A White Lie ?

B"H

Parashat Vayeira teaches us that Sarah is laughing when she hears the angel saying that she will bear a child. Bear child at Avraham's and her age ? That's ridiculous.

According to Talmud Bava Metzia 87a she said at that very moment: "And my husband is old !"
But when G - d told Avraham about the incident, He turned around her words: "And I (Sarah) have grown old".

But is not anyone obligated to tell the truth and especially G - d Himself ?

Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz commentates that Sarah's original comment might have caused a dispute between her and Avraham. Each of us has to secure harmony between people. People should react wisely and not always tell the whole truth when a relationship or a friendship is in danger.

However, this does not mean that everyone can turn around the truth and later claim that his only intention was not to cause distress. Each of us should be wise enough to know what to say or not to say in certain situations.