Are you allowed to lie in order to prevent embarrassing yourself

Question

Is it mutar to lie if telling the truth will embarrass yourself? For example, if Reuven asks Shimon if he went to minyan, and Reuven says yes because he doesn’t want to embarrass himself and give a bad impression (since he actually didn’t go to minyan), is that ok?

Answer 1

Bereshit Rabba 100:9 in parsha Vayechi says:

"The brothers said to Bilha, whom Yosaif considered like his mother since she had raised him, "Go to Yosaif and tell him, "Your father commanded before his death that you be told, "Please forgive the sin of your brothers!" Although Ya'akov had said no such thing before his death, the brothers were justified in making this statement since it is permissible to relay a false report for the sake of peace"

Answer 2

See the gemara in Bava Metzia 23b which talks about certain things that Talmidei Chachamim are משנו במלייהו. One of the things in the gemara is פוריא, which Rashi there explains that if their talmidim ask them if they had ביאה the previous night, he should say "no" even if he did.

Tosfos argues on Rashi because it's not common that talmidim would ask such a question to their Rebbe. Rather, Tosfos explains that the case is if the Rebbe was a בעל קרי and didn't come to the Beis Medresh and his talmidim ask him why he didn't come, he should say he was sick instead of saying he was a בעל קרי. Alternatively, Tosfos answers, if his talmidim ask him if he slept on a particular bed, he should not say "yes", because perhaps they will see קרי on the bed and he will be disgraced.

בפוריא - אין רגילות שישאלוהו כפירוש רש"י אם שימש מטתו אלא אם בעל קרי היה ולא בא לבית המדרש ושאלוהו למה לא בא ישנה ויאמר שחולה היה או שאר אונס אירע לו אי נמי שאלוהו שכבת על מטה זו לא יאמר לו כן פן יראה בה קרי ויתגנה.

I don't know for sure if this is applicable to non-Talmidei Chachamim as well, feel free to do your own research. Hopefully this will open up the sugya for everyone!

Answer 3

In halacha, you may not testify for or against yourself [Sanh. 9b–10a; Yev. 25b]: "A person cannot render himself wicked". So, in your example, the subject is not allowed to tell the truth. But is he allowed to lie? The Sources allow you to lie to avoid loss or harm. The Mishnah explains:

One may tell murderers, plunderers, and [corrupt] tax collectors that the produce they wish to steal is terumah, even if it is not terumah, or that the property they wish to seize belongs to the Royal House, even if it does not. [Mishnah, Nedarim 27b-28a]

Rabbi Shim’on ben Pazzi said: “One may flatter wicked people in this world.” [Sotah 41b]

I would conclude that you may lie in this case.

Answer 4

Rashi says that Aharon Hakohen would purposely lie to people, telling each of them that the other wants to make up, for the sake of making peace between them.