You may tell part of a man's praise in his presence and all of it in his absence

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You may tell part of a man's praise in his presence and all of it in his absence

You may tell part of a man's praise in his presence and all of it in his absence

One should only partially praise a person in their presence to avoid causing arrogance or embarrassment, but may fully praise them when they are not present.

“The Lord said to Noah: For you I have seen righteous before Me — from this we learn that one may tell part of a man’s praise in his presence, but all of it in his absence.” — Genesis Rabbah 32

Translation

Expression (Hebrew)

אוֹמְרִים מִקְצַת שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּפָנָיו וְכֻלּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו

Definition (Hebrew)

יֵשׁ לְשַׁבֵּחַ אֶת הָאָדָם בְּנוֹכְחוּתוֹ רַק בְּצוּרָה חֶלְקִית וְלֹא בְּצוּרָה מְלֵאָה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְגָּאֶה אוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בִּמְבוּכָה.

"וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לְנֹחַ כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי — אָמַר ר' אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה: מָצִינוּ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים מִקְצָת שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּפָנָיו, וְכֻלּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו" — בְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (וִילְנָא) פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ פָּרָשָׁה לֵב, וְכֵן:

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