by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Sefas Tamim Foundation

QUESTION:  So, there is a company called “Flip” which pays you in “product dollars” for a review and for referring other people to their company.  The reviews take me less than a minute to make, and it is rather lucrative. There is nothing illegal or wrong in doing it, but since I don’t want anyone to recognize who I am,  or that I am a religious Jew, I make up a name for purposes of anonymity.  I am wondering whether this is permitted on account of Midvar sheker tirchak.  Is it?

ANSWER:  It is a good question.  Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel’s Bais Horaah has ruled that technically, using nom deplumes is not a violation of Emes (Bais Hora’ah Ahavas Shalom OC Shailah 451), however, it is not recommended because the Pasuk says, “Midvar Sheker Tirchak” stay far away from a matter that is false, and using a fake name may not be putting “enough distance” between you and falsehood.

Some Poskim (Halachic authorities) are more lenient if the fake name alludes to the actual person in a truthful manner such as “Ben Parentname” or “Avi Childname.” In these cases, the fake name is not entirely false. The Chazon Ish signed his name as Ish to remain anonymous when he first his seforim.

Rav Yaakov Chizkiyahu Fish in his Titein Emes L’Yakov (5:21) quotes a ruling he received from the author of Kinyan Torah (Rav Avrohom Dovid Horvitz) that although sometimes there may be leniency in saying a falsehood to ensure that a correct Halacha be followed, here, regarding a journalist writing in a newspaper, there is absolutely no leniency whatsoever. For a journalist, Rav Horvitz recommends not signing any name at all or alternatively, one may write, “Name Withheld Upon Request.”  Here, it would seem that it would be permitted because it seems that you wish to minimize Chillul Hashem in using this new type of, well, whatever it is.  Hatzlacha and bracha.  If you are still concerned, then perhaps use a broader English translation of your name that is not far off.

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