QUESTION:
I recently participated in a Shabbaton for a Kiruv School (school that seeks to return Jews to their heritage) by hosting some of the students of the school for Shabbos meals. Some of my acquaintances in the neighborhood did the same. I was amazed when I heard that these acquaintances started their Shabbos day meals at precise and somewhat odd times such as 11:50 AM and 12:20 PM. When I inquired further about these start times, I realized that the meals actually started at conventional times such as 12:00 PM or 12:30 PM, however, it was the teacher in charge of the meal arrangements that was lying to the students and telling them that the meals at their hosts’ houses started earlier than they actually did. She did this so that all the students would be on time for the meals. Was the teacher permitted to lie about the start times of the meals?
ANSWER:
Rav Shimon Sofer ZT”L addresses a similar topic in his Hisorerus Teshuvah (Siman 36) regarding deceiving a person by moving his Zeiger (clock) ahead so he will not be late. Rav Shimon initially rules that it is permitted and cites as support, the Gemora in Shabbos where Rava saw people preparing vegetables on Friday afternoon in a manner that was prohibited on Shabbos. He felt that this should not be done after Mincha on Friday afternoon as the activity may unintentionally extend into Shabbos and cause them to sin. Due to his concern, Rava lied and said that a letter arrived from Eretz Yisrael forbidding the cutting of vegetables in such a manner close to Shabbos. Therefore, it appears from this Gemora, that one may lie to someone for their own benefit (in the Gemora’s case, to prevent them from sinning).
However, Rav Shimon questions if that is what the Gemora really means because it is also possible to understand the Gemora in a different manner. Perhaps Rava actually did ask that the letter be written to prohibit this practice of cutting vegetables and the letter was indeed written and came from Eretz Yisrael. Therefore, when Rava said that a letter came from Eretz Yisrael prohibiting the practice, that was indeed the truth. Accordingly, there would be no support from this Gemora to the notion that one may lie to someone for their own benefit.
In your case, it would appear that regardless of whether one is allowed to lie for another’s benefit, here, in the scenario that you have raised, there are additional factors to permit it. Namely, if some students come late to the Shabbos meals, that can cause discomfort to the students that are already there on time and can damage the atmosphere that the hosts are trying to create and may hinder their Kiruv efforts. Since Kiruv is considered to be Hatzalas Nefashos (saving a life), lying to ensure that everyone is on time for their meal to ensure that Kiruv efforts are not hindered would be permitted.
