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ach Chayim, end of #602), that we do not excommunicate or make In maseches Yevamos (63a) it says that Rav’s wife would cause him # 20818_efi-ab - 20818_efi-ab | 9 - B | 18-08-20 | 13:29:02 | SR:-- | Cyan 20818_efi-ab -
someone swear until after Yom Kippur (see the Pri Megadim, there). If great distress; when he asked for lentils she would cook legumes for
so, there is no proof from the sotah, because there is no possibility of him, and when he asked for legumes, she would cook lentils for him.
bodily danger to the sotah at all. If she is guilty of adultery and swears When their son, Chiya, grew up, he began changing his father’s words
falsely, the bitter waters will affect her, she will implode and die. If she so that his mother would end up cooking the food that his father
is not guilty, and she swears truthfully, then she will be blessed, “And asked for. Not knowing what Chiya was doing, Rav thought his wife
if she is innocent, she will conceive” (Bamidbar 5:28), which the Sages had changed. When he heard what Chiya had been doing, he said to
interpret (maseches Sotah 26a) as: “If she previously gave birth in pain, him: In the future, do not lie, as it is written (Yirimiyahu 9:4): “They
she will give birth without pain.” taught their tongues to tell lies.”
In light of the above, we should take into account the Heavenly The Meiri asks: Wasn’t Chiya allowed to lie for the sake of peace
power of administering the bitter waters to a sotah more than the between his father and mother? The Meiri answers that one can lie
possibility of emotional anguish that the process will cause. In our only if a ‘catastrophe’ would result otherwise. In this case, since Rav
case as well, then, there is room to say that if by complaining about was willing to overlook his wife’s behavior, he felt it would be better
her negligence, justice will be done and patients will be saved from that she continue her defiance than that Chiya become accustomed
harm, then in that merit, she will give birth to a healthy baby. to lying. Indeed, not in all cases is one permitted to lie for the sake of
peace, but only in order to avert a true catastrophe.
1 SuMMaRy and Conclusion The Sefer Chassidim (#426) writes: “Although the Sages permit 20818_efi-ab - 20818_efi-ab | 9 - B | 18-08-20 | 13:29:02 | SR:--
altering the truth for the sake of peace, if a gentile or a Jew comes and #20818_efi-ab - 20818_efi-ab | 9 - B | 18-08-20 | 13:29:02 | SR:--
It is possible that one should complain about the nurse even though asks for a loan, and the person is afraid that they will not pay him
she is pregnant. back, he cannot say, “I don’t have the money,” because one is allowed
to alter the truth only for the sake of peace after the incident has
happened already.”
The author of Torah Lishmah (#364, above) writes that it is diffi-
cult to understand the Sefer Hachassidim here. The Mishnah Berurah
(#156:4) also writes that the matter requires more study.
The Chafetz Chaim himself was concerned about not violating the
warning of Sefer Chassidim, although many poskim disagree with him.
In fact he gave over the management of his free loan society to his
son-in-law in order to save himself from falsehood. Thus, if a person
whom he doubted would repay would ask for a loan, the Chafetz
Chaim could truthfully tell him, “I do not have anything,” because the
money was with his son-in-law. When a trustworthy Jew would come
to him, he would approach his son-in-law and take the money to lend
it to the Jew.
In light of this, the physician should be careful not to alter the

260 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Publicizing an inaccurate medical bulletin 2 273