אֵין הַנַּחְתּוֹם מֵעִיד עַל עִסָּתוֹ

ביטוי (אנגלית)

No baker admits his dough is sour

הגדרה (אנגלית)

The baker cannot testify about his own dough. Figuratively: A person cannot praise the product he has made because he is not objective and will likely not tell the whole truth about it, or may hide its faults (baker means a baker. See also: 'Wretched is the dough whose baker testifies that it is bad').

(Among them it is said by the Holy One, blessed be He: Before I created man, I knew (Genesis 8) that the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth. Woe to the dough whose baker testifies about it that it is bad - Numbers Rabbah (Vilna), Parshat Naso, section 13. Also: Rabbi Chiyya Rabbah said, 'Wretched is the dough whose baker testifies that it is bad' - Genesis Rabbah (Vilna), Parshat Noach, section 34. Also: 'And with God's help in wisdom I built my house. I labored and found. For it is full of all goodness and nothing is lacking. And I grew and added to adorn its markets with the fruits of Gennesaret. And yet, no person sees his own faults. And no baker testifies about his dough' - Responsa Beit Ephraim, Orach Chaim, introduction. Also: 'All of America stands on advertising... every merchant may praise his goods... every baker testifies about his dough' - Shalom Aleichem / We Go from Strength to Strength, his name.)