VAYECHI 5779
TRUTH – ONLY UNDER OATH?
December 20, 2019
12 Tevet 5779
Distance yourself from falsehood (Exodus 23:7).
The Torah is clear that nothing less than the truth is acceptable, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It leaves no wiggle room in its prohibition against lying. Yet given human frailty, there are instances when a lie may be justified and even solicited.
This week's Torah concludes with the brothers' fear that with their father's death, Joseph would finally avenge himself for their selling him into slavery. They thus quoted Jacob's message to Joseph, "Forgive I urge you the offense and guilt of your brothers who treated you so harshly…" (Genesis 50:17) There is, however, no record of Jacob having made this request; the brothers were simply lying. Rabbinic commentators give the brothers a pass contending they understandably feared that Joseph would now repay them for their past behavior.
The Talmud not only permits but encourages stretching the truth when singing the praises of a bride's beauty. Regardless of her physical appearance there is great merit in adding to the joy of the bride and groom. This however is an exception and hardly the rule. Our behavior in virtually all areas of life is to be governed by the Biblical standard of distancing ourselves from falsehood.
What then should we shall we make of the amazing contention of Rudy Giuliani, currently one of the President's lawyers, when challenged to defend the record of his client's lying? He simply distinguished between the criminal act of lying under oath in a courtroom and the common practice of lying in our everyday activities and relationships. While his client's clear disregard of the Biblical command continues to be documented; Giuliani would have us accept that this is how people behave in normal circumstances. Telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth while demanded in the courtroom, need not be our standard as we go about our daily activities.
The question before each of us is whether what seems to be "acceptable" within the highest echelon of our society is also true of each of us in our dealings with family, friends and associates? Its one thing to say the bride is always beautiful, but that is hardly a license to continually disregard truth. It may or may not be true that George Washington never told a lie, but I suspect this can hardly be said for most of, or perhaps of any of, us. It requires great moral courage to strive to live by the Biblical mandate of distancing ourselves from falsehood. As human beings we are a work in progress and no small part of the progress is the extent of our commitment and our struggle to be as truthful as we possibly can.
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From the holy city of Jerusalem my best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach, a Shabbat of peace and blessing.
Rabbi Arnold M Goodman
VAYIGASH 5779
IN HIS HANDS – LIGHTLY
December 13, 2019
5 Tevet 5779
Then Joseph said to his brothers I am your brother Joseph… now do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me, for it was to save life that God sent me ahead of you [Genesis 45:4].
With these reassuring words Joseph not only revealed himself to the brothers who had sold him; he also assured them that their deed was part of God's plan of having the family relocate to Egypt. The brothers, however, despite Joseph's magnanimous outreach, were always aware that they had sinned against him. They neither put down the burden of their guilt nor the fear that following their father's death, Joseph would finally avenge himself.
Guilt is rooted in the belief that what we do and how we behave impacts upon others. Joseph's assertion that his brothers' behavior toward him was part of a great divine plan reflects the belief that humans have limited, if any, impact on all unfolding scenarios.
In one sense Judaism does accept that, "He has the whole world in His hands: He has me and you brother in His hands," yet it nonetheless insists that it is a relaxed Divine grip. There is space we control. We do have more freedom of choice than we imagine, and are accordingly responsible for our actions and their consequences. Human sin is a reality as is its prescribed antidote, teshuva (repentance). The rabbinic tradition struggles with the dissonance between God's omniscience and human choice. In a famous passage in the Talmud, Rabbi Chanina endeavored to square this circle, in his teaching, "Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for our reverence for heaven" (BT Berachot 33b).
This reverence was defined by Moses in his exhortation. "…what does the Lord your God demand only to revere the Lord your God… and to serve (Him) with all your heart and soul" (Deuteronomy 10:12). Human beings are judged whether or not their actions harmonize with the moral and ethical standards that flow from the word of God.
Heredity and environment, however, not only shape our lives but also their contours. There are also events and circumstances that impact upon the flow of our lives. Many years ago my daughter, Shire, had the following saying calligraphed, framed and placed in my study. "Every person all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you" (Richard Bach, author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull).
We are no less responsible Adam and Eve who discovered to their dismay that they were accountable for their actions. We have more freedom of choice then we might imagine as we go about our daily tasks and interrelate with family friends and the greater humanity of which we are all a part.
May we reflect Moses' call to revere Heaven by fashioning lives not only of service to God but to others.
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From the holy city of Jerusalem my best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach, a Shabbat of peace and blessing.
Rabbi Arnold M. Goodman
