DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 532 KB)
The Disqualification of “Shameless” People From Serving as Witnesses

Among the groups of people whom Halacha disqualifies from serving as witnesses is that of "Bezuyim," meaning, people who act in a self-degrading, shameless manner. Such people are disqualified from serving as witnesses "Mi’de’rabbanan" (by force of Rabbinic enactment).

An example of this kind of character is somebody who regularly eats full meals while walking through the street. Eating meals – such as a sandwich, or pizza – while walking through the street is considered undignified, and reflects a lack of self-respect. Therefore, somebody who conducts himself in this manner on a regular basis may not serve as a witness. This also applies to people who do not wear proper clothing outdoors, while they work or conduct their personal affairs. Such people who show no concern for their personal dignity are looked upon not as people, but as animals. As such, we cannot trust them to speak truthfully in court, and they are therefore disqualified from serving as witnesses.

This reminds us of the importance of selecting as witnesses (such as at weddings and the like) people who maintain high standards of ethical and refined conduct. Even those who do not commit specific Torah violations are unsuitable for this role if they regularly act in an unbecoming and undignified manner.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
The Beracha Aharona Recited Over Cheesecake and Pies
Determining the Minimum Amount of Cake Upon Which One Must Recite "Al Ha'mihya"
Washing One's Hands Before Eating a Food Dipped in Liquid
If One Recited a Beracha Over Cheese and Then Remembered That He Had Recently Eaten Meat
Is a Beracha Pronounced "Bore Peri" or "Bore Feri"?
Must One Recite a Beracha Over Cooked Fruit Eaten for Dessert?
Reciting a Beracha Over a Cooked Fruit or Vegetable
The Beracha Over Juice Extracted by Cooking a Fruit or Vegetable
The Beracha Over Mashed Potatoes, Apple Sauce, Homemade Jam and Mashed Avocado
Which Beracha Does One Recite Over Pumpkin Seeds, Watermelon Seeds, and Sunflower Seeds?
Reciting the Beracha of "Ha'tob Ve'ha'metib" When Drinking Two Kinds of Wine
The Beracha Over Cognac and Diluted Wine
Reciting the Beracha of "Ha'tov Ve'ha'meitiv" Over a New Bottle of Wine
Which Beracha Does One Recite Over Papaya?
Which Beracha Does One Recite Over Mehshi and Yabra?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found