DON'T DO IT

A friend of mine is great at predicting. He can tell you what the weather will be for the company picnic 3 weeks in advance. He knows which politician will be elected and he can tell you which stocks will rise and fall. In staff meetings his opinion is respected because his track record in foertelling the future is so accurate.

When our Sages said: "Who is wise? One who foresees the future" (Tameed :32a), they did not have my friend in mind. His luck -- or foresight -- is not the wisdom of which they spoke. The wise men of the past were giving sound advice to all generations: "Weigh the results of your behavior BEFORE you act."

Errors in judgment create excuses. Often one is prompted to deny participation in an activity that turned out to be the wrong thing to do. One lie leads to another until the truth is revealed and the tower of falsehood crumbles embarrassingly before the perpetrator's red face. A smart person avoids the misdeed and is saved from the pressure of the cover-up.

The Torah says: "Keep a distance from falsehood" {Shemot 23:7]. That does not mean "don't lie" it means don't do things that will bring you to deception. A good rule to follow is: "If you might have to deny it -- don't do it!" A good lie may work for a moment but it will lead to another false statement and then another until the truth is eventually revealed. Consider the long-term result of your behavior and you will be spared the shame of getting caught. "Who is wise? The one who foresees the future".

DID YOU KNOW THAT

If one unintentionally did not pray the afternoon prayer of Minha, one may pray the Amidah of the nighttime prayer Arbeet twice -- the first to fulfill the requirement to pray Arbeet and the second to make up for the missed afternoon Minha prayer.

The rule for making up the prayer missed applies only during the time one is saying the next required prayer. Once the next prayer is said one may no longer make up the missed prayer. [Source: Shulhan Arukh, O'H, Siman 108:2]

CONSIDER THIS FOR A MINUTE

The lips of truth will be established forever, but a lying tongue only for the moment

Mishle 12:19

Text Copyright © 2003 Rabbi Raymond Beyda and Project Genesis, Inc.