On Sunday we celebrated Shavuot, the time when—according to Jewish tradition—Moses received the Torah at Mt. Sinai. It was a transformative moment in history. Additionally, in Israel, it is the time of the harvest of grain. This week I will share thoughts on four verses in the Torah which impact my life.
Truth
Ask a group of friends to list the Ten Commandments and there’s a good chance the least likely to be remembered will be the ninth, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:19) This was a prohibition against lying in court (“witness” makes that clear). Judaism understood the importance of the integrity of the court. If society loses faith in the justice system, even a decent society can collapse. In fact, the penalty for a person being a false witness is specified in the Torah: The witness would receive the same punishment that would be imposed on the accused.
Abraham Ibn Ezra, (a 12th-century Jewish commentator) understood this to include lying outside the courtroom as well. Many of the great evils throughout history have been built on lies. Truth is among the highest of Jewish values. It is important for individual relationships as well as for a strong society.
—Rabbi David Woznica
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