According to halacha, a Jew must forfeit his life rather than violate any of the three most egregious sins: murder, sexual depravity, idolatry. Ramban writes that, in principle, every Jew should sacrifice his own life rather than violate any mitzvah at all. (Ramban, Vayikra 22:33).
In Ramban’s view, the identity of the Jew is a servant of God. Everyone — Jew and gentile alike — must observe the commandments. According to halacha, gentiles are commanded to observe the seven Noahide Laws, which provide a basic moral and legal framework for non-Jewish society. Yet, gentiles do not have the status of “servants.”
The purpose of Jewish life is the service to God and obedience to His Will. One famous Jewish comedian remarked “I laugh to live and I live to laugh.” A more accurate sentiment would be “I serve to live and I live to serve.” Jewish life is dedicated to something higher than itself: the Will of God. And while in theory, avers Ramban, one would have to sacrifice his life for any commandment, in practice, the Will of God dictates instead that we do not sacrifice our life for any mitzvah but most egregious as Chazal explain in Sanhedrin 74a.
Modernity celebrates the individual’s ability to express himself, free and unfettered. Often, modernity is in conflict with religion. Religion presumes to restrict and control what individuals do with their thoughts and bodies. In exercising this control, religion denies the individual the ability to express his true self or her essential character.
Many people reject religion because it is self-denying; the modern individual wants to live in self-affirmation. This dilemma does not bother the Jew. For the Jew, these experiences are the same. For the Jew’s true self and essential character is one of servitude. To express himself, the Jew must submit to the Will of God.