April 29, 2021; Iyar 17, 5781
Halacha – Jewish Law Question: May one deceive a friend for the opportunity to perform a Mitzvah? Answer: The Sha’arei Teshuvah (Orach Chaim, Section 482) quotes the Igeres Shmuel who says that Boaz saw through a prophesy that the lineage of Ruth would produce descendants that would lead to the kingship of David. Boaz desired to perform levirate marriage (Yibum) with Ruth to obtain the merit of becoming the progenitor of this most distinguished lineage. However, there was a next of kin to Ruth who was in line to perform Yibum ahead of Boaz. To discourage this next of kin, Boaz deceptively denigrated Ruth by calling her “the Moabite” (even though she had already converted to Judaism) when speaking about her to the next of kin, hoping he would decline to perform the Yibum. Indeed, that is what happened. The next of kin declined, and Boaz was now permitted to perform Yibum and merit to be the father of the lineage that would lead to the kingship of David...