This week we continue with translating the Chofetz Chaim’s Sefer entitled, “Sfas Tamim.” Sefas Tamim, from which our foundation takes its name, focuses on the importance of honesty in word and deed. We continue to translate Chapter 1, “Defining Deceit”.
“In so doing, the speaker becomes hateful to Hashem, as Chazal have stated (Pesachim 113b) ‘[There are] three kinds of people in particular that are hated by HaKadosh Baruch Hu...’ one of them being the hypocrite who says one thing but has a completely different intent. HaKadosh Boruch Hu will take revenge on this person for this bad character trait, as the prophet Yirmiya states (9:7) “With his mouth he speaks words of peace with his friend, but inside of him, he waits in ambush.” The verse then further relates, ‘... because of these things should I not punish him – the word of Hashem – from a nation such as this, should not My soul take vengeance?”
The punishment for this duplicity is doubled - one for the lie itself and one for the damage that the lie has done to his fellow Jew. Because apart from the damage caused by the lie, the lie itself is abhorrent to Hashem, as the verse states (Mishle 12:22) “Lying lips are disgusting to Hashem,” and more so here in this case of premeditated deception for the purpose of harming or aggrieving a fellow Jew.
