Parashat Vayetze- Honesty
Honesty
We read in Parashat Vayetze of Yaakov's scrupulousness and hard work as a shepherd for his uncle and father-in-law, Lavan. Yaakov describes to Lavan in great detail his unbridled devotion and loyalty to his work, exerting himself from the early morning hours until late at night, and bearing full accountability for any lost animals (31:38-40). The Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch, in presenting the Halachot of an employee's obligations towards his employer, point to Yaakov as the paradigm of honesty in the workplace. He sets the standard that all employees must follow in faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities to their employers.
The Sages teach that Yaakov excelled specifically in the area of Emet, truth and honesty. The situations he faced where he was compelled to act with a degree of dishonesty, such as in disguising as Esav to receive his father's blessing, and outsmarting his devious and unscrupulous father-in-law, served as a test to determine whether his honesty originated from fear of God. Just as Avraham, the paradigm of kindness, was tested through the Akeida, the command that he slaughter his own son, so was Yaakov tested by being required to act dishonestly. Avraham and Yaakov proved that their commitment to these values – kindness and honesty – stemmed from pure devotion to God, and was not merely a function of their nature and instinct. By acting against their natures to obey God's word, they demonstrated their unconditional loyalty to Him and the purity of their motives.
Yaakov's image is engraved upon the Almighty's Kisei Ha'kavod, His "Throne of Glory." Of all the great, pious figures in our history, it is Yaakov, the exemplar of Emet, honesty, whose picture is "hung" in God's "office," so-to-speak. As the Rabbis teach, "the seal of the Almighty is truth." Honest speech and conduct signify the insignia of God, the primary attribute through which He is represented.
For this reason, the Gemara tells that the first question a person is asked by the Heavenly Tribunal after death, even before the question of whether he allocated time for Torah study, is "Nasata Ve'natata Be'emuna?" (Did you conduct yourself honestly in business?") Honesty comes before all else. Rabbi Shimon Schwab wrote that a person who cheats in business or on his tax returns cannot be considered a religious Jew. Even if he eats only Glatt Kosher food, wears Tefillin Rabbenu Tam and prays three times a day with a Minyan, a Jew who deals dishonestly in business effectively denies the Almighty's Hashgacha (Providence) and thus cannot be deemed a believing Jew. If he truly believed in Divine Providence, he wouldn't resort to unscrupulous measures to earn money. If he believed in God's ability to provide, he would trust that he could earn his living fairly and honestly. Rabbi Schwab went so far as to express his bewilderment over people who cheat in business and yet recite Kaddish in the synagogue. Kaddish is a declaration of Kiddush Hashem, the sanctity of God's Name. How can a person declare the sanctity of God's Name after desecrating that same Name through dishonest behavior?
The Semag ("Sefer Mitzvot Gadol" by Rabbi Moshe of Couchy, France, 13th century) writes that Mashi'ach cannot come until the Jewish people become known among the gentile world as honest, upright people. If the Jews have a reputation as swindlers and liars, the gentile nations will rightfully ask God when He delivers the Jews, "This is Your chosen people – a nation of thieves and swindlers?" But when the Jews conduct themselves with perfect truth and honesty, without ever resorting to falsehood and deceit, the nations of the world will respect God's decision and give praise to Him for choosing such an upright, ethical people.
Unfortunately, we live in a time where dishonesty has become a way of life. Employees feel no compunctions about making personal long distance calls at work or taking office supplies home for personal use, and employers often fail to pay their workers on time. Scheduled meetings are missed, businesses file bankruptcy to avoid paying creditors, and new schemes are constantly being devised to fool innocent customers. People who act this way cannot possibly answer in the affirmative when they are asked, "Nasata Ve'natata Be'emuna?"
Let us follow the example of Yaakov Avinu and the great Sages of earlier generations, who avoided falsehood and dishonesty at any cost. It is told that when the Chafetz Chayim applied for a passport, he had to fill a form in which he was asked about his profession. He refused to write "Rabbi," despite his stature as the leading Torah sage of his time, because he had never received formal Rabbinic ordination. He sent a telegram to Rabbi Chayim Ozer Grodzinsky, another leading figure of the time, who mailed him a certificate of ordination. Only then did the Chafetz Chayim fill out the form.
Another story is told of the Chazon Ish, who prepared to begin the Mincha service with nine other men, when one of the nine, his brother-in-law, Rabbi Shmuel Greineman, informed the Chazon Ish that he had a meeting scheduled. If he would participate with the Minyan, he would not arrive at his meeting on time. The Chazon Ish told him to leave to his meeting, even at the expense of the Minyan, rather than make the others wait for him. In the eyes of the Chazon Ish, keeping one's word was of greater importance than praying with a Minyan.
This is the example we must follow. It is unfortunate that the word "Jew" has become synonymous with trickery and deceit in the non-Jewish world. Only when this word becomes synonymous with honesty, integrity and perfect truth, can Mashi'ach come to redeem the Jewish people, at which point the nations of the world will immediately recognize why the Almighty chose us as His special nation, and why we are deserving of His grace and special blessings.
