M'Davar Sheker Tirchak

The Sages taught: How does one dance before the bride, i.e., what does one recite while dancing at her wedding? Beit Shammai say: The bride as she is. And Beit Hillel say: A fair and attractive bride.

Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: In a case where the bride was lame or blind, does one say with regard to her: A fair and attractive bride? But the Torah states: “Distance yourself from falsehood" (Exodus 23:7).

Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: According to your statement, with regard to one who acquired an inferior acquisition from the market, should another praise it and enhance its value in his eyes or condemn it and diminish its value in his eyes? You must say that he should praise it and enhance its value in his eyes.

From here the Sages said: A person’s disposition should always be empathetic with mankind.

(6) You shall not subvert the rights of your needy in their disputes. (7) Distance yourself from Falsehood; do not bring death on those who are innocent and in the right, for I will not acquit the wrongdoer. (8) Do not take bribes, for bribes blind the clear-sighted and upset the pleas of those who are in the right.

(1) That He prohibited the judge - not to listen to one of the disputants when it is not in front of his [adversary]. And that is His saying, "You must not carry a false rumor" (Exodus 23:1).... And to prohibit this very same content, He said, "Keep far from a false matter" (Exodus 23:7) - as it is explained in the fourth [chapter] of Shevuot (Shevuot 31a).

But how can Beit Hillel [say of a bride] that she is beautiful when in fact she is not? Perhaps they intend that she is beautiful in her deeds and graceful in her person because we do not attribute what is unbecoming.

And Beit Shammai can reply: Is it written, ‘Keep far from lies’? No, it includes 'falsehood'- even if it be inexplicit.

Beit Hillel can respond: When Hashem declared, 'Keep far away from falsehood', it is in connection with 'Do not kill the innocent and rightous'.

This is directed to judges. They are not to judge falsely, similar to “Justice, justice shall you pursue” (Devarim 16:20).

“You shall distance yourself from matters of falsehood” – from any matter that can involve falsehood, as the Sages said: “Exercise care with your words, lest people learn to speak falsely from them.”

“Should one praise it in his eyes, or denigrate it in his eyes," - Meaning, that anything involving darkhei shalom does not violate ‘Mi-devar sheker tirchak'

(29) When a person sees kilayim that are forbidden by Scriptural Law on his friend - even if the latter is walking in the market place - he should jump up and rip it off him immediately. This applies] even to his teacher from whom he has learned wisdom. For [the obligation to] honor people at large does not supercede a negative prohibition in the Torah.

And Rabbi Ile’a further said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon: It is permitted for a person to depart from the truth in a matter that will bring peace, as it is stated: “Your father commanded before he died, saying: So you shall say to Joseph: Please pardon your brothers’ crime, etc.” (Genesis 50:16–17). Jacob never issued this command, but his sons falsely attributed this statement to him in order to preserve peace between them and Joseph. Rabbi Natan says: It is a mitzva to depart from the truth in order to preserve peace, as it is stated: “And Samuel said: How can I go, and Saul will hear and kill me” (I Samuel 16:2). God responded in the next verse that Samuel should say he went to sacrifice an offering, indicating that God commands one to lie in order to preserve peace.

R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “Peace is great, because the Holy One, blessed be He, has written things in the Torah that did not happen, which are there only because of peace.

“And all that we have stated [that the prohibition against derogatory speech applies even if what one is saying is true, but if there is] a mixture of falsehood [one also transgresses a positive Mitzvah].”
The proof is from the cases listed in Gemara Shevuos. There even if it just appears
like a form of falsehood; all the more so when words are mixed together with outright falsehood one is transgressing. According to the S’mag this is a positive Mitzvah. [And even if according to some opinions it is not one of the 613 Mitzvos,] it is certainly a Torah prohibition according to all opinions

Our Creator commanded us in Parashat Mishpatim, “You shall distance yourself from matters of falsehood.” One must distance himself, but only from falsehood that can bring damage upon one’s fellow. One must pay careful attention in this regard, to see if one’s falsehood can cause damage.

That which the baraita states in Ketubot: How does one dance before the bride? Beit Shammai say: [one describes] the bride as she actually is. Beit Hillel say: “A beautiful and graceful bride”… That [false speech] involves harm to people, as Beit Shammai maintain, as it appears as though one deceives the husband.

All God-fearing people should make a point of distancing themselves, for it may result in harm. And should one say: I did not realize that this would result in harm – this depends entirely on one’s heart, and it therefore says [in this context], “You shall fear your God.”

But falsehood that does not result in harm – the Torah did not forbid, for we learn about this matter from its context, and the verse speaks here of an evil person who does people harm, as it is written, “You shall distance yourself from matters of falsehood; do not bring death upon those who are innocent and in the right, for I will not acquit the wrongdoer.”

(4) One may take a vow to murderers, or to robbers; or to [fake] tax collectors, that the produce in his possession is teruma although it is not teruma. One may also take a vow to them that the produce in his possession belongs to the house of the king, although it does not belong to the house of the king. One may take a false vow to save himself or his possessions, as a statement of this sort does not have the status of a vow. Beit Shammai say: One may vow in such a case, although he has no intention that his words be true, using every means of taking a vow or making a prohibition in order to mislead those people, except for by taking of an oath, due to its more stringent nature. And Beit Hillel say: One may mislead them even by taking an oath. Beit Shammai say: When negotiating with a robber, one should not initiate by taking a vow for him unless the robber does not believe his claim, in which case he may take a vow to reinforce his words. And Beit Hillel say: He may even initiate by taking a vow to him. Beit Shammai say: One may take a vow only about that which the robber compels him to take a vow but may not add to it. And Beit Hillel say: One may take a vow even about that which he does not compel him to take a vow.

However, it is permissible to deviate [from the truth] for purposes of peace and to deal pleasantly with people… How does one dance before the bride… Beit Hillel say: A beautiful, graceful bride

(181) The fourth category of falsehood: that he hears and alters thing on purpose, yet he does not have any benefit from his lies, nor does he cause a loss to anyone else... And the punishment of this person will be lighter from one angle, since there was no loss to [another] person from his lies and from his wantonness. But his punishment will be very big due to his brazenness and his love of falsehood.

And Chazal permitted this category in order to fulfill a commandment and to seek good and peace.

MISHNA: Vows of exaggeration: If one said: It is konam (forbidden) for me if I did not see on this road as many people as those who ascended from Egypt, or if he said: It is konam for me if I did not see a snake as large as the beam of an olive press.

When he says “This fruit is forbidden to me, if I did not see on this road [as many people as the amount] that left Egypt,” the ruling is that [the fruit] is not forbidden to him, because he spoke truth, since he did [indeed] see a large number of people, [and] because it is normal for people to exaggerate in such a manner.

Is not considered a lie; even though the bride is not beautiful and graceful, but in the eyes of the groom who chose her, she certainly is, and our praise is not an objective appraisal, but rather to acknowledge that her groom has found her worthy. After all, the groom has chosen to marry her, and she has found favor in his eyes. Therefore, it is written that: When a person makes a bad deal in the marketplace should you praise his purchase to him or should you disparage it? This means that it is not sensible to disparage his purchase after the fact, after all he likes what he bought. It is thus with the bride as well; we come not to praise her in the objective sense, but we come to honor the choice the groom has made because he thinks she is lovely. But what they say in the West: “No powder and no paint and no waving [of the hair], and still she ascends in grace.” This is more appropriate because in actuality she ascends in grace before the groom, and there is no deceit at all. For the grace is perceived by the one who is marrying her. This is why the verse states that "one should stay far away from deceit" (Exodus 23:7) — as far away as possible; one should not utter something entirely untrue. For grace is always in the eye of the beholder, as it is written: “And all who saw Esther found her to be graceful. (Esther 2:15)” Certainly not everyone held this opinion, but in the end, one found grace in her, and that was her groom. This is why it is not considered to be a lie. And this is clear.

A judge has only what his eyes see as the basis for his ruling. (One must rule according to his own understanding).

1. The Sages taught: From where is it derived that a judge should not engage in advocacy for his own statements and devise various pretexts to justify his erroneous rulings? It is derived as the verse states: “Distance yourself from a false matter” (Exodus 23:7).
2. From where is it derived with regard to a student who is sitting before his teacher and sees a claim that provides advantage for a poor person and disadvantage for a wealthy person that he shall not remain silent? It is derived as the verse states: “Distance yourself from a false matter.”
3. It is certain that I have one witness, and you come and stand there beside him and do not say anything, as in that manner you do not express a lie from your mouth. Your silent presence will create the impression that I have two witnesses and lead the debtor to admit his debt. Even so, it is prohibited to do this, due to that which is stated: “Distance yourself from a false matter.”
4. From where is it derived with regard to two individuals who came to judgment, one dressed in rags and one dressed in a garment worth one hundred times one hundred dinars, that the judges say to the wealthy person: Dress like the poor person or dress the poor person in a garment like yours? It is derived as the verse states: “Distance yourself from a false matter.”

Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: With regard to these three matters, it is normal for Sages to deviate from truth: With regard to a tractate, if he is asked whether he studied a particular tractate, he may humbly say that he did not, even if he did. And with regard to a bed, if he is asked whether he slept in a particular bed, he may say that he did not, to avoid shame in case some unseemly residue is found on the bed. And he can lie with regard to a host, as one may say that he was not well received by a certain host to prevent everyone from taking advantage of the host’s hospitality.

(5) Rabbi Simon said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Adam the first man, the ministering angels divided into various factions and various groups. Some of them were saying: ‘Let him not be created,’ and some of them were saying: ‘Let him be created.’ That is what is written: “Kindness and truth met; righteousness and peace touched” (Psalms 85:11). Kindness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of kindness.’ Truth said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of lies.’ Righteousness said: ‘Let him be created, as he performs acts of righteousness.’ Peace said: ‘Let him not be created, as he is all full of discord.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He took Truth and cast it down to earth.20Rejecting its counsel. That is what is written: “You cast truth earthward” (Daniel 8:12). The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, why are You demeaning Your very seal?21“Truth” is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He. Let Truth ascend from the earth.’ That is what is written: “Truth will spring from the earth” (Psalms 85:12)