In Parshas Mas′ei the Torah warns us:" So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are" (BaMidbar (Numbers) 35, 36). Flattery and fawning are very much forbidden. Rabbeinu Yonah writes in his sefer "Shaarei Teshuva" (chapter 188) that false flattery comes under the category of sins that one must die and not transgress. "One must give himself over to danger and not transgress with such a sin." Rabbeinu Yona brings proof from the Gemoro, there it is related that when King Agripas would read the words " thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother", tears flowed from his eyes. The Jews who witnessed this were not silent, but instead encouraged him and flattered him falsely, saying: "you are our brother." The results were not long in coming, as it is written that at that moment a harsh punishment of annihilation was decreed for "the enemies of Israel" (a cryptic expression meaning the Jewish nation), because they falsely flattered Agripas." (Masechta Sotah page 41). Rabbeinu Yona learned from this Gemoro how digusting false flattery is, so much that even if the person may endanger his life, the prohibition of false flattery is greater than the sanctity of life.
Although other Halachic authorities disagreed with Rabbeinu Yona, their disagreement was concerning the pros and cons of giving up one′s life-mesiras nefesh- in order not to flatter. There was no argument as to the severity of the transgression per se. The Gemoro concludes by saying that flatterers do not merit to see the face of the Shechina (Holy Presence) and every community that has flattery in its midst will end up being expelled, as it is written in Iyov (15): " For the company of the godless shall be desolate."
Falsehood and Flattery Bore Politics
Rabbi Chaim Palagi z"l once related the following anecdote in a humorous vein: When Falsehood arrived at Noach′s Ark, he wasn′t allowed entrance, as he was single, and only couples went into the Ark, as it is written: "there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark," (Breishis, 7/9). Falsehood went to look for a mate, and found a shidduch- flattery.
Their misbegotten child is the cursed politics that we run into time and time again. In political life, especially in the Knesset, one may find himself falling into the sinful rut of false flattery. Being involved in politics causes people to lower their standards, start behaving as bazaar merchants and cave in on their principles.
In the Knesset the most important principles can disappear almost completely. Very few are successful in surviving without committing false flattery. A very special individual, possible the only one who carried out his mission with pride and glory, without fear and compromise, who I sat next to as an MK, was Rabbi Meir Kahane, ob"m. He had a multi-faceted personality, and one of his outstanding characteristics was his standing up for the truth. He didn′t waver in the face of adversity, not even when all MKs snubbed and ostracized him. He just continued doing and saying what he believed in.
Rabbi Kahane is in the World of Truth, and has is no need of our praises. We, on the other hand, need to learn from his great acts how to behave and get along in this world of falsehoods. This is particular relevant to our leaders , so that they learn to travel on the straight and narrow path, not deviating from the truth in order to find favor in the eyes of those who don′t act according to the Torah. It is difficult, but that is what Hashem demands from us. |
