One who lies shall not be established before my eyes”
(Tehillim 101:7)
Hashem’s seal is truth (Shabbat 55a)
Rava says that Yerushalayim was de&“stroyed because people stopped telling the truth (Shabbat 119b)
Four groups will not receive the Shechinah… the group of liars… (Sotah 42a)
Rabbi Elazar says, “He who speaks falsehood is akin to one who worships idols” (Sanhedrin 92a)
>Rabbi Simon says: When Hakadosh Baruch Hu decided to create Adam Harishon, the angels were divided in their opinions. Some said Adam should not be created, while others said he should. This is what is meant by the pasuk, “Kindness and Truth have met; Righteousness and Peace have kissed.” Kindness said that man should be created, for he will practice acts of kindness. Truth said that he should not be created, for he would be full of falsehood. Righteousness said he should be created, for he would do acts of righteousness. Peace said he should not be created, for he would cause dissention.
What did Hashem do? He threw Truth to the ground, as it says, “You sent Truth earthward.” The ministering angels then asked Hashem, “Why do You insult Your signet? Raise Truth from the ground.” Thus, it says, “Truth will grow from the ground.” Our Sages say in the names of Rabbi Chanina bar Idi and Rabbi Pinchas, and Rabbi Chilkiya says in the name of Rabbi Simon, “The word מאד (very) refers to אדם (man). Therefore, it says, “And Elokim saw all that He did and behold! It was very good.” This means to say that man is good. Rabbi Huna said, “While the angels were arguing, Hashem went ahead and created man” (Bereishit Rabbah 8).
Rav Baivi asks in the name of Rabbi Reuven, “What is truth?” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says, “The letter א'is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter מ' is the middle letter, and the letter ת' is the last letter. These letters spell the word אמת (truth), Hashem’s seal. Hashem says, ‘I am first and I am last. I am not subservient to any other force, for I fill the entire world and have no duplicate’” (Shemot Rabbah, Parashah 4).
Hashem’s seal is truth, and the entire world endures because of this quality. At the beginning of Creation, we read בראשי*ת~ בר*א~ אלוקי*ם~, whose last letters spell אמת. Creation ends with the words בר*א~ אלוקי*ם~ לעשו*ת~, whose last letters also spell אמת. One who speaks falsely damages the entire world. Even if he deviates from the truth by a small amount, he causes untold damage. With the removal of just the letter א', the letter with the smallest numerical equivalent, the word מת (dead) remains. In contrast, one who is scrupulous to speak only the truth upholds the world, which is based on truth. Falsehood causes early death (Maharsha, Chiddushei Aggadot, Sanhedrin 97a).
