[Avodah] Even vaAven -- pratical applications

[Lisa Liel]

On 8/19/2013 11:04 AM, Kenneth Miller wrote:
> The first paragraph here was very surprising to me, that we must not attempt to deceive even ourselves. But in light of the second paragraph, I think it makes a great deal of sense.
>
> It's hard for me to imagine a case like he suggested, where a person's bathroom scale shows him to weigh less than he really does, because people tend not to be fooled by such things. On the other hand, it's *not* that hard for me to imagine someone's scale being set to show him as *heavier* than the truth, as an incentive to diet better. Yet that too would seem to be wrong according to Rabbi Haber.
>    

Some people recommend that you use a smaller plate when eating so that 
the amount of food seems greater.  It's a useful technique when trying 
to cut down on food quantities.  Would that be an issue as well?

> And then a VERY common situation came to mind: People who set their wristwatches to be 5 or 10 minutes fast, in the hopes that this will help to keep them prompt for their schedules. It may be effective, but I wonder if the Netziv and Klei Yakar might disapprove.
>    

That's an excellent example.  I do this myself.  And if you know someone 
who is always late and you tell them to be there by 5:45 when you really 
want them to be there by 6, knowing that they'll probably *still* not 
make it by 6, would that be an issue as well?

Lisa