"I was not concerned about getting into legal trouble. A disclaimer (i.e. "I'm translating the document, not vouching for its authenticity", or some such) takes care of that. I could easily find a halakhic loophole as well (I do not want to get into it because it would necessitate revealing too many details of the case). It's just the wrong thing to do. It's unethical to be involved with fraud. End of story.I think that this way of thinking is more mature than thinking that "G-d will provide" or "G-d will make this up" or "G-d something something." What if not? Does doing the right thing have to bring the inner satisfaction?
At a different stage in my life, I would have taken solace in the fact that God would somehow pay me back, right here in this world, for my behavior. I don't think like that anymore. I tend to think, rather, that "No good deed goes unpunished." So where's the comfort? I spent a whole day working on a project, and ignoring my kids who, like me, had the day off.
I wish to make it perfectly clear that this decision has not given me some type of inner peace. I do not feel good for having "done the right thing." If anything, it has made me very agitated. I wasted a day and pissed away about $350. And I am not blessed with the gift of absolute certainty that, in this case, would at least have granted me the confidence that I am doing what is right in the eyes of God and man. No such luck."
Also, notice that he could have translated the document and got paid for it using a halachik loophole, as he mentioned. I guess in that regard he's not like a guy I know who said, "What's so immoral with not paying taxes?!" I'm sure that guy eats only handmade shmurah matzah on Pesach, but sells his chametz; uses Prozbul, but not heter mechirah. I guess he has a loophole for cheating on taxes as well, as long as it fits his hashkafah, since his hashkafah determines his morality. Oh well...
Gives something to think about...
5 comments:
comment above deleted for revealing personal information and writing messages directed to me exclusively.
To clarify previous post, the rabbis decreeed Din malchusah - dina, out of fear of retribution, not because there is an ethical imperative to follow the laws of the state you live in. Therefore in itself I don't find complying with tax authority a moral obligation. That does not mean that there are not a host of other reasons why one should be honest with his taxes.
Well ofcourse one should be honest on his taxes. It falls under the category of not stealing or lying both part of the Aseret HaDibrot.
As a Modern Orthodox Jew I'm saddened by charedi elements who will denigrade me for sending my child to a Mizrachi school or having a television set, but have no idea that being a Torah Jew also requires one to be a good citizen of whatever country you live in. I reckon the greatest rabbi of the 20th century, Rav Ben Zion Uziel, would have agreed with that and I can't imagine either Rav S.R. Hirsch or Rav Y.B. Soleveitchik suggesting otherwise either.
It's not easy to listen to your conscience. I believe it is here that G-d speaks to us. And He says things that are not purposely painful or hard, but only that way because we have a natural tendency towards an easier course like water flowing downhill. Man can walk uphill and often must to see the whole of the land, or his own life.
Where I work, we have a product whose marketing, positioning, and representation I can only describe as deceptive at best and fraudulent at worst. Nevertheless, I silently sit back and recuse myself from it, not mentioning it, and trying to reduce my complicity to a sin of omission.
It doesn't make it hurt a lot less, but if I take a stand, I will ultimately lose my job and thus my family supporting income, and be essentially blackballed in my field, and thus destroy a large portion of my family's future. Were I single and traveling light, it would be different.
I've made peace with G-d in that I've already told Him that should I merit punishment for this compromise with my morality, then please make sure it is on my head alone. Some sacrifices we make for our families run a lot deeper than just money. Some run deep as the farthest you can get from heaven.
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