Question: I work for a school in a wealthy community. A wealthy individual bought a house in the area and wanted to enroll his children in the school. My boss told me to tell the wealthy individual that there is no room for his children and that he must pay for another classroom to be built if he wishes to enroll his children. I know that this is a lie – there is plenty of room to accommodate his children. How should I proceed?
Answer: Regarding the verse in Parashas Mishpatim (Shemos 23:7) “Midvar Sheker Tirchak” — stay away from a false matter, there is a debate as to how we are to understand this charge. The Chofetz Chaim rules that with this verse, the Torah means to prohibit one from lying. This is in accordance with the view of some Rishonim. Other Rishonim believe that with this verse, the Torah means to provide one with good advice – it is not advisable to lie, but the Torah does not mean to prohibit one from doing so. A third opinion believes that the Torah means to prohibit one from lying but only in the context that the verse was stated in. Since the verse was referring to a judge during his deliberations, the Torah is saying that a judge is prohibited from lying when adjudicating the law.
Generally speaking, the view of the Chofetz Chaim is the view that we follow and therefore, in accordance with his opinion, it is a general Torah prohibition to lie.
Under pressing circumstances, some authorities may consider the other opinions and rule that one may consider a lie as not being prohibited by the Torah, however in your case, there is the additional component of actual theft, as a lie is being used to elicit money unduly from the wealthy parent. He would be donating money under the false pretense that the school needs funds to build an extra room so he may enroll his children. This is actual theft and the Torah absolutely forbids any act of theft — even in a case such as yours, where you are not stealing but rather enabling a theft by relaying the falsehood of your boss to the wealthy parent.
Further, since you are enabling a theft, there are also serious questions and debates on whether the prohibition of “Lifnei Iver Lo Titen Michshol” – do not put a stumbling block before the blind, would apply.
You should tell your boss that you will not lie and that your boss will have to tell the wealthy parent the message himself. If you are concerned that your boss will fire you if you say this to him, then you still may not lie as you may not illicitly take money from someone else under any circumstances. Instead, you may choose your words carefully and tell the wealthy parent that your boss, “Told me to tell you that there is no room for your children unless you donate for an additional classroom.”
