Is Honesty Always the Best Policy?
An Inquiry into Truth Telling
Parshat Acharei Mot/Kedoshim
Leviticus 15:1 - 20:27/ Amos 9:7 - 15

There is much food for thought in this week’s double Torah portion. Parshat Acharei Mot contains a description of the Yom Kippur rite as well as the laws regarding forbidden relations. We read both of these passages on Yom Kippur, the first one in the morning and the second at the Minhah service. While the passage on forbidden relations does not appear to be connected to the themes of Yom Kippur, this passage reminds us that repentance and return begins in the most intimate and private aspects of our life. The second Parshah this Shabbat is Kedoshim Tehiyu, “You shall be Holy.” This passage parallels the Ten Commandments in spirit and details. A life of holiness must include emulating the qualities of God such as justice, compassion and caring for others. We are most holy when we our actions are most human.

Having completed an entire year of TTT study guides on the weekly Haftorah portions, I am pleased to begin a new series with Parshat Kedoshim. The TTT study guides in coming weeks will focus on a different Mitzvah or human quality which we learn in that Parshah. The Torah is a guide to life: we must ask ourselves – what can we learn from each Parshah that can affect how we live?

Tosefta, Bava Kama 8
There are seven sorts of thieves, and the first of them all is the one who steals the mind (deceives) of another human being.... (Examples of deceivers are) he who urges his neighbor to be his guest, when, in his heart he does not mean to invite him; he who presses gifts upon his neighbor when he knows that his neighbor will not accept them.

Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 16b – 17a
Our sages taught: While celebrating with the bride at her wedding, how should you describe her? Beit Shammai says, “As she is.” (In other words, if she is not beautiful don’t tell her so.) Beit Hillel says: Call her a beautiful and graceful bride.” Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: “If she were lame or blind would you describe her as ‘a beautiful and graceful bride,’ since the Torah says ‘Keep far from a false matter?’” Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: “According to you if you knew someone who made a poor purchase in the market would you praise it or disparage it? Surely you would praise it…” Therefore the sages say, “One should always be pleasant toward people.”

S. R. Hisrch, Horeb Page 252, translated by Grunfeld
In accordance with the commandment, “Keep yourself far from a false matter,” our sages warn us against supporting another person’s lie even if only by remaining silent or even by the mere fact of one’s presence. One must not stand silently by while another gives expression to a falsehood.

Bereshit Rabbah 48:18
(When God informs Abraham that his wife will give birth to a child in a year, Sarah laughs to herself and says that Abraham is too old to bear children. Rather than reporting this to Abraham, God changes her statement to protect the couple from discord. He tells Abraham that Sara laughed because she thought she was too old to bear children.) AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ABRAHAM: WHY DID SARAH LAUGH, SAYING... SEEING THAT I AM OLD (XVIII, 13). Bar Kapara said: Great is peace, for even God lied in order to preserve peace between Abraham and Sarah. Thus, it is written, WHY DID SARAH LAUGH, SAYING: SHALL I BEAR A CHILD? It does not say, “Since my lord is old,” (the statement she actually made) but “SEEING THAT I AM OLD.”

Bereshit Rabba 8:5
R. Simon said: When the Holy One was about to create Adam, the ministering angels formed themselves into groups and companies, some of them saying, "Let him be created," while others urged, "Let him not be created." Thus it is written, "Love and truth fought together, righteousness and peace combated each other" (Psalm 85:11). Love said, "Let him be created, because he will perform acts of love." Truth said, "Let him not be created, because all of him will be falsehood." Righteousness said, "Let him be created, because he will do righteous deeds." Peace said, "Let him not be created, because he will be all strife." What did the Holy One do? He took truth and cast it to the ground, as is said, "Thou didst cast down truth to the ground" (Daniel 8:12). The ministering angels dared say to the Holy One, "Master of the universe, why do You humiliate Your seal? (Truth is described as the seal of God.) Let truth arise from the earth." Hence it is written, "Let truth spring up from the earth" (Psalm 85:12).

Questions for Discussion

1. Why is the connection between stealing, deceitfulness and falsehood in Leviticus 19:11? Why do you think this passage ends with the words, “I am the Lord?”

2. What would Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai say about the following situations: telling someone who is terminally ill that they are going to die, sharing information with someone that might cause that person to hurt someone else, and telling someone the truth when you know they won’t listen to you and may in fact reject your friendship based on the information?

3. Is honesty always the best policy? In your opinion are there exceptions to the verse above – if so what would they be and on what moral basis would you make this decision? What do you think of Rabbi Hirsch’s statement above? Do you think that he agrees more with Beit Hillel or Beit Shammai? What should you do if you know a person is lying to another person?

4. According to the Midrash, God chooses to create Adam even though he is deceitful by nature. Why? What is this Midrash saying about human nature? What is the place of truth in the scheme of the universe?

“All it takes to study Torah is an open heart, a curious mind and a desire to grow a Jewish soul.”
Copyright 2006 Rabbi Mark B Greenspan