Hot answers tagged sheker-false
9
When a person doesn't have Smicha, he can't do anything that requires a Beis Din (a Jewish court).
Therefore, technically we shouldn't be able to
Force someone to come to court.
Arrange divorces.
Arrange conversions.
Make a new month.
Hillel II (who was an Amora in the middle of the Gemara's time) was mekadesh all Roshei Chodoshim until the coming of ...
8
Taken at face value, this statement is an outright lie. Though it is clearly intended to make Yitzchak think that Yaakov was actually Eisav, it is still unsettling that Yaakov (who is often thought to be the paradigm of truth) could lie like that.
Therefore, Rashi gives his interpretation of how to read Yaakov's words:
אנכי המביא לך ועשו הוא בכורך
...
5
R' Zevin writes in "A Treasury of Chassidic Tales" page 291:
R' Yehuda Tzvi of Rozla was once visited by a Chassid who gave him a kvittel (prayer request) with the accompanying traditional pidyon (money given to a Tzaddik).
The Rebbe asked him (rhetorically) how he, the Rebbe, was allowed to receive a pidyon; after all, the money is only given on ...
5
As stated by Vram, we still give it because it provides a useful institution for "certifying" knowledge of the various parts of halacha. We even have different types of smicha for different applications; yoren yore vs. yuden yuden, for example.
The premise of your "gneivas da'as" comment is that, due to the similarity in name, people would think they're ...
4
Can you pray something that isn't true or (at least) that the petitioner doesn't believe to be true?
The earliest reference I can find to an aversion to lying in prayer is a rashi on Shabbat 24a sv Arvit which quotes the Geonim saying that one should not say Aneinu on a fast day at ma'ariv and shacharit (which is the simple reading of the gemaras and the majority opinion in rishonim) lest one become weak later into the fast and need to eat, thereby ...
3
My own thought: There is no indication that when God spoke to Avraham about Sarah laughing he was in any way angry at Sarah (it does not say v'yichar af, not does it ever say that Sarah was punished). Furthermore had God been angry at Sarah why wouldn't he have spoken directly to her (as he did with, say Miriam and Ahron)?
Rather, God was in fact ...
3
I once heard the following explanation:
In Parshas Beha'aloscha (Bamidbar 8:3), after Aahron Hakohen was tasked with lighting the Menorah, the Torah tells us that "ויעש כן אהרן" - Aaron did so. Rashi there cites the Sifrei (1:5) that it was necessary for the Torah to advise us that Aahron in fact complied with the Divine instruction, for "this shows Aaron’s ...
3
There has to be some way of demonstrating who is reliable.
Genevat da'at, based on the Gemara in Hullin 94a, is when someone thinks you did something contributory (or thinks you are willing to do something contributory) for their sake when really you didn't (or aren't willing to). Being uneducated isn't the same as falling victim to genevat da'at.
Semicha ...
3
I have no source, but I have always learned as follows:
Contrary to popular belief, the main issue with lying has less to do with the words you use and more to do with the message you are conveying. If a friend at your home asks you for $5 and you say "I don't have any money on me" when the money is in the other room, that is sheker even though your words ...
3
Some unsourced thoughts (I can break these into separate answers if that's better):
Abraham thought Sarah was too old, but G-d didn't want to embarrass him in front of his guests. Instead, he chose to embarrass Sarah (who is guilty of the same thing) because she was not face-to-face with the angels.
Abraham could hear Sarah laughing and Abraham suspected ...
3
References to times other than the recitation should be omitted (Aruch HaShulchan, OC 581:4). However, whether a reference is incorrect should probably not be judged at first glance. For example, shachar kamti can mean nighttime rather than early morning, so it should be recited even at night.
2
Can you pray something that isn't true or (at least) that the petitioner doesn't believe to be true?
It is a verse in Psalms (101:7)
Speaker of falsehoods shall not appear before my eyes.
דבר שקרים לא יכון לנגד עיני
The Talmud in a few places (see Shabbos 149b, Chagiga 14b) explains that God will not allow any speaker of falsehood to remain in His presence. It follows that one should steer clear from any smattering of falsehood in prayer.
See Baba ...
2
It doesn't make a difference that according to him the Eidim are Posul as Beis Din needs to believe the Eidim.
We also can not stop him from bringing the Eidim, as Shavye Anafshei Chaticha De'isura is only applicable by someone prohibiting something on himself. (See the Sheeta Mekubetzes on Ksubos 9a who says that it is derived from the Din of Neder)
1
Dr. Abraham S. Abraham (author of Nishmat Avraham) said that he met with Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach weekly. If he had no practical questions to ask, he'd make some up. So he asked on medical specialties other than his own or the like. It is possible that he made it clear that he didn't only ask questions l'maseh for him, but this may be a possible source. ...
1
God "asked"( it seems to me it was a rhetorical question) Avraham why Sarah laughed, i.e. ridiculed the idea that she'd ever have a child( see Rashi on 17:17 s.v. va-Yipol Avraham al Panav va-Yitzchaq), to rebuke her for her lack of faith in his ability to deliver on his promise to give her a child. If He had said nothing, Sarah would remain unaware of ...
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