Silence is not Always Golden

Towards the end of פרשת ויקרא , the Torah tells us that when one sees a crime being committed, he has an obligation to testify about what he saw. If he doesn’t testify, ונשא עונו, he will carry a sin.

The חפץ חיים, Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan, was famous for his writings on לשון הרע, and how we must guard our tongues. Nevertheless, there were instances where he felt that, “Silence is not golden.” These were situations where one knew that his friend was about to get involved in a business deal with a shady character. He must warn his friend to protect him from getting cheated.

Rabbi Twerski felt that this was especially true with Shidduchim. If one knows that one side is withholding information, that if revealed after the marriage, could be devastating, he must speak up. We know how difficult matchmaking is these days, but there are times when one must speak up. Concealing genetic diseases or mental health disorders, should not be swept under the carpet.

There is a Halacha regarding the nullification of vows, where we might release the individual of his vow, if he claims, “ Had I known that this was the situation, I never would have made that vow.”

We must be fair and honest. We must know when not to speak, but we must also know that there are times when we have an obligation to speak up.