The Talmud states, “If Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah would have been tortured, they would have bowed to the idol” (Ketuvot 33b; see Daniel 3:9-30). The Rebbe spoke on this and said that the Talmud does not mean that they would have certainly given in. People have been beaten and tortured in every way possible without abandoning God. Many tales are told about martyrs in recent times who underwent untold agony to sanctify God’s name. Happy are they.
בְּעִנְיַן קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם, [שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (כְּתֻבּוֹת לג): "אִלְמָלֵא נַגְדּוּהּ לַחֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה" וְכוּ', אָמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ חִיּוּב] כִּי אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא אֶחָד שֶׁיְּקַדֵּשׁ הַשֵּׁם אֲפִלּוּ אִם יַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ כָּל הַיִּסּוּרִים וְהַכָּאוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים מֵהַדּוֹרוֹת הַסְּמוּכִים לְפָנֵינוּ, כַּמָּה מִינֵי עִנּוּיִים שֶׁסָּבְלוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים בִּשְׁבִיל קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם. אַשְׁרֵי לָהֶם:
The Talmud states, “If Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah would have been tortured, they would have bowed to the idol” (Ketuvot 33b; see Daniel 3:9-30). The Rebbe spoke on this and said that the Talmud does not mean that they would have certainly given in. People have been beaten and tortured in every way possible without abandoning God. Many tales are told about martyrs in recent times who underwent untold agony to sanctify God’s name. Happy are they.