Genesis - 28 - Gen. 12:10-20 - Liar Liar!

In the Ten Commandments we say God commanded us not to lie.  Sorry.  He never said that in the Ten Commandments. He said ...

 לא תענה ברעך עד שׁקר

Lo Ta'ahneh VayReckaka Ed Shaker

Not Testify to Your Neighbor Falsely

This is legal stuff meaning in court or in any legal proceeding you are not to testify with false statements against your neighbor.  This a commandment as related to legal proceedings.  (See the "Jerusalem Publication Society Torah Commentary Exodus," by Nahum Sarna, 1991).  The actual commandment of God not to lie is found in Lev. 19:11 - "You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another."  So, we need to revise things gang!  We need 11 commandments to cover all the bases!  

So, do not lie.  Some teach that no matter what you must not lie.  In a TV program there were three religious men, an orthodox rabbi, a protestant pastor and the priest.  The moderator, Dennis Prager, set up a situation to have the rabbi and pastor and priest comment on.  The situation was that a woman was being chased by a sadistic rapist in a lonely park.  She runs past you and asks you to help her.  She hides and thus you have a choice when the evil rapist finally reaches you.  You can lie and not tell him where she is hiding or you can not lie and thus put her in danger and perhaps serious injury and death.  The pastor and priest said you can not lie and must tell the truth.  They said you can tell the truth in such a way that perhaps will not give up her hiding place.  The rabbi, however, said he'd lie through his teeth to save her and protect this innocent women.  ("Torah Commentary Exodus," MP3 file, Dennis Prager, Part 14 of 57.  This is part of Dennis Prager's teaching series on the Torah available at the website store at https://pragerstore.com/product-category/the-torah/complete-torah).  

So, we see a dilemma.  What would you do?  We are not to lie.  But, in this lesson we find that Abraham lies.  Sarah lies.  And yet God does not discipline them.  Moreover Abraham and Sarah do it twice!  What's going on?  Who is right?  The rabbi says he'd lie to save her.  The Christians say no, we can't lie.  

The TORAH is the inspired word of God and it deals with real people in real life.  Abraham and Sarah find themselves in a situation where they are caught between a rock and a hard place.  This is just another example that God's TORAH is as applicable today as it was in 2091 B.C.  Amazing.  

Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background