מדרש על שמות 23:7

(Fol. 16b) Our Rabbis were taught: What do we sing in praise of a bride when dancing before her? Beth Shammai says: "A bride [describing her] as she actually is." Beth Hillel, however, says: "A handsome and graceful bride." Beth Shammai then said unto Beth Hillel: "Suppose the bride is lame or blind, should it then also be said to her, 'a handsome and graceful bride.' Behold, the Torah says (Ex. 23, 7) Keep thyself far from false speech." Whereupon Beth Hillel replied: "According to your opinion, when one buys a bad bargain at the market should one commend it in the eyes of the owner, or should one point out its fault in the presence of the owner? Surely, you will say that one should commend it in the eyes of the owner." From this originates the saying of the sages: "At all times should man's disposition be pleasant in associating with men." When R. Dimi came from [the land of Israel] he said: "Thus they usually sing before a bride in the land of Israel. "There is neither paint, nor polish, nor hair dyeing, and nevertheless she is a graceful gazelle.'"

Our Rabbis were taught: Whence do we infer that the judge must not favor either party with his speech? It is said (Ex. 23, 7) Keep thee far from a false matter; furthermore, whence do we infer that he shall not enter discussion with an ignorant disciple in a case [so that he might not be misled by the latter]? It is said again, Keep thee far from a false matter. Whence do we infer that the judge, being aware that the party is a robber and there being only one witness, or a plain witness, being aware that the party is a robber, must not conjoin with the latter? It is therefore said, Keep thee far from a false matter. Whence do we infer that if the judge notices the witnesses testifying falsely, that he shall not say to himself: I will decide the case in accordance with their evidence according to the law and the collar will remain on the neck of the witnesses? (Fol. 31) It is said Keep thee far from a false matter. Whence do we infer that if a disciple sits before his teacher and observes a different treatment for the poor, or an accusation for the rich that he must not be silent? It is said, Keep thee far from a false matter. Whence do we infer that if a disciple sees his master error in his judgment, he must not say, I will wait until he issues his verdict and then I will disclose the error, thereby causing the issuance of another verdict, which will have to be done with the acknowledgment of my authority? It is therefore said, Keep thee far from false matter. Whence do we infer that the master shall not tell his disciple: "You are aware that I would not lie even if offered one hundred manas, but there is one who owes me a mana, and I have only one witness, it is but right that you appear in court, so that the defendant might think you, too, a witness, and I will thus get my mana," although he does not instruct his disciple to tell a lie, but begs him to stand and say nothing [thereby scaring his opponent]. The verse therefore reads, Keep thee far from a false matter. Furthermore, whence do we infer that if the plaintiff claims a mana, he must not claim two, with the intention that thereby he will cause the defendant to confess one, which partial confession will make him liable to a biblical oath, so that it will be possible for the plaintiff to include here in the oath also other claims which he may have against the defendant? It is said, Keep thee far from a false matter. Again whence do we know that the defendant must not say: "Since the plaintiff claims two, I will therefore not confess even the one I owe him in order to avoid the Biblical oath in which the plaintiff may include some other claims?" It is said, Keep thee far from a false matter. Whence do we further infer that when three persons claim one mana from one party, and there are no witnesses, they shall not institute one of themselves as the plaintiff and the other two as witnesses, thereby recovering the mana and dividing it among themselves? It is said, Keep thee far from a false matter. Again whence do we infer that if two appear before the court, one richly dressed in a cloak worth one hundred mana, and the other clad in rags, the court must instruct the former to go and dress like his contestant, or to dress him richly like himself? It is said, Keep thee far from a false matter. See Text, that also to hear a case in the absence of one litigant is prohibited both to the judge and litigant.