Sefas Tamim and the Value of Honesty

This week, we continue with translating the Chofetz Chaim’s Sefer entitled, “Sefas Tamim.” Sefas Tamim, from which our foundation takes its name, focuses on the importance of honesty in word and in deed.

“This is the underlying intent of the Pasuk (Tehillim 34:13) ‘Who is the man who seeks life,’ meaning in the World to Come, ‘and loves his days to see good,’ also in this world, ‘restrain your mouth from saying anything bad and your lips from saying anything deceitful.’ Because if this person conducts his business in a framework of deception, even though he might be initially successful, in the end it will all disappear into oblivion, as was explained above in the Midrash, that “Losses” are on standby and are prepared to take away the excesses gained by “Lies” and he will see nothing good in his life. But when man is careful to avoid deceit, he will merit his ending days at a ripe old age, content and satisfied. Also, in the World to Come, he will experience the great ‘good’ that is stored hidden away for him as the Pasuk states (Tehillim 101:6) ‘One who walks in the way of complete wholehearted innocence (i.e. who lives a life fully trusting in Hashem), he will serve Me.’”