I always thought that when chazal tell us that one need not be 100% truthful to maintain shalom, it was to maintain shalom between others. For example, in order to maintain shalom between avram and sara, the ribbono shel olam changed saras statement when speaking to avram. Or, as chazal tell us, Aaron Hakohen would go to each party and tell them the other party is sorry and wants to make up, again, for the sake of shalom between people. Simply lying to my wife where I’ve been so that I can weasel out of some housework and maintain shalom with my wife, is lying, not maintaining shalom. Then again, thats what I thought, but I really have no firm basis or proof for it.
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