2806 —איסור עדות שקר אפילו בלי הפסד לנאשם

B"H, 12 Tammuz, 5714.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Avraham Yaakov Neimark

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Your letter from the 15th of Sivan was received. In these auspicious days, the days of redemption of the Rebbe Rayatz, head of Israel, may Hashem grant success to each and every one that as the head goes, so goes the body. From now on, obstacles in spreading Judaism in general—and in supporting and expanding the matters and institutions in which the Rebbe Rayatz toiled—will decrease and be nullified. May we walk in his paths.

Blessings.

P.S. Regarding what you wrote in your letter about the content of the prohibition "Lo Ta'aneh Ve'Rei'acha" (do not bear false witness against your fellow), which you analyzed in your book sections 4 and 5, and that you found in Ramban on Devarim 5:12 that this applies even when nothing is obligated by Beit Din—not as Minchat Chinuch mitzvah 37 challenged him. Even more is proven by Chizkuni there: wherever it says "witness," even a single witness is included in this prohibition. Now, Ramban on Torah and Chizkuni are commentators, not halachic deciders; but this view appears in early Geonic responsa section 3 (and similarly in Shaarei Tzedek responsa section 7:48, R. Yosef Ibn Migash responsa section 166), unlike Sefer Yereim section 243, Sefer Mitzvot Gadol negative commandment 216, Sefer Mitzvot Katan section 235 (and similarly Milchemet Hashem by Ramban at end of Sanhedrin—not like his Torah commentary). Tumim Klalei Migo sub-section 52—see also R.Y.P. Perla's commentary to Sefer HaMitzvot of Rav Saadia Gaon negative commandment 34 for an extensive discussion. See there.

Also note from Yerushalmi Sanhedrin at its end—as brought in the above commentary—that "Lo Ta'aneh Ve'Rei'acha" also refers to the Holy One Blessed Be He.

According to my explanation regarding "Yoma D'Shuta," it is also precise that the Gemara uses the expression "HaIdna"—meaning the time of the Amoraim.

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies that bearing false witness is prohibited even when no loss results for the defendant, referencing multiple sources and interpretations to support this view and encouraging diligence in upholding truthfulness as a core value in both legal and spiritual life.