[Avodah] Telling All of the Truth About Great Men

[Moshe Y. Gluck]

R' YL: 
> Is it really the Torah approach to "cover up"
> things that do not fit with the conceptions that
> some of how a gadol is supposed to be? I think
> that the answer is a resounding "No!"

It would seem to me that when the Torah (i.e., Hashem) decided to share
something negative about an otherwise great man one should not second guess
its (i.e., His) judgment. But when a biographer decides to share something
negative, he should be very careful to make sure that his judgment is as
good as the Torah's. (He should also make sure that he has a different
p'shat in the Gemara in Berachos 19a, Kol Hamesaper Achar Matasan (or,
Mitasan) Shel Talmidei Chachamim Nofel B'Gehenom.)

KT,
MYG