The exploration of the concept of
deceit continues in parshas VaYaytsay. In it Ya'akov flees from the wrath of
Esav his brother to the home of Lavan his uncle. Upon arriving he explains what
has happened and Lavan graciously tells him that he is welcome to stay in his
home for a month. During that time Ya'akov excellently shepherds Lavan's flock.
Lavan is impressed and tells Ya'akov to suggest a wage for his services.
Ya'akov has fallen head over heels in love with Lavan's younger daughter,
Rachel, and replies that he will work seven years for her hand in marriage.
After seven years Ya'akov asks
Lavan to fulfill his side of the agreement. Lavan proceeds to make a large
party in the evening. When the hour is late, he presents his older daughter
Leah, perhaps dressed in burqa so he can't see her, to Ya'akov. The next
morning Ya'akov recognizes that he has married the wrong girl. Agitatedly he
confronts Lavan and asks, "Why did you deceive me?" (Genesis 29:25).
Lavan glibly replies that it's not the practice in the area to marry the
younger girl before the older one, and then smoothly suggests, that right after
the customary week of celebration, he marry his intended, Rachel. Then
revealing his true motive, Lavan adds, of course Ya'akov will work another
seven year years for him.
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JACOB WITH LABAN'S FLOCKS -
JOSÉ (AUCH JUSEPE) DE RIBERA |
Ya'akov subsequently pays Laban back
for his trickery. The Holy One, blessed be He, gives Ya'akov a lucrative
segulah (lore – (סגולה which he does not share with Lavan. Lavan
continues to profit from Ya'akov's natural abilities. However, he becomes
jealous of the profits Ya'akov has exclusively gained from his gift from
heaven. He notes Lavan's ill will and when he is distracted, Ya'akov slips away
to return to the land
of Canaan.
Rachel and Leah whole heartedly
agree with the tricks. They explain that they are treated as foreigners in
their father's house. It's bad enough that he sold them and squandered the
money without having him squander away their money as well. They conclude the
money they have belongs to them.
Upon discovery Lavan pursues
Ya'akov. When they meet Lavan smoothly asks Ya'akov why he hid his intentions,
telling him that if he wanted to go, he should have said so. If that was done
he would have given him a nice going away party and kissed his daughters and
children good-by. Lavan adds that Ya'akov really had acted foolishly. Ya'akov
replies that he was afraid that if he had done what Lavan had suggested that he
would have robbed him of everything. An argument ensues during which Lavan
confirms Ya'akov's worst fears. They do in fact separate in peace.
The phrase used by the Chumash, הסכלת עשו,
(Bereshis 31:29) for the accusation of foolish behavior by Ya'akov provides a
hint for the source and theme of this adventure. The phrase literally means,
"you did foolishly", however it can also be read as, "you were
foolish with Esau". The hint is that hoodwinking Esav into selling the
rights of the first born was not appropriate.
It's true that Ya'akov was the
right one to father the line of High Priests and Esav was not. Likewise Ya'akov
should be buried in Machpela
Cave with the other patriarchs
not Esav. These were the rights of the first born. The proper course of action
would have been to discuss the situation with Yitzchak their father and let him
make the formal decision. Prior discussions with Rivka and Esau may also have
been helpful. It is doubtful that Esav's sale of his birthright at a weak
moment for a bowl of lentils would have held up in Din Torah if he challenged
it. In any case if it was the will of the Almighty events would have conspired
to designate Ya'akov as the first born.
What remains of the issue, is when
is lying in order. Adapting an expression from English common law, one can use
deceit as a shield but not as a sword. If one needs to lie to defend against a
thief or a murderer it's appropriate to do so. However to sell something to
another under false pretenses would render the transaction as an erroneous
sale. In terms of honor and self respect it would be acceptable to lie in order
to avoid embarrassment but not for the purpose of bragging. In addition there
are infrequent situations where one can tell an insignificant lie for the
benefit of another as it is brought in the Gemara, when we dance before the
bride we say she is beautiful and graceful even if she is blind and lame. Also
if somebody made a bad purchase we never the less praise if before him. Therefore, the Sages said: Always should the disposition
of man be pleasant with people (see Kethuboth 16b - 17a).
Concerning religious honors and
designation, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (29:9) brings the halacha that,
"one should not quarrel over a mitzvah such as who will act as chazan, or
who will get an aliyah, and the like. We find a parallel (in the Temple) with the
showbread. Even though it was a mitzvah to eat it, it is related that the
modest would withdraw their hands, while the gluttons would grab (their
portion) and eat (Yoma 39a)".
Some faith in G-d is needed as it
says "From a false matter distance yourself, do not kill a person that is
clean or declared innocent, for I will not vindicate a guilty person (Exodus
23:7). The opening phrase sets the tone that a person should be generally very
truthful. The center phrase allows for a person who is essentially in the wrong
to prevail in a court of law because of a spurious reason. The final phrase is
a promise from the Holy One, blessed be He, that heaven will rectify any
injustice as brought by Rashi "I have many messengers to execute one who
is deserving of death (from Mechilta, Sanh. 33b)".
Concerning being truthful for its
own sake, it would seem that it is part of the mitzvah to cling to the ways of
Hashem. Therefore, just as He is truthful, you, too, should be truthful, as it
says, "[He] is great in kindness and truth", (Shmos 34:6). The essence of the importance of truth in
religion is captured by Rabbi Nachman of Breslav in Sefer HaMidos:
A1. One who wants to attach
himself to Hashem may He be blessed, so much so that he can traverse with his
thoughts from heichal to heichal (chamber to
chamber), and even to see the heichalos (chambers) with the
eyes of intellect, must guard himself from saying falsehood, even by mistake.
B2. Through truth, His unity is
revealed in the world.
B9. Through truth comes the
Redemption
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