Elul 11, 5779
September 11, 2019
From our Sources
There is a man so false that even if he knows something to be false for a certainty, he is nevertheless drawn after it…. But there are some basically truthful people who will not be drawn after falsehood unless they can find some rationalizations, and wise people, in their wisdom, will quash these rationalizations. And you should know that the rationalizations of all people are generated by their traits. All lazy people’s rationalizations are generated by their laziness; angry people by their anger; proud people by their pride…. The rationalizations of extravagant people are generated by their extravagance; those of miserly people by their miserliness; those of the lover by her love; those the hater by his hate.
-The Ways of the Tzadikkim, “The Gates of Falsehood” (anonymous, 15
th
century)
Reflections
We all have times when we are less than honest, and when we justify our dishonesty with rationalizations. Do you rationalize your moments of dishonesty?
What traits cause you to be dishonest? Pride? Fear? Guilt?
What might happen if, in the future, you share honestly instead?
