Re: lying vs. dying

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

Hey, is this offered as serious _p'shat_ (Jewish law)?  We are, indeed, told 
to keep at a distance from falsehood, but lying is *definitely* sometimes 
permissible or even required Jewishly--esp. and in particular, to save a 
life! (but also, in some cases, to soothe hurt feelings or bring about 
reconciliation between people).  As it happens, in this past Shabbat's 
parsha (Torah portion), we are modeled a delicious example of, at least, 
shading the truth for the sake of marital harmony (shalom bayis) by the 
Kadosh Baruch Hoo himself.  See God's dialogue w/ Sarah and then w/ Abraham 
and compare--Robert (Rashi) Cohen


>From: Owen Davidson <owend (at) tp(dot)net>
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Re: lie-lie-lie vs. die-die-die
>Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 07:35:11 +0000
>
>Never!  The truth hurts, and the ultimate truth kills. Still, HASHEM 
>demands
>truth.
>
>Owen
>
>Seest thou the little winged fly, smaller than a grain of sand?
>It has a heart like thee, a brain open to heaven & hell.
>Withinside wondrous & expansive, its gates are not closed.
>I hope thine are not.
>
>      William Blake
>
>
>WINSTON WEILHEIMER wrote:
>
> > isnt to lie better than to die?
> >
> > :)
> > winston
>
>

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