Lying Waze

The Waze app has a crucial safety feature: it prohibits drivers from typing instructions while the vehicle is in motion, allowing only voice commands. However, users can falsely indicate to the app that they are only passengers. Is it permissible to lie to the app and claim to be a passenger when the person is actually the driver? After all, the Torah says, “M’dvar sheker tirchak,” one should stay far away from falsehood. (Shemos 23:7) The theoretical question assumes there is no safety issue in lying to the app.

Perhaps an answer can be found with the help of the Rashbam on a recent daf (Bava Basra 82a). The Gemara discusses a situation in which one is unsure if he is obligated to bring Bikkurim, the first fruits. The uncertainty exists in a situation where one bought fruit trees from his neighbor. The crux of the issue is whether the buyer owns the land under his trees. If he does, then he is obligated to bring bikkurim. If he does not, then he is exempt. The Gemara suggests a simple solution. He should just bring Bikkurim without reciting the accompanying declaration: “Wherefore I now bring the first fruits of the soil which You Hashem have given me.” (Devarim 26:10). The implication of the declaration would be that he owns the soil, which may not be true. Therefore, he omits the recitation but still brings the first fruit. The Gemara then questions, why can’t he recite the declaration? After all, it is a pasuk in the Torah. Either he is obligated to say it, or if not, he is simply reciting Torah verses!

The Gemara answers that he can’t because it appears he is saying a falsehood! On the possibility that he does not own the land under the trees, he is lying when he says he does. The Rashbam says this violates the pasuk in Tehillim, “Who speaks lies, will not be established before my eyes” (101:7) Why didn’t the Rashbam cite the verse in the Torah, “M’dvar sheker tirchak”?

Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, suggested that the Rashbam holds like the Sefer Yerei’im. The Yerei’im says that the prohibition of “m’dvar sheker tirchak” only applies when it is a lie that can lead to harming or causing damage to one’s fellow. However, if there is no damage that can result from the lie, then it is only a virtue, not a prohibition. In our situation of Bikkurim, no one is harmed if he falsely says to Hashem that he owns land when he really does not. Therefore, the Rashbam quoted a different pasuk. There is a distinct and separate prohibition of lying to Hashem.

According to the Yerei’im, one can lie to his computer if there are no safety issues involved. However, there is another dimension to this issue.

The Gemara (Yevamos 63a) recounts an incident involving Rav and his wife. Rav was annoyed because whenever he asked his wife to make lentils, she made peas, and when he asked for peas, she made lentils. Their son, Chiya, came up with a clever solution. He would reverse his father’s request when relaying it to his mother. For example, if Rav asked for lentils, Chiya would tell his mother that his father wanted peas. This way, his mother would make lentils, which is exactly what his father wanted. When Rav noticed an improvement in his relationship with his wife, Chiya revealed the truth to him. Rav admonished his son, warning that this behavior was wrong, and quoted a verse from Yirmiyahu (9:5), “They have taught their tongue to speak lies.”

The Maharsha questions why Rav told his son not to lie for the sake of marital harmony. Two pages later (65b), the Gemara specifically states that one is permitted to lie for marital harmony! The Gemara goes even further and states that Hashem “lied” for the sake of marital harmony between Avrohom and Sara! They were tzaddikim and had been married for years. They surely had a great marriage. Yet, even for the sake of a little more peace, one is permitted to lie. Chiya was lying to make peace between his father and mother. This is the textbook example of when lying is permitted!

The Maharsha explains that Chiya was constantly lying. Every day, he had to falsely inform his mother about what his father wanted for supper. Constant lying can have a deeply negative effect on one’s soul. If Chiya had only lied once or twice, it would be acceptable, but the continuous falsehoods were the issue.

Perhaps constantly lying, even to a computer, can have a negative impact on one’s soul. By doing so, one is training his tongue to speak falsehood. While it may not fall under the specific category of m’dvar sheker tirchak, it should still be avoided if possible.