Distance yourself from falsehood

Hi,

"How do we know that if someone owes three people a maneh, they should not arrange for one of them to be the plaintiff and the other two to serve as witnesses, to draw from him a maneh for them to split? It is written, 'Distance yourself from falsehood.'"

מנין לשלשה שנושין מנה באחד, שלא יהא אחד בעל דין ושנים עדים כדי שיוציאו מנה ויחלוקו? ת"ל: מדבר שקר תרחק. 

(Talmud, Shevuot 31a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mistakes happen

Hi,

"When Rav Kahana and Rav Asi studied before Rav, one swore that Rav had said X and the other swore that Rav had said Y. They came to Rav, who confirmed the view of one of them. The other asked, "Am I guilty of swearing falsely?" He said, "Your heart forced you.""

(Talmud, Shevuot 26b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The gravity of the false oath

Hi,

"For all of the Torah's transgressions, the punishment of one who is meritorious may be forestalled for two or three generations. For this sin [of swearing falsely], though, he is punished immediately, as it is written (Zecharyah 5:4)… 'I have brought her out' immediately. 'And she will come to the house of the thief' – This refers to one who fools people, who has no financial claim on others but who lodges the claim and forces the other to swear. 'And to the house of the one who swears in My Name falsely' – This is as it sounds. 'And she will rest in his house and destroy it, its wood and its stones' – You see that a false oath can destroy that which fire and water cannot destroy."

(Talmud, Shevuot 39a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Taking credit by undermining others

Hi,

"How do we know that if a student sees his mentor erring in judgment, he should not say, 'I'll wait until he finishes, and then I will contradict him and present it on my own so that it will be known as my verdict?'

"It is written: 'You shall distance yourself from falsehood.'"

(Talmud, Shevuot 31a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai