DEUT963 The fourth category [of liars]--One who lies when repeating what he has heard [from others,] deliberately changing some of the facts. He gains no benefit from his lying, nor causes loss to others; nonetheless, he acts this way out of a love for falsehood, rather than speaking everlasting righteousness [Tehillim 52:5; i.e., the truth]. Sometimes he [even] fabricates the entirety of what he recounts! In one respect, the punishment of such a person is less severe, since he has caused no loss to another through his lies and rashness [Yirmeyahu 23:32; i.e., through his flippant attitude]. But he is severely punished for his audacity and his love a falsehood; and his transgression is a heavy one, for he loves it [for its own sake] without deriving benefit. Shlomo, a"h, said (Mishlei 6:19), "One who speaks lies, a false witness." What this means is: if you see a person speaking lies in his conversations and when recounting things, know that this quality will bring him to give false testimony against his brother--to testify something totally fictitious about him [Devarim 19:16; see Rashi] -- due to his love of falsehood. (Continued at [[GEN1607]] Genesis 50:16 message GATES 367)
SHOW FULL EXCERPT