Truth - 10 Facts About the Commandment That Protects from Calamities

1. What is the attribute of truth? "That a person should speak without deceit, conduct business without fraud, and ensure that his mouth and heart are aligned." ("Maalot HaMidot")

2. Further regarding the importance of truth: "Know, my children, that the virtue of integrity is great and precious. For whoever walks in integrity, Hashem chooses him and his service, as it is said: 'He who walks in the way of integrity shall serve me,' and as Moses our teacher commanded: 'Be wholehearted with Hashem your God.'"

3. "Anyone who walks in integrity, Hashem assists in his service and makes his paths complete... and desires and wants him... and Hashem protects him from sins and transgressions, and he sits quietly and securely like wine settled on its lees."

4. In Yalkut Tehillim (Psalm 85) on the verse: "Truth will spring from the earth," it is explained: "When there is truth in the land, Hashem shows kindness to His creatures and saves them from calamities, and goodness comes to the world."

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5. A person who practices truth fulfills the positive commandment of "walking in His ways," about which the Sifri states: "These are the ways of Hashem: 'Hashem, Hashem, God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness and truth.'"

6. Whoever is careful with truth saves his soul and the souls of his sons and daughters from death. The "Chofetz Chaim" quotes the story from Tractate Sanhedrin about a Torah scholar who said he was careful about truth, that even if offered all the world's wealth, he would not change his word. Why? That scholar told the following story: "Once I happened upon a place called Kushta. There all the residents were extremely careful about truth, and they all lived long lives. I married a woman from there and had two sons with her. One day my wife was washing her hair with a comb, and one of the neighbors came knocking at the door. I thought to myself, 'It isn't proper for someone to enter while my wife's hair is uncovered,' so I told the neighbor my wife wasn't home. As a result, my two sons died. The townspeople came and asked, 'What happened? What sin did you commit that your sons died?' I told them what had happened. They said to me, 'Leave us, and do not dwell among us.'"

7. The "Chofetz Chaim" brings this case in his book "Sefat Tamim," and explains the connection between longevity and truth, saying: "Whoever is completely careful with truth, in his lifetime becomes attached to the living God who is the source of truth, and the Angel of Death cannot control him. Only when he is old and full of days must he die because of the serpent's sin."

8. The "Chofetz Chaim" concludes his book with this instruction: "Therefore, a person should accustom himself to verify his words in every possible matter, in everything that happens to him, whether good or bad."

9. The book "Pele Yoetz" explains the connection between truth and faith in Hashem. In the laws of business dealings, important principles about truth in commerce are mentioned: "It is known that the first question a person is asked on the day of judgment is 'Did you conduct your business faithfully?' And now, due to our many sins, there are those who make baseless claims that in these times a person's livelihood is difficult, and one who wishes to conduct business honestly cannot even eat bread with salt. Because of this, it has become like a permission to do wrong, speak falsehood, steal, rob, encroach on boundaries, and many other evils... and no one takes it to heart to repent of the evil. Woe to creation on the day of judgment."

The "Pele Yoetz" continues: "The entire Torah is encompassed in faith, and a person is recognized by his pocket. For one who believes in Hashem, that He provides the power to gain wealth, and that all of a person's sustenance is allocated from the beginning of the year by the Most High, will not believe that by transgressing Hashem's word he will succeed in all his ways. And if he does succeed, without a doubt it will be wealth kept for its owners to their detriment, besides the punishment reserved for the World to Come. One who truly believes in Hashem with a complete heart will believe with faith that the Rock, His work is perfect, all His ways are just. And whatever the Merciful One does is for good, so that it will be good for him in the world that is entirely good. The truth is that all Israel are believers, the children of believers, but faith is not the main thing—everything depends on the majority of one's actions, which demonstrate faith."

10. The "Chofetz Chaim" states: "Even one's small children should always be warned to distance themselves from falsehood. Therefore, our Sages said that one should not promise a child something he will buy for him when in his heart he does not intend to do so; rather, if he makes a promise, he should fulfill it. Children will see that he is particular about truth, and they will do likewise... He should magnify the sin of falsehood in their eyes, so that children will be frightened and very careful, until it becomes second nature for them not to speak falsehood."