9th Commandment: Do not testify falsely

Is lying always a bad thing? While we’ve all admittedly told a white lie or two to get out of awkward situations, we’ve always wondered if lying is actually ok. In this episode, we investigate whether the 9th Commandment, “Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor,” is still relevant and how getting into the habit of lying can impact larger areas of life.

Big Ideas

1. The more you tell small lies, the more you become desensitized to telling bigger ones.
2. Lying can have a negative relationship on both our character and our relationships.
3. While in some exceptional cases, Judaism allows us to lie in order to prevent someone from being hurt, to fulfill our mission as individuals and society, we have to strive for truth. 

Essential Questions

1. Is it important to be truthful all the time?
2. Does telling occasional small lies impact one’s character?
3. When might lying be the correct ethical choice?

video Transcript