Q&A: Deception / Misleading Impression
Deception / Misleading Impression.
Question
During my studies at the university, I had several occasions to submit an appeal regarding a grade I received on an exam (by the way, most of the appeals were successful). When I submit an appeal, I write in the feminine form, on the assumption—perhaps mistaken—that it will be more effective that way. My question is whether this is permitted, or whether there is concern here about creating a misleading impression.
Answer
It seems to me that there is no clear-cut prohibition here. Perhaps it is considered lying, whose halakhic status is not entirely clear—but not creating a misleading impression, because that refers to concealing information that the other person is entitled to know, and that is not the case here.
If you have a real concern that there is favoritism, then a person may take the law into his own hands, and it would be permitted. But I very much doubt that you are right.