In Parshas Re'eh, the Torah warns us about those who would entice us to idolatry. Describing this dangerous influence, the Passuk states: "If your brother, the son of your mother, tempts you in secret... saying, 'Let us go and worship other gods...'" (Devarim 13:7).
Rashi on this Possuk observes that, "The Torah speaks of what commonly occurs, for usually the one who entices another (to sin) speaks clandestinely... and similarly, (King) Solomon (in describing what generally happens when one entices another to sin), says: 'In the twilight, in the evening time, in the blackness of night and the darkness.' (Mishlei 7:9)."
We see from the above, that wrongdoers typically operate under cover, in secret. This observation can be applied in our own lives when we are uncertain about whether an action we are about to take is right or wrong.
Dishonesty and wrongdoing often have an inherent relationship with darkness and secrecy. Those who would corrupt others instinctively seek concealment because wrongdoing cannot bear examination, often even from our own selves.
Consider what happens when we are about to do something questionable. We automatically lower our voices, check if anyone is listening and wait until others have left the room. We may use euphemisms instead of directly stating what we are about to do, and we time our actions for when we will not be observed. This is not always a conscious calculation – it is often an automatic psychological response.
Building on these observations, we can develop a powerful tool for self-examination. When we find ourselves gravitating toward secrecy, we should introspect and ask ourselves: “Why am I being secretive about this? Is the action I am about to take problematic? Do I have a real reason to be secretive or am I just protecting myself from justified scrutiny?”
We might also do well to ask ourselves whether we would be comfortable if there was full transparency into what we were about to do. How would we feel if our spouse, parent, or teacher knew? As Rav Henoch Leibowitz ZT”L used to say, "Would you still do what you are about to do if your action was recorded front and center in the New York Times?”
The opposite of the above is also true. When we are acting with honesty and integrity, we generally do not operate secretly. We speak about what we are about to do openly. We are comfortable with appropriate transparency and do not fear reasonable scrutiny. We can articulate our reasoning to others, and our private thoughts align with our public values.
This "secrecy test" can illuminate many areas of our lives and provide insight into what we are doing when we may not realize it. For example, in our business dealings, we may ask ourselves why we have not mentioned a particular detail in a contract that we are about to sign with our counterparty (perhaps we are willfully omitting the detail to deceive him). When speaking about another, we may catch ourselves whispering about him (perhaps we may be speaking Loshon Hora about him).
May we merit to live as people of truth and integrity, and therefore act openly, confident that our actions can withstand the scrutiny of others because they are just and align with our Torah values.
