Negative commandment · Lo Ta’aseh #285 of 613
Not to give false testimony
שלא להעיד בשקר
The verse · Shemot 20:13
לֹא תִּֿרְצָח לֹא תִּֿנְאָף לֹא תִּֿגְנֹב לֹא־תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר
“Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”
The Rambam’s words
Not to give false testimony, as [Exodus 20:13] states: "Do not give false testimony against your neighbor."
שלא להעיד בשקר, שנאמר "לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְּרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר" (שמות כ, יב).
Why · Sefer HaChinuch #37
To not testify falsely
“The root of this commandment is revealed, as falsehood is “disgraceful and vile” in the eye of any intelligent one; also because the world stands upon true testimony, since all [types] of arguments can be [settled by] the testimony of people.”
Who & when
“And [it] is practiced in every place and at all time by males, but not by females.”
Where in the Mishneh Torah
Hilchot Testimony הלכות עדות