...Al HaEmet

(18) Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel used to say: on three things does the world stand: On justice, on truth and on peace, as it is said: “execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16).

† אֱמֶת n.f. firmness, faithfulness, truth (contr. for אֱמֶנֶת, from אָמֵן) Gn 24:48 + 106 times; sf. אֲמִתּוֹ, אֲמִתְּךָ ψ 91:4 + 18 times
1. reliability, sureness: דֶּרֶךְ אֱמֶת sure way Gn 24:48 (J); שׂכר אמת sure reward Pr 11:18; אות אמת sure token Jos 2:12 (J); זֶרַע אמת Je 2:21.
2. stability, continuance: שָׁלוֹם וֶאֱמֶת peace and stability Is 39:8 (= 2 K 20:19) Est 9:30 Je 33:6 Zc 8:19, cf. שׁלום אמת Je 14:13.
3. faithfulness, reliableness: (a) of men אִישׁ אֱמֶת faithful man Ne 7:2; אנשׁי אמת Ex 18:21 (E); הָלַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת walk in faithfulness, faithfully 1 K 2:4; 3:6 2 K 20:3 Is 38:3 cf. 1 S 12:24; of י׳, בַּאֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ ψ 25:5; 26:3; 86:11; עיר האמת Zc 8:3; of men ψ 45:5; 51:8 2 Ch 31:20; 32:1 Pr 29:14 Is 10:20; 42:3; 48:1; בא׳ ובתמים Ju 9:16, 19 Jos 24:14; חֶסֶד וֶאֱ׳ mercy and faithfulness Pr 3:3; 14:22; 16:6; 20:28 Ho 4:1, & the phrase עשׂה חסד ואמת Gn 24:49; 47:29 Jos 2:14 (J) 2 S 15:20. (b) an attribute of God ψ 54:7; 71:22 Is 38:18, 19; 61:8; נתן אמת Mi 7:20; עשׂה אמת Ez 18:9 Ne 9:33; עשׂה חסד ואמת Gn 32:11 (J) 2 S 2:6; רב חסד ואמת abundant in mercy and faithfulness Ex 34:6 (J) ψ 86:15; these attributes are also associated ψ 40:11, 12; 61:8; 115:1; 138:2 Is 16:5 Gn 24:27 (J); they are messengers of God to men ψ 57:4; 85:11; 89:15 cf. ψ 43:3; כל ארחות י׳ חסד ואמת ψ 25:10; the faithfulness of God endureth for ever ψ 117:2; he keepeth it for ever ψ 146:6; it reacheth unto the skies ψ 57:11; 108:5; it is shield & buckler ψ 91:4; he is אל אמת ψ 31:6 = אלקי אמת 2 Ch 15:3; אֱמֶת is also associated with the divine ישׁר ψ 111:8; צֶדֶק ψ 85:12; צְדָקָה Zc 8:8; מִשְׁפָּט ψ 111:7 Je 4:2; & salvation ψ 69:14.
4. truth (a) as spoken: דבר אמת speak truth 1 K 22:16 2 Ch 18:15 Je 9:4 Zc 8:16 ψ 15:2; דִּבְרֵי א׳ Ec 12:10; אֱמֶת הַדָּבָר the thing is true Dt 22:20 1 K 10:6 2 Ch 9:5 Dn 10:1; אמת נכון הדבר the thing is certainly true Dt 13:15; 17:4; אִמְרֵי אֱמֶת = אמרים אמת Pr 22:21; הגה אמת Pr 8:7; הגיד א׳ Dn 11:2, אֲמִתְּךָ ψ 30:10; שׂפת אמת Pr 12:19; אֱמֶת it is true Is 43:9; האמת אתכם whether truth is with you Gn 42:16 (E) cf. Is 59:14, 15. (b) of testimony and judgment עֵד אֱמֶת true witness Pr 14:25; עד אמת ונאמן Je 42:5; משׁפט אמת Ez 18:8 Zc 7:9; שָׁפַט אמת Zc 8:16. (c) of divine instruction כְּתָב אֱמֶת Dn 10:21; תורת אמת Mal 2:6 cf. Ne 9:13; תורתך אמת ψ 119:142; דבר י׳ בְּפִיךָ אמת 1 K 17:24 cf. 2 S 7:28; משׁפטי י׳ אמת ψ 19:10; ראשׁ דברך אמת ψ 119:160; מצותיך אמת ψ 119:151. (d) truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge Dn 8:12; להשׂכיל באמתך Dn 9:13. [etc]

Rabbi Shimon is quoted in Bereshit Rabbah 8, as describing the following dialogue having occurred in heaven prior to the creation of man. The representative of chessed, morality, favoured the creation of man, since it was foreseen that man would act morally most of the time. Emet, truth, however, opposed man's creation, claiming that man's tendencey to lie made his creation pointless. Similarly, tzedek, righteousness favoured man's creation, pointing to the righteous deeds man would perform, whereas "justice" opposed man's creation citing the perversions of justice he would become guilty of. G-d resolved the dilemma by consigning "truth" to earth. The angels then remonstrated with G-d, saying "why do You denigrate and besmirch Your own treasures!" Let "truth" come back up here!" Rabbi Hunna added to this dialogue the comment that while the angels were still arguing with G-d, G-d had already created Adam. What the rabbis were trying to convey is that the inner personality of man is based on the development of morality and intellect. The latter guides his feelings of being moral towards perceptions which are true. The outward manifestations of this, generally motivated by functional considerations, are viewed as righteousness and peace. Since both the innate moral qualities of man and his sense of righteousness are deeply rooted, there was support for the creation of man among celestial beings. The opponents who could point to the many aberrations man would become guilty of, both in "intellectual truth" and quarrelsome behaviour, felt that these aberrations nullified the plan a priori. G-d, by despatching "truth" earthwards, prepared the way through Torah, (Torat Emet, the Torah of truth) so as to minimise the power of the ego (yetzer hara, evil impulse) . Thus He decided to proceed with the creation of man. The opponents were still not satisfied, calling for the Torah to be withdrawn from earth. They felt that man who sins while in possession of the teachings of "truth," i.e. Torah, would be an even greater blot on G-d’s handiwork than if he sinned without having had the benefit of Divine teaching. When the rule of law is based on decree, it is called tzedek. When it is based on concensus between people, it is called shalom, peace, harmony. In view of the fact that man's intellectual achievements are what he calls emet, truth, and in view of the fact that the conclusions arrived at by man's unassisted intellect are often faulty, at best subjective "truths," G-d dispatched the Torah to earth, to lessen the danger that man's "truth" would result in a complete distortion of morality. Therefore, by banishing "truth" to earth, He made sure that Divine teachings would predominate in man, allowing for ideal man to become a distinct possibility. In order to make Torah not appear so far removed from earthly considerations, He garbed it in a language easily understood by man. "The Torah employs the mode of expression usually favored by man himself." (Nedarim 3) [...] The continuing argument of the angels against man's creation was the warning "they will besmirch Your treasures," meaning that the remedy of "Torah uses human language" will lead to other blasphemies based on what is written in the Torah being understood literally. Therefore, the angels asked for Emet-Torah to be recalled from earth and returned to the celestial regions. Since the arguments appeared balanced, G-d decided in favor of the lenient view and created man. G-d gave man the benefit of the doubt, so to speak.