Geneivat Da'at: Theft of the Mind

Art: Jacek Yerka

by Rabbi Eli Mansour

The Torah in parshas Mishpatim denounces as a thief not only one who steals property but also someone who acts in a deceptive manner towards others.

Trickery, lying, and deceiving, are forms of stealing.

The Tosefta in Masechet Bava Batra lists seven categories of theft, and mentions at the top of the list, as the most grievous form of thievery, the sin of "Geneivat Da'at," which literally means "theft of the mind," referring to deception.

The Ritva (Rabbi Yom Tov Ashbili, Spain, 1250-1330), in his commentary to Masechet Chulin, writes that deceiving another person transgresses a Torah violation. According to the Ritva, the verse "Lo Tignovu" ("Do not steal" – Vayikra 19:11) refers specifically to this form of "theft," and thus a person who deceives another violates this Torah prohibition. This is also the position of the Yerei'im (by Rabbi Eliezer of Metz, France, 1115-1198), in Siman 124. Others, however, maintain that deception transgresses a Rabbinic edict, and not a Torah violation.

We present here a number of practical examples of Geneivat Da'at.

The Gemara mentions the example of somebody who invites his fellow to join him for a holiday, fully aware that this person had already made plans to spend the holiday elsewhere. He deceives his fellow into thinking that he sincerely wishes to host him, whereas in reality he has no actual intention to extend the invitation. Even though no practical harm results from this disingenuous invitation, it nevertheless violates the prohibition of Geneivat Da'at, insofar as the individual has deceived his fellow.

In the context of business operation, the issue of Geneivat Da'at arises quite frequently. For example, a proprietor may not announce a 50% price reduction and then raise the prices so that the sale price will amount to the item's actual price. Even though he in the end receives a fair price for the merchandise, he has nevertheless transgressed the prohibition of Geneivat Da'at because he has deceived the consumers.

The Poskim (Halachic authorities) discuss the question of whether a person who purchased a gift for his fellow at a discount price may leave the original price-tag on the package, so that the recipient will think he paid the price listed on the tag. Would this be considered Geneivat Da'at, in that the giver deceives the recipient into thinking that he paid a higher price for the gift? The Poskim generally conclude that one may leave the price-tag on the package, since the price on the tag is, after all, the true value of the item purchased.

Another question addressed by the Poskim concerns a case of one who wishes to give a gift. For example, it is forbidden to gift a set of Zohar that has several pages missing. The person giving the gift assumes that the recipient will never actually study the Zohar and will thus never realize that the set is missing pages. The Poskim write that it is forbidden to give this set as a gift, since one thereby deceives the recipient into thinking that he has received a perfect set of Zohar, whereas in reality it is defective.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Russia-New York, 1895-1986) records in his work Iggerot Moshe a question he was asked as to whether Yeshiva High School students may be shown the answers to the Regents' Exams before the tests, so that they will not have to study the material and could use the extra time for Torah study. Rabbi Feinstein responds by expressing his astonishment over the very posing of such a question. Cheating is a clear violation of Geneivat Da'at, and it cannot possibly be allowed even for the purpose of facilitating additional time for Torah study.

Rabbenu Yona of Gerona, Spain (1180-1263), in his work Sha'arei Teshuva, compares one who steals property committing a sin with his hands to sins involving deceit. A person's soul, he explains, is a part of the Almighty Himself, the embodiment of perfect, unadulterated truth. Engaging in deceitful conduct contaminates this Godly quality of the soul, and thus constitutes a most grievous sin, more severe than the theft of property.

Summary: Geneivat Da'at, deception, is deemed by Halacha as the most grievous form of theft.

Moshiach ben Yosef and Sharon in Torah Code

Yud Shvat: Death of Ariel Sharon

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has died on a most auspicious date for Lubavitchers: Yud Shvat [10 Shvat] - the 64th anniversary of the passing of sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, and the 63rd anniversary of the beginning of the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe's tenure as Head of Chabad.  

For those who like to calculate: this date gives us 38 weeks until Yom Kippur 5775 [the term of a pregnancy].

As Yeranen Yaakov blogged:  [from The Forward] ''Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812) was the founder of Chabad and was its first rabbi (Alter Rebbe, as the Lubavitch refer to him). He was the genius of Torah, responsible for the Tanya. In his book “Maamarei Admor Hazakein,” the old rabbi offered his own calculation: the Hebrew year of 5775, the year that will begin in September 2014.''

As mentioned previously in a couple of earlier posts below, Ariel Sharon's death is the ''key'' to Moshiach.... Rabbi Kaduri zt'll stated that Moshiach will not come until after the death of Sharon.

Im yirtze Hashem..... 

Parshas HaMon - Segula for Parnossa

Art: Heidi Malott

Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Riminov [1745-1815], a disciple of the Holy Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, instructed everyone to read "Parshat HaMann" specifically on the Yom Shlishi [Tuesday] of Parshat [Torah portion of] Beshalach in the "Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum" format, i.e. reading the Hebrew verses twice and the Aramaic translation of Onkelos once.   This year it will occur today Tuesday 7 January.

Not to be confused with the evil villain of the Purim story, Parshat haMann [The Chapter of the Manna] is found in the 16th Chapter of the Book of Exodus: verses 4-36. This Chapter details the episode of the miraculous "Manna" [bread from heaven] that sustained the Children of Israel during their 40-year journey in the desert.

Rav Yosef Caaro, the "mechaber" [compiler] of the monumental Halachic text, the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 1:5, instructs us to recite it daily. Other giants of Halacha also point to the importance of reciting it daily: The Tur 1; Aruch Hashulchan 1:22; Shulchan Aruch HaRav 1:9.

By so doing, every Jew acknowledges that his/her livelihood comes from only from Hashem. Reciting the Parshat HaMann daily strengthens one's Emuna and Bitachon [belief and trust] in HASHEM, and is a "Segula for Parnassa" [auspicious for having a healthy income].

To read Parshat haMann in Hebrew [with the Aramaic translation of Onkelos], please visit: Tefillos.com

English version here: Ou.org

Read more at: Zchus Avos and Why Parshas Hamon is recited on Tuesday

Torah Code: Ariel Sharon

Rabbi Glazerson has uploaded a Torah Code showing ''Ariel Sharon / brain haemmorhage / 5766 / 5774 as well as mention of the expulsion from Gush Katif.

Ariel Sharon, Moshiach and The Eighth Year

On January 4, 2006  Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke and went into a coma, from which he has never woken up. Now suffering renal failure, his condition continues to deteriorate.

January 4, 2006 until now: Eight years.  

As Devash speculates: Maybe "in the eighth year Ben David comes" is counting from when Sharon-Israel fell mortally wounded [5766], never to rise again.

Also see: Yeranen Yaakov and Dreaming of Moshiach

Snow: A Sign from the Heavens

HT: Rabbi Yossi Mizrachi   and Dr. Miguel Quaresma Brandão, Portugal

The daily page of the gemara learning [Daf Yomi] speaks about snow in Yerushalayim in the month of Tevet on ''erev Shabbat'' [Friday] - the exact day of the snowstorm in Israel coincided with the topic in the Gemara..  

בס"ד Daf Yomi - ''A sign from heaven" (where the snow comes from) that the fast of Asarah be''Teves [the 10th of Tevet] BEH is soon coming to an end!

The Ninth of the Ninth

The Ninth of the Ninth: a most auspicious time to daven for all good things.

Rav Chaim Vital, in the introduction to his work Eitz Hachaim, writes: The sefer Bris Menuchah was written by an early-generation tzaddik to whom Eliyahu Hanavi appeared and revealed secrets, among them the following secrets:

“Once every fifty years, the ninth year of yovel arrives and in it the ninth month, and in it the ninth day, and in it the ninth hour – whereupon all the wheels in the upper worlds are agitated and ‘Your good treasure house upon us do open’ is fulfilled.

“During these fateful moments, an incredible abundance of yeshuos [salvation] is poured into this world. Hakadosh Baruch Hu opens the heavens and is mashpia salvation, joyful events, communal yeshuos and individual ones, Torah, good health, parnassah, zivugim, marital harmony, children, and nachas from the children.”

The key to the abundance of the coming fifty years can be found in these moments.

“It is auspicious for success,” our sefarim say about this hour.

“It is a time of joy and gladness,” the Ramban writes.

“It is a pipeline of abundance,” writes the author of Bris Menuchah.

Out of fifty years – out of all the years, months, days, and hours – there is one solitary hour that never repeats itself, about which it is written, “This is the choicest of all hours and auspicious for all abundance.” What is obtainable during this hour is unattainable at any other time.

Maran Hagaon Harav Wosner, shlit”a, the posek hador, said to the people of Kupat Ha’ir who went to consult with him on the topic of “the ninth of the ninth”:“In Shamayim, they agreed to this eis ratzon.”

Four years ago, Kupat Ha’ir discovered the segulah of the ninth of the ninth. That’s when it became known that “nine” was a very auspicious number in Yiddishkeit. Nine is like the key to the pipelines of abundance in Shamayim. The more “nines” that come together, the more locks to the very highest heichalos of abundance fall away. Because this is what is written in the sefer Bris Menuchah, written by the saintly Tanna’im:

Regarding the source of the segulah, we learned beyond the shadow of a doubt that this is from the mekoros that throughout the generations all the tzaddikim without exception endorsed and confirmed, and so this is indeed a rare, supernatural hour.

Kupat Ha’ir asked the rabbanim, each of whom spent many hours calculating. After Kupat Ha’ir received all the various opinions, we discovered something truly astonishing: There are nine minutes that are definitely, according to all calculations, part of the big eis ratzon described in our holy sefarim.

This year, 5774, is the first time since the “Ninth of the Ninth” segulah became known to the public, that all the factors are coming true! This is the first time, and also the last in the next fifty years. Because this year, according to many Rishonim, is the ninth year of the yovel!

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, writes in his peirush, Derech Emunah (siman katan 137) that the year 5756 is the 40th year of the yovel, and 5765 is yovel.

The ninth year of the yovel, so auspicious to receive G-dly shefa, is this year, 5774!

In the heart of that special hour, there will be nine minutes during which, according to all calculations, Hashem chooses to open all His treasure houses to anyone who comes prepared with vessels to contain the goodness.

Very soon, abundant bounty will flow in all the worlds. Don’t be left behind!

Daven on Tuesday, November 12, 9 Kislev from 1:44 pm - 1:53 pm Israel time

To calculate the time in your part of the world click here

Source and full article, click here : --- Kupat HaIr