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Perashat Mishpatim

Home > Rabbi's Weekly Message > Perashat Mishpatim

Perashat Mishpatim

Friday, February 13, 2015 Author: Rabbi Daniel Greenwald

Buried in the midst of this week’s perasha is a well-known, if not well-observed imperative:  מדבר שקר תרחק – “Keep your distance from a false matter” (Shemot 23:7).  Simply put, don’t lie; be honest!  Yet, one of problems impacting today’s society is lying and dishonesty.  Deception is rampant – and sometimes we even tell the biggest lies to those we love most.  The sorrowful state of lying in human behavior has been characterized by Leonard Saxe, Ph.D., a polygraph expert and professor of psychology at Brandeis University, who admits that, "Lying has long been a part of everyday life. We couldn't get through the day without being deceptive."  Contemporary studies inform us that, “most people, lie once or twice a day—almost as often as they snack from the refrigerator or brush their teeth.”  In addition, Saxe points out that, “Although we're socialized from the time we can speak to believe that it's always better to tell the truth, in reality society often encourages and even rewards deception.”  It is no wonder that the Torah comes to instruct us, especially in the context of Judicial conduct, that lying and perverting the truth is unacceptable in a society where we were created in the image of G-d.  However, lying is not only a problem for those who sit on the bench; it is an issue for all members of society.  Take, for example the recent case of NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams.  Here is a man who was charged with a responsibility of reporting facts to the public, but was found to have embellished the truth on more than one occasion.  His punishment was to be suspended without pay for six months.  This was because he violated a sacred public trust.    As individuals, we may not be speaking to such a large audience as a news anchor but rest assured, that in our own ‘little’ worlds, our words have great impact.  Thus, the imperative of the Torah certainly applies to all.

The Mishna in Pirkey Aboth (1:18)  teaches us in the name of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel that the world is founded on three pillars:  Justice, Truth and Peace - דין, אמת ושלום   The Talmud Yerushalmi (Ta’aniot 4:2) explains that these three things actually comprise one: “If Justice is carried out, the truth has prevailed, and if the truth has prevailed, peace has been made.”  The Maharal of Prague explains that these three things, Truth, Justice and Peace, parallel three human conditions.  The first is human intellect.  Without truth – and with an increase of dishonesty - human intellect will be invalidated.  The second is finances.  If we allow corruption and dishonesty to rule, than Justice will be perverted in favor of the rich.  Finally, if we do not act honestly and lawfully with one another, there will be no peace, as human nature left to its own devices, would have man devouring each other.  Let us resolve to partner with Boreh Olam, whose seal is truth – חותמו אמת – in accordance with that which is recorded in Massekhet Shabbat (10b):  “Whosoever behaves with absolute truth, it is as if they have partnered with

G-d in the act of Creation.”  In this manner, we will help build the world, rather than tear it apart with lies and deceit.

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