SEFER CHOFETZ CHAIM — Hilchos Rechilus 1:8-9
A Kohen Gadol (High Priest) is required to protect his unique level of holiness. While other kohanim are permitted, and even commanded, to become tamei (ritually impure) upon the death of a close relative, a Kohen Gadol cannot become tamei even upon the death of his father or mother.
There is one exception to this rule. If a Kohen Gadol comes upon a meis mitzvah, a corpse that is lying in disgrace with no one available to attend to its burial, and the only one who can accomplish this sacred task is the Kohen Gadol, then he is commanded to bury it, and in the process become tamei.
Yes, safeguarding the Kohen Gadol’s sanctity is very important, but attending to the burial of a corpse lying in disgrace is even more important. In a similar sense, speaking the truth, and nothing but the truth, is a crucial Torah concept. “Distance yourself from falsehood” is how the Torah expresses it. And our Sages teach, “The seal of Hakadosh Baruch Hu is truth.”
To what extent will a Jew go to avoid falsehood? We can learn a lesson from Lieutenant Mayer Birnbaum.
When Lieutenant Birnbaum was attending Officers Training School, he was brought before an army court on charges of knowingly ignoring an army regulation. When eating his meals in the army “mess hall,” Private Birnbaum always wore his yarmulka, against army regulations requiring that one’s head be bare when inside an army building.
A lawyer was assigned to help Birnbaum plead his case. The lawyer told him, “Just tell the judge that you forgot the rule against wearing head coverings.”
Mayer Birnbaum replied, “But I didn’t forget the rule.”
“You know that,” the lawyer countered, “but the judge doesn’t know it. Anyway, it’s just a ‘white lie’; you’re not hurting anyone by saying it.”
Mayer Birnbaum had attended public school, but his mother had given him a solidly Jewish upbringing. He refused to go along with the lawyer’s suggestion. “I’m not going to lie,” he said adamantly.
In the end, he was acquitted by arguing that by wearing a yarmulka while eating, he was merely following the soldier’s oath that he had uttered upon being inducted into the army. In that oath, a soldier promises to be faithful to “G-d and my country.” “The oath,” he told the judge, “places G-d ahead of our country. That is what I do when I cover my head while eating.”
Yet, there are certain situations where the halachah requires that we not tell the truth. This is when we need to say an untruth for the sake of maintaining peace. Shalom, peace, is the greatest receptacle for earning Hashem’s blessings. If speaking the truth will lead to ill will and possibly a fight, then it is preferable that we not speak the truth.
Thus, the Chofetz Chaim, states:
Regarding how to respond to someone who asks, “What did he say about me?”:
It is best, where possible, to respond in a way that is neither rechilus nor an outright lie. However, if one realizes that such a response will not be accepted [i.e. the person will assume the worst and ill feelings will result], then it is permissible to lie for the sake of peace. However, one should not swear, G-d forbid.
It is forbidden to relate what was said without mentioning names, if the listener will be able to deduce on his own who the person is. Similarly, if someone already knows that something uncomplimentary was said about him, but he does not know who said it, it is forbidden to even hint to him to indicate the person’s identity.
From all of the above, we see how utterly crucial it is that we avoid speaking rechilus in any way at all, except for a constructive purpose, as will be discussed in forthcoming lessons.
IN A NUTSHELL
One is permitted to lie, when absolutely necessary, to prevent bad feelings between Jews.
Never convey information, through hints or other means, that will result in bad feelings between Jews.
-A project of Mesorah Publications –
