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Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Middot - Character Traits
- Honesty
"Hey rabbi, that book looks heavy. Let me tear out some pages and make it lighter."
Shimon looked up. The first thing that Shimon noticed was the scowl on his seatmate’s face. The next thing was that the assortment of ornaments embedded in the man’s face did little to soften the image. For that matter, neither did the skull and crossbones tattoo etched into his neck. The man touched the screen in front him, and his phone began blasting music. Shlomo Carlebach it wasn’t.
Shimon hurriedly turned his attention back to the gemara in front of him. His bejeweled neighbor took that as his cue to open a newspaper of questionable content, and spread it so that it covered a good bit of Shimon’s lap and the gemara that he was holding.
At that point, Shimon had had it. "I don’t think it’s in your best interest to get so close to me." Shimon announced. "I’m in isolation. It’s very contagious."
At just that moment, the bus doors opened, as the bus reached the next stop. The man grabbed his newspaper, and ran off the bus.
Chaim, Shimon’s friend, who was sitting a few seats away, turned to Shimon. "Shimon, you’re not in quarantine, are you? How could you have said that?"
Shimon smiled. "It’s very simple. What I meant was that I’m engaging in hitbodedut – solitude for the purpose of seeking spiritual elevation. As for being contagious? Well, everyone knows that mitzva goreret mitzva – performance of one mitzva brings another mitzva after it!"
Shimon saw that Chaim wasn’t convinced.
"Look, even Yaakov Avinu spoke like this" Shimon explained. "Esav fooled Yitzchak into thinking that Esav was worthy of receiving the brachot, so Yaakov tricked Yitzchak into thinking that Yaakov was Esav!"
Was Shimon allowed to trick the man who sat next to him?
Answer of Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, shlita:
Shimon was forbidden to say what he said. He committed geneivat da’at (deception). He had other reasonable options for dealing with the unpleasant situation. He could have asked the man to lower his music, or he could have moved to a different seat.
Sometimes, in very extreme situations, there is a dispensation to deceive someone, l’sheim shamayim (for the sake of Heaven). As it says in Sefer Shmuel II (22:27) im ikesh titpatal (with the crooked you act perversely). The implication is that, when dealing with someone who is crooked, it is permitted to act crookedly in return. However, this is only in extreme situations, when there is no alternative.
Additionally, in our case, it is possible that even if Shimon had no alternative, his actions would have been forbidden. This is because, in addition to the deception, Shimon caused the man monetary loss, because the man payed for a ride, and got off the bus early.
It is impossible to draw a parallel to the story of Yaakov Avinu, because he was acting on the instruction of his mother, Rivka Imeinu, who was endowed with ruach hakodesh (divine spirit), and was acting for the specific needs of the situation. Additionally, there are those who say that Yaakov was punished for deceiving his father.
Answer of Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl:
It was permitted for Shimon to do what he did. It is permitted to deceive when one's intention is not merely to cause difficulty to the other person, but rather, as a reaction to another person's impropriety. A related story is told about Rabbi Avraham Genechovsky. He was once sitting on a bus, when a woman came and sat next to him. He informed her that he had "kruspidin." She understood that he was sick and got off the bus. Afterward, a friend of his asked Rabbi Genechovsky about it. He responded "I didn't lie. Kruspidin is the Aramaic word for "tzitzit".
In summary:
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel: Shimon was not allowed to deceive the man. He should have found a better solution.
Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl: It was permitted for Shimon to do what he did.
Translation: Avigail Kirsch
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
