actions, not to hesitate, and not to cry when they go to the furnace. The community fulfilled his request. Singing “Ani Ma’amin” [I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the messiah – a paraphrase of the twelfth of Rambam’s thirteen principles of faith] and reciting the “Shema,” they publicly sanctified God’s Name.

Listen brothers and sisters, nation of God…We must be joyous that we have merited that our ashes will be like the ashes of the red heifer, and will purify the entire nation of Israel. We must see ourselves as fortunate that it is our destiny to pave the way for the redeemer who approaches, and to accept, with love, our akeda for the sanctification of His Name, may He be blessed. I command you not to hesitate and not to cry as you go to the furnace. On the contrary, be joyous; and while singing Ani Ma’amin and, like Rabbi Akiva did, reciting Shema Yisrael leave this world saying the word “eĥad.” (Rabbi Yisrael of Grodzisk)

Rabbi Yosef Yitzĥak Schneersohn was imprisoned by the Soviet regime, accused of spreading Judaism throughout Russia. He was later miraculously freed.

Further reading: For more on the belief in the redemption and the coming of the anointed one, see p. 145; A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 391.