EXOD852 Without truth, human society and human relationships cannot long endure. A customer must be able to trust the seller from whom he or she makes a purchase. A homeowner has to assume that the tradesperson will do an honest job in repairing his or her home. A client has to believe his or her lawyer. A patient must trust his or her doctor. Unless people tell each other the truth, our most basic relationships will disintegrate. It is not surprising that Judaism places great emphasis upon the importance of telling the truth. The Torah says: "Keep far from falsehood" [this verse]. The Talmud says that "the seal of God is truth" (Shabbat 55a). And after we die, the Midrash says that each one of us will stand in judgment before God, and the first question we will be asked is "Were you honest in your dealings with each person?" (Talmud Shabbat 31a). [Author then lists thirteen Jewish sources on telling the truth).