Our Gemara on Amud Aleph recounts a halachic discussion where Rabbi Yochanan’s colleagues challenge a teaching attributed to him, asking, “Did you indeed say this?” He replies, “I did not.” In fact, he had said it but later reversed his position (see Rashi).
Rabbi Yochanan’s denial, despite his retraction, raises the question of whether sources may be falsified for a “higher truth,” such as preserving the Torah’s honor. Aruch Laner (ibid) and Ritvah (ibid) suggest that Rabbi Yochanan’s student, Rabbah bar Chanah, altered the truth to protect his master’s honor.
Modern notions of truth and transparency don’t align with ancient mindsets. The Talmud often withholds or alters truth for various purposes such as to enforce an idea or to prevent transgression by the less learned. For example, in Eiruvin (51a), Rabbah attributes a halacha to Rav Yose for authority, though Rav Yose didn’t say it. A striking source, Tanna Debei Eliyahu Rabbah, reveals something remarkable about Moshe Rabbenu:
I testify with heaven and earth as my witnesses that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not tell Moses to stand at the gate of the camp and say, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me,” nor to have each man put his sword on his thigh and kill his brother, his friend, and his kin, nor did He say, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel…” Rather, Moses reasoned on his own and said in his heart: “If I say to Israel, ‘Each man kill his brother, his friend, and his kin,’ Israel will make a kal vachomer and say to me, ‘Did you not teach us, our teacher, in the Sanhedrin, that if a single soul from Israel is killed once in a week, it is called a destroyer? Why then are you killing three thousand in one day?’” Therefore, he attributed it to the honor of the One above and said, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Each man put his sword on his thigh…” (Exodus 32:27). What follows? Since he spoke in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, immediately, “the sons of Levi did as Moses commanded” (Exodus 32:28).
Remarkably, even Moshe, the unimpeachable source of Torah, misrepresented his source for a noble purpose.
Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation 
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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com