To Lie for the Sake of Honesty: Volume 6, Issue 16, Terumah
- Feb 19
- 1 min read
February 21, 2026; 4 Adar, 5786 Sponsored anonymously for the Refuah Shleimah of Yair Nissan Ben Sara
QUESTION: Dear Rabbi, I recently read an intriguing study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology (January 30, 2024), which found that in some situations, people may actually lie to seem more honest—even if it means losing money. For instance, lawyers who logged exceptionally long hours would sometimes report fewer billable hours so their clients wouldn't think they were being overcharged. Is this a permissible practice?
ANSWER: Before I respond, it is important to understand how law firm billing works...