by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Sefas Tamim Foundation

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QUESTION:  We recently hosted a Shabbatone for a Kiruv school and people I knew from the neighborhood also hosted the students for meals.  I was amazed that some of them were so precise in the timing that they ate their Shabbos day meal.  One host starts at 11:50.  Another host started at 12:20.  When I spoke to one of them about it I soon realized that the teacher in charge of the arrangements was the one that had “pre-adjusted” the times. She lied and the meal was supposed to start at 12:00 and 12:30.   I certainly understand the rationale behind it, but is it permitted to do so?

ANSWER:  It is an excellent question, and we believe that the answer is that it is permitted – The rationale is as follows:

Rav Shimon Sofer ZT”L addresses a similar topic in his Hisorerus Teshuvah (Siman 36) regarding moving someone’s Zeiger (clock) ahead so they will not be late. Rav Shimon initially rules that it is permitted and cites as support, the Gemora in Shabbos where Rava saw people preparing vegetables on Friday afternoon in a manner that was prohibited on Shabbos. He felt that this should not be done after Mincha on Friday afternoon as the activity may unintentionally extend into Shabbos and cause them to sin. Due to his concern, Rava lied and said that a letter arrived from Eretz Yisrael forbidding such a practice. Therefore, it appears from the Gemora, that one may lie to someone for their own benefit.

However, Rav Shimon questions if that is what the Gemora really means because it is also possible to understand the Gemora to mean that Rava actually did ask that the letter be written to prohibit the practice and the letter was indeed written. Therefore, when Rava said that a letter came from Eretz Yisrael prohibiting the practice, that was indeed the truth.

Here, however, there are additional factors to permit it – and that is that it can cause some people discomfort when guests are late and it can chalila  ruin the Kiruv atmosphere.  Kiruv is hatzalas Nefashos, so even according to the Poskim that generally limit lying for Shalom to only the past but not the future would agree that it would be permitted in this case.  That teacher acted properly.

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