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Torah Portion -
Shemini
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Written by d fine
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As Rashi makes clear (10:20), Moshe admitted that he had erred in a certain law in our sedra. In Rashi’s words ‘he admitted and was not embarrassed to say that he had not heard this (correct ruling).’ We see from here the tremendous importance of sticking to the truth no matter what. Even though Moshe knew that this moment would go down in history as the moment that Moshe did not know the correct law, he still admitted that he was wrong. For it’s about truth - not about one’s own personal ego. It is better to admit the truth than try to save face and make up a lie. Rabbi Akiva Eiger’s gilyon ha’shas in Brachos 25b counts the incredible 45 times (approx) that Rashi on Shas comments with the words ‘I do not know what this means.’ Rashi did not have to inform us that he did not know; he could have not written anything and saved the ink. But Rashi did open his mouth (well, his quill) and told us several times ‘I do not know,’ thereby showing his total and utter commitment to truth, to honesty, and to integrity.
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