Priceless Integrity

Priceless Integrity - Council

2010-02-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

INTEGRITY

Council

The Almighty said, "Let us make adam (man) in our image and our likeness." (Bereshith 1:26)

G-d said, "Let us make man" while consulting with His Heavenly Court.¹ In fact, every Divine decision follows the same protocol. G-d will not declare a decision to be "emeth" until it has first been discussed with His Heavenly Court.²

G-d's omniscience renders any advice useless. What can He be told that He does not already know? Yet G-d has decided not to finalize any judgment without first consulting with His creatures. The lesson for us is clear: people can not expect to arrive at correct decisions without consulting with others beforehand.

King Solomon once demonstrated that through his wisdom he could reach a true decision without the aid of others. Two women approached him, each of whom just given birth to a baby boy. One mother told the king that her own baby was alive and her friend's baby had died, while the second woman said that her friend's baby was dead, and that her baby was alive. King Solomon detected from the order of the second woman's statement that her main concern was that the other woman's child was still alive. In order to prove that the first woman was the true mother, he ruled that the baby should be cut in half, each woman receiving half. When the second woman agreed to this, it was clear that she had been lying.

After this tremendous display of human insight, King Solomon asked G-d that he be permitted to make judicial rulings by himself, without the aid of witnesses. A heavenly voice proclaimed that his request had been refused. Only after taking council with others can one hope to arrive at true decisions.³

Why is it so important to ask for advice? Human perspective is limited, especially since humans are often afflicted by bias. Since each person has their unique perspective on any given situation, another person's view can catch what one's own eyes missed. As our Sages taught, "The more advice one seeks (from people who are qualified to offer it), the more understanding one will have."⁴

¹. Rashi on Bereshith 1:26.

². Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 2a.

³. Rosh Hashanah 21b, according to the commentary of the Maharitz Chayoth.

⁴. Pirkei Avoth 2:7.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Accepting the Blame

2010-01-29T15:15:00.001-05:00

INTEGRITY

Accepting the Blame

G-d asked, "Who told you that you are naked? Did you eat from the tree which I commanded you not to eat?" Adam replied, "The woman that you gave to be with me - she gave me what I ate from the tree." (Bereshith 3:11, 12)

Instead of trying to cover up his guilt, Adam should have tried to repent by admitting his misdeed. Such behavior is exemplified by King Dovid, who, when chastised by the prophet Nathan, immediately acknowledged his transgression.¹ The ability to be honest enough with oneself to admit that one did something wrong and that one is to be held responsible for it is a prerequisite for repentance. If we blame anyone or anything else, or even worse, if we deny responsibility altogether, then we have little hope of ever coming to true repentance. Therefore, when praying for repentance, before mentioning any sins, there is a disclaimer, "We are not brazen enough to say that we are righteous and haven't sinned, rather in truth we really have sinned." These words, "in truth we have sinned," are considered the essential part of this prayer.²

A person once told the Rambam that he had not committed any of the misdeeds listed in the above prayer. Consequently, he asked him if he was required to recite this prayer on Yom Kippur or not. The Rambam replied that if he understood the severity of Divine judgment, he would recognize that he actually had committed them.³

This idea applies even after one has confessed his misdeeds. When Adam finally confessed his misdeed, he said "I ate from the tree, and I will eat from it again."⁴ How could Adam speak to G-d in such an audacious manner? As long as a person is unable to acknowledge that his defenses must have been weakened in order for him to commit a transgression, he will never be able to repent properly. It is only after he recognizes that in the current situation he is capable of succumbing again that he will be able to strengthen himself to overcome future obstacles. Adam was merely stating that since nothing in the situation had changed, he was in danger of repeating his previous transgression.⁵

1. Seforno on Bereshith 3:12.

2. Rambam Mishneh Torah - Laws of Repentance 2:8.

3. Chida-Midaber Kadmuth 6:11.

4. Bereshith Rabbah 19:92.

5. Ohel Torah of the Kotzker Rebbe on Bereshith 3:11, 12.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Insider Trading

2010-01-27T13:00:00.000-05:00

INTEGRITY

Insider Trading

"Remove every lamb that is spotted or streaked, and every sheep that has dark markings. Also remove every goat that is streaked or spotted, and they will serve as my pay." ...Yaakov took wands of fresh poplar, almond, and plane. He peeled white stripes in them by uncovering the white layer under the wands' bark...The animals mated in the presence of the wands and the young they bore were ringed, spotted and streaked. (Bereshith 30:32, 37, 39)

Why did Yaakov deal with Lavan in a way that appeared to be deceptive, rather than just letting Providence deal with Lavan? In truth, Yaakov acted completely honestly, for God had showed Yaakov via Divine inspiration that the animals would be born with those particular markings. ¹ However, the extremely righteous frown upon benefiting from miraculous circumstances, for they feel that partaking of such compensation in this world could detract from their reward in the World to Come. Therefore Yaakov only made use of natural means so that he would not rely on a miracle.²

Every financial deal involves previous information about the subject involved. Each person's level of knowledge is different, based on numerous factors such as intelligence, research, and insight. The fact that an individual may have been blessed with a greater amount of wisdom than others does not deem his application of this wisdom unfair. This can be applied equally to someone who, because of his lofty spiritual level, merits receiving Divine inspiration. Just because his colleagues have not merited this privilege, that does not make his use of it dishonest.

This may be contrasted to the utilization of undisclosed information which is unknown to the general public. An example of this is "insider trading," using inside information about a company's future profits to make decisions about investing in that particular enterprise. The stock market is founded on the premise that investors are taking a risk that the stock may fluctuate in value. Buying stock on the basis of knowledge - unknown to others - that a company is about to embark on a venture that will cause the stock to rise in value is deceitful and unjust to other potential investors.

In Yaakov's case there were factors which warranted his receiving Divine inspiration. Lavan had changed Yaakov's wages a hundred times,³ and had attempted to cheat him by removing all the adult ringed, spotted and streaked sheep from his flock.⁴ God was merely protecting Yaakov so that he would not be swindled out of the remuneration that was rightfully his.

¹ Ben Ish Chai.

² Bereshith Rabbah 9:43.

³ See Maharil Diskin, 31:41.

⁴ See Daath Zekeinim, 30:37.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Petty Larceny

2010-01-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

INTEGRITY

Petty Larceny

G-d said to Noach, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; the world is filled with crime because of them. I am going to destroy them with the earth." (Bereshith 6:13)

The Great Flood destroyed almost all life on earth because of theft. The items people stole were worth less than the value of a prutah - a very small sum of money indeed. They were items of such little value that a beith din would not even deal with their theft. ¹ Why did such "petty larceny" warrant the destruction of so many living creatures?

Upon closer inspection we see that this seemingly minor crime can have very far-reaching ramifications. Large-scale theft will never lead to the major breakdown and eventual downfall of society, for society can protect itself from such crimes with prisons and other penalties. It is the small crimes which hover below the threshold of legal jurisdiction that drive a society to ruin, for the justice system cannot prevent them.²

Halachah forbids us to steal even something whose value is less than a prutah.³ Surely people do not care about such a small sum of money - can we not assume that the owner will be willing to forgive the theft of something of so little worth? Although he may pardon the actual loss, the owner would certainly be distressed to know that he had been robbed of any amount at all. From the moment the owner experiences that distress until the moment he pardons the action the thief is liable for transgressing the prohibition against stealing. Since the owner will be disturbed that he has been robbed, the halachah declares that the action is forbidden.⁴

Since objects that are used frequently can be used up very quickly, we should never assume that the owner will not mind if we "take only one." The person who left a jar of instant coffee in the office, for example, may be quite frustrated to find it empty after others have helped themselves. Unless you are absolutely certain that your taking a spoonful or two will not matter to the owner (i.e., the owner has told you, or has written so on the jar), helping yourself to someone else's coffee would constitute an act of theft, and a transgression of a Torah prohibition. In the same vein, one can assume that a hotel owner does not want visitors to take home the hotel's towels and washcloths, and that an airline company would not appreciate people taking pillows and blankets from the airplane for their home use.

A QUESTION OF INTEGRITY-If someone attends a wedding or another simcha, may he bring food home for his wife or family? Answer in forthcoming e- mail. Other questions welcomed.

¹ Bereshith Rabbah 31:5.

² Commentary of Rav S. R. Hirsh.

³ Sanhedrin 57a.

⁴ Sema, Choshen Mishpat 359:2; also, Maggid Mishneh on the Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Theft 1:1.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Wasting Time

2010-01-15T09:13:00.000-05:00

INTEGRITY

Wasting Time

Please go ahead of me, my lord. I will lead my group slowly... (Bereshith 33:14)

Yaakov said this as a sign of respect to show that he was concerned that he should not waste Esav's time because of his family's slow pace. ¹ One must be extremely careful not to waste other people's time, a precious and irreplaceable commodity. There are occasions when it is theft to waste someone else's time, such as an employee whose time belongs to his boss. In other settings it is not considered stealing to infringe on someone else's time, however it is included under the Torah injunction, "You shall not cheat your friend."²

A prevalent example of this is "butting" ahead of someone else in line. The halachah recognizes the right of someone to maintain his position in line, and by going in front of him or asking someone else on line to take care of something for you, you are infringing on that right. If however, the person has some extenuating circumstance, e.g. he is an ill or elderly person, or he will incur a large loss of money because of the wait, it is proper to let him go to the front of the line, although one is not obligated to do so.³

Similarly, it is permitted to ask someone else to take care of an errand before that person gets in line. Since there is no set rule about how long each person is allotted, he is not considered to have infringed on anyone's rights. However even this has its limits, and one should not take up an unreasonable amount of time. It is unfair for other people in the line to have to wait while one person takes care of the needs of numerous people.⁴

Countless opportunities arise each day in which people can show that they value their friend's time. If a person makes an appointment with someone else, it is a true sign of concern for them to show up at the scheduled time. The Chazon Ish once disbanded a minyan when he heard that it would cause one of the members of the minyan to be late for an appointment.⁵ Another common situation is returning an item to its proper place, especially when it concerns books of Torah in a Beith Medrash.⁶The principle to remember in every situation is that if it would bother you to have to spend your time in such a way, you should not expect others to have to do so.⁷

¹ Seforno on Bereshith 33:14.

² Vayikra 25:17.

³ Meiri on Sanhedrin 32b.

⁴ Mishpatei HaTorah 1:84.

⁵ Brought in MiDevar Sheker Tirchak 143.

⁶ Kriana D'Igrassa 2:59.

⁷ Pithchei Choshen 9:13:30.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Petty Larceny

2010-01-14T09:19:00.001-05:00

INTEGRITY

Petty Larceny

G-d said to Noach, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; the world is filled with crime because of them. I am going to destroy them with the earth." (Bereshith 6:13)

A QUESTION OF INTEGRITY-If someone attends a wedding or another simcha, may he bring food home for his wife or family? Answer in forthcoming e- mail. Other questions welcomed.

¹. Bereshith Rabbah 31:5.

² Commentary of Rav S. R. Hirsh.

³ Sanhedrin 57a.

⁴ Sema, Choshen Mishpat 359:2; also, Maggid Mishneh on the Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Theft 1:1.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Wasting Time

2010-01-08T05:13:00.000-05:00

INTEGRITY

Wasting Time

Please go ahead of me, my lord. I will lead my group slowly... (Bereshith 33:14)

¹ Seforno on Bereshith 33:14.

² Vayikra 25:17.

³ Meiri on Sanhedrin 32b.

⁴ Mishpatei HaTorah 1:84.

⁵ Brought in MiDevar Sheker Tirchak 143.

⁶ Kriana D'Igrassa 2:59.

⁷ Pithchei Choshen 9:13:30.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Flattery

2010-01-06T09:10:00.000-05:00

INTEGRITY

Flattery

Yaakov said, "Please do not refuse me; if I have gained favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me, for seeing your face, it is as though I had seen the divine Countenance, as you have received me so graciously." (Bereshith 33:10)

Flattering a person falsely, especially if he is an evil person, is considered a very serious offense, yet Yaakov flattered Esav profusely. Such purposeful flattery of evil people in this world is only permitted when one's life is in danger or when there would be other serious consequences. In this instance, since his meeting with Esav placed Yaakov's life in great danger, there was clearly a good reason for Yaakov to flatter Esav as he did.¹ Therefore his words do not fall under the prohibition of flattery.² According to other opinions, Yaakov's "flattery" of Esav was permissible only because his words could have been interpreted as an insult, for the word Yaakov used to refer to the divine - Elokim - could also be used to refer to idols.³

A popular life philosophy nowadays is to "tell it like it is," but this is not the Jewish outlook. Especially in educational settings, one must not speak the whole truth in every situation. A teacher is obligated to flatter his students, even if they don't deserve it.⁴ Poor schoolwork and misbehavior frequently stem from low self-esteem. If a teacher can make a child feel good about himself, there is a good chance that in time that child's classwork will improve. Once a teacher has succeeded in boosting a student's confidence, he may find an opportunity to tell the student that he is falling short of his potential.⁵

Just as a teacher can flatter a student even if the praise is undeserved, he can also give a student credit for something although he has not earned it, in order to bolster his enthusiasm for learning. Rav Akiva used to say halachoth in the name of his students in order to encourage them.⁶ Similarly, a teacher is permitted to give a student a higher grade than he has actually earned if it will induce the student to improve his learning.⁷ It is well known that a number of great educators have made it a habit to take the incorrect or incoherent words of their students and reinterpret, rephrase and explain them to make them express something substantial and important.⁸ All of these tactics are valuable educational tools, and do not fall within the bounds of the prohibition of falsehood.

However even in a situation of great need, a man of total truth will never resort to flatter to get what he wants. An important rav was once asked to get the Brisker Rav to sign a letter bearing a request that was to be sent to a high government official. The rav responded that since the letter was directed to an important political figure, it surely contained flattery of the official. The Brisker Rav, being a man of total truth, would never consent to sign such a letter, regardless of how worthy the cause.⁹

₁. Sotah 41b.

₂. Meiri on Sota 41b; Sha'arei Teshuvah 3:199; Kad HaKemach.

₃. Cited in Rabbeinu Bachyeh's comments on this verse.

⁴. Orchoth Tzadikim, Sha'ar HaChanifa.

⁵. Sh'lah on Devarim.

⁶. Eruvin 13a.

⁷. Heard in the name of Rav Yehoshua Neuwirth (author of Shemirath Shabboth K'Hilchatha).

⁸. Expressed by Rav Shlomo Brevda.

⁹. MiDevar Sheker Tirchak, p. 155.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - A Fresh Start

2009-12-30T08:59:00.001-05:00

INTEGRITY

A Fresh Start

Lying is such a serious transgression that it is compared to idol worship.¹ Truth, on the other hand, is such a fundamental value in Jewish thought that clinging to truth can lead one to a life of Torah observance, as described in the following story.

An inveterate thief once approached a rav with the announcement that he had decided to abandon his life of crime. He begged the rav to tell him what he could do to make amends for his many acts of theft. He fully expected the rav to instruct him to undergo a rigorous process of repentance.

The rav, however, realized that any such stringent regimen would prove too difficult for the penitent thief, and he would not be able to maintain it for long. He therefore told the thief that the only change he would need to accept upon himself was an absolute dedication to truth under all circumstances; he should never allow himself to utter even the smallest lie. The thief gave his word that he would do as the rav had instructed him, and with that he left the rav's home, delighted that so little was being demanded of him.

It was not long before the thief's excitement over the notion of repenting wore off, and he was seized by the urge to rob someone's house. As he was on his way to carry out his intention, someone inquired of him where he was headed. Remembering the one promise he had made to the rav, he would not lie, but neither could he bring himself to tell the truth - that he was going to commit a theft. He therefore changed his mind about his anticipated action, and returned home. This scene repeated itself in various forms again and again, until finally he realized that his career as a thief was over; never again would he attempt to steal. He was then able to put his past behind him completely and make a fresh start.²

¹ Sanhedrin 92a

² Sefer Chasidim 647.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - The Claims Upon Israel

2009-12-24T08:59:00.000-05:00

INTEGRITY

The Claims Upon Israel

"At first the Almighty created the heavens and the earth." (Bereshith 1:1)

As a result of the letters I received regarding the last class, and the current situation of semi-war in Israel I thought it important to clarify three issues:

1. What is the basis of the Torah's outlook to the Arab claim to the land of Israel.

2. What is the historical basis for the Palestinian claim to Israel?

3. What is the Torah outlook on the current situation of the Jewish People?

In response to the last class Dr. Colin Naturman wrote:

1. If I am not mistaken the traditional understanding of Bereshit 12:6 "and the Canaanite was then in the land" is that the land of Israel belonged to Shem, and the Canaanites were invading the land and later took advantage of the enslavement of Jews in Egypt to seize the whole land from the descendents of Shem. Abraham was the rightful heir to the land. This ties up with the traditions of the Phoenicians that they were indeed invaders who had come from the region of the Persian Gulf and Bahrain.

In response to the last class my father wrote:

2. During the Ottoman period which ended during WWI with the British capture of Jerusalem, Palestine was part of the Ottoman province of Greater Syria, together with modern Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. The Hashemites, who now rule in Jordan, were the Turkish religious representatives in Mecca and Medina, the Hedjaz. Hussein, the great grandfather of the late King Hussein, began the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire around 1916. His son Faisal was promised Damascus by Lawrence and the British. When the French kicked him out of Syria, around 1921, his brother Abdullah marched on Damascus. To placate the two brothers and to serve thewmselves, Abdullah was given the newly created Transjordan with the title of Emir. His brother Faisal was given Iraq. The concept of a Palestininian state is a myth created by propogandists for the PA. The Arab world rejected the two state solution in 1947 and again last year. In a rational world they should bare the consequences.

From 1919 until the departure of the British in 1948, far more Arabs immigrated to Israel/Palestine than Jews. Arafat's family were from Egypt. They were drawn to the country by the economic activity stimulated by the Mandate authorities and the Zionists. All of this information is available from the Public Records office in Kew Gardens, London. All the documents are listed in a text labeled Palestine 1918-1948. I made a note of this text some years ago. The Siege by Connor Criuse Obrien is probably as good a text as any to study the subject. The Arab elites have rejected Israel for cultural not political reasons. They constantly harp on their fear of Israel i.e. Jewish cultural hegemony.

3. Rashi ends off his comment to the first verse of the Torah that since God created the world He can give the land of Israel to whoever seems yashar "honest" in His eyes. This being the case it is imcumbent for thje Jewish people to know the exact parameters of honesty, for without this they are lacking the tools to aquire the optimum place for fulfilling the Torah. Therefore the Torah continues with the rest of Sefer Bereshith which is called Sefer HaYashar in order to teach us how to live yashar ad merit the land of Israel.¹

Why is the charecteristic of Yashrus so critical for earning the land of Israel? In all other lands, Divine Providence works via emissaries. Israel is unlike any other land in that Divine Providnce is direct.² In order to merit to be a constant recipient of this "straight" Divine Providence, one must be straight with God. The name of the land "Israel" in fact comes from the root "straight with God", implying that only one who lives up to that can merit to live there.³

The Jewish People all over the world, and especially in the state of Israel are in a precarious situation. They are in a constant state of danger, and there is almost nothing that they can do to protect themselves from it. What is expected from a Jew at the present time? Our Sages told us that in the Messianic Era, the Jewish People will be brought to a situation where they will be forced to recognize that we have nothing to rely on except for our Father in Heaven (i.e. Hashem). Today He has made this outlook absolutely clear to us, and it is up to us to respond by inculcating this concept into our world outlook. When the Jewish People realize that they have no salvation unless they turn to Hashem, then the redemption will be soon to follow.

1. In fact in Sefer Devarim 9,5 as the Jews are about to enter the land, God tells the Jewish people that it is not because of their Yashrus that they are entering the land, but because of God's promise to the forefathers. This seems to imply that yashrus is the necessary characteristic required for inheriting the land of Israel, and that were it not for the promise to the forefathers the Jewish people would not have gotten it.

2. Commentary of the Ramban at the end of Achrei Mos

3. Commentary of the Alshich 35,10.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - In The Beginning...

2009-12-16T08:48:00.003-05:00

INTEGRITY

In The Beginning...

"At first the Almighty created the heavens and the earth." (Bereshith 1:1)

One would expect that the opening words of the Torah would express its overall theme: recounting G-d's commandments to the Jewish People. It is therefore somewhat surprising that it starts with the Creation narrative. The first commandment - that the month of Nisan shall be the first in the counting of the months - only appears much later, in the book of Shemoth.¹

Before the Torah can relate the commandments, it first must deal with a fundamental issue. Theft is considered to be a heinous transgression, and if people steal, it is as if they have uprooted the entire Torah.² Forty years after receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, the Jewish People would capture the land of Israel from the Canaanites. Although taking possession of territory during time of war is not technically considered stealing, it certainly does not seem to be compatible with the Torah's high standards of integrity.³ How would they be able to justify such actions?

The reason that the Torah starts with the story of Creation is to dispel this claim. G-d is the Creator of the World, and as such, can apportion the land to whomever He sees fit. Since the Jewish conquest of the land of Israel was by Divine command, and not by choice, there was not even the slightest trace of theft involved in capturing it from the Canaanites. Consequently, their actions were in total conformance with the Torah's high standards of honest behavior.

On the other hand, the Canaanites were the ones guilty of underhanded conduct. The Canaanites were a nation steeped in theft and falsehood.⁴ Since the land of Israel is a place of sublime holiness, it can not withstand even the slightest level of national corruption within its borders. It is for this reason that they were expelled.⁵ The Jewish people, on the other hand, were given the land of Israel because they were righteous in G-d's eyes.⁶

1. Shemoth 12:1.

2. Rebenu Bachayah-Kad HaKemach, Gezel.

3. Choshen Mishpat 266:1.

4. Pesachim 113b; Bereshith Rabbah 59:9.

5. Commentary of the Malbim on Tehillim 111:7.

6. This essay is based on the question and commentary of Rashi on Bereshith 1:1.

By Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

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Priceless Integrity - Preface

2009-12-11T14:04:00.002-05:00

Preface

The word "priceless" immediately conjures up a number of images: Rembrandt's paintings, the Hope diamond, and Ming vases, among others. Most people do not associate "priceless" with value systems, however the Gemara speaks of an exceptional individual named Rav Tovyomi¹ who would never tell a lie even if he was offered "all of the world's treasures" to do so. For Rav Tovyomi, integrity was a priceless commodity.²

In order to strive to attain the exalted level of Rav Tovyomi, we must first define integrity. Children everywhere are reared on the virtues of telling the truth. In most instances "the truth" is conveyed as a direct repetition of the facts, allowing for no deviation whatsoever. As children mature, they come to the realization that it is impossible to live in accordance with this definition of truth. Often enough, they are expected to say the opposite of what they feel, to compliment things they think deserve criticism, and to act courteously to people they do not like. Compounding the intrinsic difficulty of functioning on a totally truthful level, they see that almost no one lives according to this principle. In a recent poll of 40,000 Americans, 93% admitted that they lie regularly.³ Integrity is quickly discarded as an ideal that no longer applies to our generation.

The Torah's perspective on honesty is radically different from the broadly accepted, generally impractical approach to this value. The Jewish system of values takes into account the complexity of daily life, and does not see "truth" as a mere repetition of the facts. At times, for example, when sensitive emotional issues are at stake, the Torah requires us to present information in a manner that will spare the feelings of others. When issues such as humility, privacy and protecting human life are involved, it may be proper to conceal the facts, or even, occasionally, to deviate from the objective truth.

At the same time, however, even in cases in which tremendous financial gain is likely, the Torah finds no room for even the "whitest" lie. Honesty is a halachic imperative and not an "optional" mitzvah, and as such it must be incorporated into the fabric of Jewish life, both at home and in the work place.⁴ Truth is a foundation of the life G-d created, and abandoning the truth in order to further one's own interests is tantamount to denying the very existence of G-d.⁵

The prophet Yeshiah predicted that in our times, "The truth will be concealed."⁶ Once Rav Chatzkel Levenstein, after quoting this verse, paused dramatically and asked his listeners, "Does this mean that today it is impossible to come to the truth?" Then he answered, "The truth is with us, but it is hidden. One has to dig very deep to find the truth."⁷ If this was true fifty years ago, how much truer it is now! At the present time the truth is so hidden we do not even know where to dig.

The Gemara⁸ refers to the Book of Bereshith as "Sefer HaYashar."⁹ For this reason, I chose to use verses and commentaries from the Book of Bereshith, which describes the creation of the world and the actions of the Patriarchs, as the framework for presenting the Torah's perspective on honesty. Weaving midrashic and halachic literature with anecdotes from the lives of great Torah personalities, I have attempted to introduce Jewish standards of integrity in a way that is palatable, showing that it is altogether feasible to live a fully honest life in the modern world.

Since some readers prefer halachic themes more than midrashic ones or vice versa, and others gain more from a story, I have added a code at the top of each essay describing the basic theme (or themes) of that piece. An H indicates that the essay contains halachic overtones, an M means that it is based on Midrash, and an S indicates that it contains a story.

In quoting sources in which Chazal permit one to deviate from the facts, I realize that I am running the risk of providing ammunition to those who want to distort these ideas in order to justify dishonest activity. Numerous times this possibility almost motivated me to drop this project entirely. However, after consulting with several Torah authorities, I decided to continue. As the verse says, "The ways of G-d are straight; the righteous traverse them while the crooked stumble on them."¹⁰ Often the very same path can lead the righteous to truth and the crooked to falsehood. Based on the above verse, the Gemara concludes that the proper course of action is to ignore the danger of crooked individuals, and to write the "whole truth" for the sake of the upright.¹¹

It can not be stressed enough that the purpose of this class is to kindle a desire in readers to investigate the beautiful, yet intricate, nature of integrity. This class is definitely not meant to be used as a basis for settling Halachic disputes, especially when monetary issues are involved. A competent Halachic authority should be consulted in each case.

My heart overflows with gratitude to a number of individuals without whose help this class would not have been written. These include Elana Schachter, Mrs. Sarah Chavah Mizrahi and Mrs. Nancy Sigal, and for their outstanding editorial work and Rav Aryeh Kruskal for his brilliant comments and suggestions regarding the content of these essays. I would like to extend a special thanks to my friends Rav Nosson Slikfin and Rav Avraham Rosenthal, and yedid nafshi Rav Yitzchak Jaeger, who helped put the finishing touches on the manuscript.

I also want to thank my parents Mr. Philip and Mrs. Nancy Travis and my mother in law Mrs. Sara Kerstenetzky whose love and kindness is only exceeded by their good nature, and to all of my teachers who gave me the tools to acquire this world and the World to Come. I must also express my appreciation to all of my friends, especially to those who helped edit and finance this book; to hayakar shb'yakarim my brother Rav Binyamin, moreh tzedek in Cincinnati, Ohio and his wife Elisa; and acharon acharon chaviv my wife Nomi and my children Nechamah Rachel and Chaim Yitzchak who are a constant source of warmth and nachas. May Hashem shower brachah upon all of them and bring them only health, happiness and true success.

Finally and most importantly, I must thank the Almighty Himself, who has guided every step of my growth to insure that I only receive the best that this world has to offer. I can only ask that I find favor in His eyes, and that He continue to show His kindness to me and my family.

The psalmist beseeches, "Teach me, Almighty, Your ways, and lead me on the path of straightforwardness... that I may walk in your truth."¹² May G-d, whose seal is truth and whose name is truth and whose Torah is truth, lead us in the path of truth that we may arrive at the truth, amen.¹³

Daniel Yaakov Travis

Jerusalem, Israel

Sivan, 5761

¹. Literally "My day is good," possibly a reference to Tehillim 34:13-14 "Who is the man who desires life, and loves days that he may see good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceitfully." (Heard from Rav P. Krohn).

². Sanhedrin 97a. See Maharal, Nethiv Emeth explaining this Gemara.

³. Yated Ne'eman, Dec 26, 1997.

⁴. See Rashbatz, Zohar HaRakiah, Mitzvah 159. Yad Remah, Bava Bathra 172a. Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 402,12. Chofetz Chaim, Introduction, Positive Mitzvah 13. Responsa of Rema, 11 and Responsa Shailath Yavetz 1,5, who are among the halachic authorities who write that lying violates a Torah prohibition, both in the course of everyday conversation and in business.

⁵. Sanhedrin 92a.

⁶. Yeshiah 59:15.

⁷. Heard from Rav Shlomo Brevda.

⁸. Avodah Zarah 25a.

⁹. Literally, "The book of integrity."

¹⁰. Hosheah 14:10.

¹¹. Bava Bathra 99b. See also Igroth Moshe Even HaEzer Vol. 2, p.322.

¹². Tehillim 27:11, 86:11.

¹³. Responsa of the Radvaz 4, 1127.

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