The Impropriety Of Flattery
“They Flattered King Agrippas”
(Sotah 41b)
The Gemara discusses the severe prohibition against flattery, and goes so far as to say that as a punishment for the Sages flattering King Agrippas improperly, they became liable for destruction. The source for this prohibition is from the verse, “Do not pollute the land” (Bamidbar 35:33). Our Sages explain that the Hebrew word for pollute, chanufa, can also mean flattery (Sifri, 161). This refers to flattering the wicked (Ramban, ibid). Some Rishonim (Reishis Chochma; Shaar Kedusha ch. 12; Orchos Chaim by the Rosh, 103) rule that it is also forbidden to excessively flatter a righteous person, with the selfish motivation of receiving some benefit from him. However, if one’s motive is to make the righteous person feel good, this is not only permitted; it is actually a mitzvah.
Flattering the Wealthy
The Ben Ish Chai (Rav Pa’alim IV, O.C. 4) writes against the custodians of the shuls in Baghdad, who would flatter the wealthy by making an exaggerated display of attention to them in shul when they would celebrate a bris milah, and omit Tachanun for their sake even if the bris was not held in shul.
Undue Titles of Respect
The S’dei Chemed was very careful never to give anyone an undue title of respect, for fear of transgressing the prohibition against flattery. He writes (v. III, “ches” 140) that for this reason, he decided never to attach any titles to the names of people to whom he wrote halachic correspondence. However, he changed this practice when he realized that this seemed demeaning to the people who truly deserved such titles. People were so sorely offended that when the time came for the S’dei Chemed to print his teshuvos, the publishers were told to add titles of respect to the names of the distinguished Rabbonim mentioned in his letters. They decided to add the title, “HaRav HaGaon,” to every single name mentioned, in order not to offend anyone.
However, there were many unworthy people also mentioned in these letters. Once the letters were published, these people displayed the letters as proof that the S’dei Chemed held highly of them, causing a terrible chillul Hashem. The S’dei Chemed decided that from then on, he would give each person the customary title of respect appropriate to his position. Although these titles were sometimes exaggerated, the S’dei Chemed held that flattering the righteous is not prohibited; it is only improper. In order to avoid offending people, it is sometimes best to be improper.
Flattering One’s Wife
It is interesting to note that the Reishis Chochma, in fact, advises flattering one’s wife, even insincerely, to promote peace in the home. This does not violate the prohibition against flattery.
