stealing, theft, robbery, you name it
26
votes
7answers
819 views
Stealing wi-fi?
If someone's neighbor has wi-fi, can he connect into it? Is there an issue of stealing?
16
votes
6answers
281 views
Is it considered stealing to look at mi.yodeya while at work?
More generally, doing personal things like phone calls, emails, etc. while on company time. How far does the "everybody does it" rationale go? I believe there is some category in halakha that accounts ...
14
votes
3answers
309 views
Is ad-blocker software permissible?
Kalashnikover_Rebbe at hashkafah.com asks:
Isn't blocking ads stealing??? The people put them on the sites for a reason....
He elaborates:
On one hand the argument can be made that [forum ...
12
votes
2answers
322 views
Is it permitted to take extra food from a buffet?
If you're at a hotel and there is a buffet meal, and you can take as much as you want, is there any problem taking a few extra rolls or any of the food back to your room for later?
I assume if I'm not ...
10
votes
3answers
154 views
In the Bible, why did robbers bother tunneling into houses to rob them?
Exodus 22:1 speaks about the robber who was found "tunnelling in" to someone's house (vis-a-vis self-defense). Is that just a figure of speech, or did they actually go to that much trouble? (What ...
9
votes
2answers
432 views
Is downloading pirated music stealing?
Either way, it should be frowned upon as not a nice thing to do, but would it actually be assur?
8
votes
2answers
175 views
Stealing from a thief
If someone steals a previously stolen item from the thief is he guilty? Would it matter if he was stealing it only to return it to its original owner, or if the second thief was the original owner?
8
votes
1answer
95 views
Does one have to return the specific bills that one stole?
If one stole a hundred dollars in regular cash (e.g. no rare bill editions), and still has those bills, does he have to return those particular bills or can he return any hundred dollars?
8
votes
1answer
115 views
Cell Phone Jammers in Halacha
I could not imagine cell phone jammers would be מותר, but perhaps my gut-feeling is wrong...
Either way, I would be interested in knowing how they fit into halacha, and what the reasons behind ...
7
votes
2answers
127 views
Stealing from or causing damage to a third party to save life or limb
Suppose Fred is in danger of death or injury, and the most direct way to avoid that fate involves stealing or damaging property belonging to Ernie, an uninvolved person.
Examples:
Fred is being ...
7
votes
1answer
133 views
Marcus Jastrow Dictionary Copyright
Is the dictionary that he wrote still in copyright, or has it entered the public domain? If not, who owns the rights to it?
7
votes
1answer
68 views
Can you rely on the cashier?
If a cashier or other low level employee makes a financial decision in your favor ("keep the change" or "I'll let you use that coupon even if it expired" etc.), without checking with a manager/owner, ...
6
votes
3answers
109 views
Ben Noach Stealing less then a Perutah
The Medrash Rabbah בראשית ל''א ס''ק ה says that what the people of the Dor Hamabul did in order not to have to be punished by their courts is to steal less that a Prutah (minimal Monetary Value) which ...
6
votes
3answers
112 views
Is Dreidel gezeilah?
The Beit Yosef (Shuchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 370:2) forbids gabling as gezeilah derabanan. (The Rema permits gambling under certain circumstances.) With this in mind, is it permissible for Sepharadim ...
6
votes
2answers
74 views
What is the difference between Genaiva and Gezaila
The Torah or Talmud uses two terms for a thief -- the "Gonif", (which is the more familiar term) and the "Gazlin", and two corresponding terms for robbery "Genaiva" and "Gezaila". What is the ...
6
votes
5answers
331 views
Is it Gezel Sheinah for a teacher to wake up a student in class?
Yes, it's a little tongue-in-cheek, but it occurred to me while reading the question on stealing a parents tuition by skipping, and I think that there is a real benefit in the question.
Is it Gezel ...
5
votes
4answers
143 views
Ditch school: stealing?
If your parents pay for you to go to school and you ditch, is that stealing?
5
votes
1answer
62 views
Is it permissible to embarrass a thief?
Here's a story I witnessed:
Someone trying to get his car out of the public parking lot next to his building found his way out blocked by two cars parked right on the ramp out, whose owners went into ...
5
votes
2answers
208 views
Are robo-calls permitted?
A robo-call is an automated phone call that does not involve a human caller. The majority of these are uninvited solicitations (either for money or votes), and these are the ones I'm asking about. ...
5
votes
1answer
67 views
Maasar that was set aside, and then stolen
If a person sets aside his Maasar in a seperate account, which was then stolen, or the bank folded and now it is worthless, does he have an obligation to replenish this account, or once set aside he ...
5
votes
0answers
84 views
Is it halachically permissible to click on contextual ads with no intention of buying?
Contextual ads are those ads you see when you do a search on Google. The advertisers only pay if someone actually clicks on their ad. It seems "pashut" to me that clicking an ad if you know you're not ...
5
votes
0answers
83 views
Which beis din can declare items Hefker?
There is a rule that Hefker Beis Din Hefker, that a court can declare items ownerless.
What are the requirements for a Beis Din to declare items ownerless?
Are there any courts nowadays with such ...
5
votes
0answers
68 views
Is it acceptable to use software which incidentally blocks ads?
A question on this site on whether ad-blocking software is permissible suggests that the answer is that it probably, but not definitely, is acceptable.
I don't use ad-blocking software myself, but I ...
4
votes
1answer
70 views
Is Gezel Hager a Knas?
A knas (penalty) is never paid through the admission of the one who would pay it. For example, if someone steals $1 he has to pay $2 back, but if he returns the money by himself, he only pays $1 back, ...
4
votes
0answers
32 views
Are placebos permitted without telling the person they are getting one?
Does Judaism allow placebos where the person thinks it does something, and is thereby cured, even though the item does nothing?
Is this gnevas da'as (or some other issur), or because it can help them ...
3
votes
9answers
183 views
Pinchas Ben Yair's Donkey
וַיָּבֹא הָאִישׁ הַבַּיְתָה וַיְפַתַּח הַגְּמַלִּים וַיִּתֵּן תֶּבֶן וּמִסְפּוֹא לַגְּמַלִּים וּמַיִם לִרְחֹץ רַגְלָיו וְרַגְלֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ.
Rashi on this Posuk says that He loosened ...
3
votes
2answers
64 views
How did Rivkah give Yackov Eisav's clothing? Borrowing without asking is stealing
How did Rivkah give Yackov Eisav's clothing without asking?
וַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו בְּנָהּ הַגָּדֹל הַחֲמֻדֹת אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ בַּבָּיִת וַתַּלְבֵּשׁ אֶת יַעֲקֹב בְּנָהּ הַקָּטָן
...
3
votes
3answers
154 views
3
votes
1answer
51 views
“V'Haishiv Es HaGezaila” - returning stolen goods
Suppose a person took something from someone and now the person is not alive anymore, and has no living Yoresh. How does he return that what he stole? or is it impossible?
2
votes
1answer
58 views
If a non-jew steals is he liable to the death penalty?
Stealing is a Noahide commandment. If a non-jew violates a Noahide commandment he is obligated to die. That means if he steals a penny or something he's obligated to death?
2
votes
0answers
61 views
Borders of obligation when witnessing a robbery [closed]
Today I watched while a man walked into a pastry shop, took a large box of cookies and put it into his bag. He then walked out of the store and away, disregarding my stink eye on him.
If I were to ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Repentance for stealing not accepted?
I've heard before that there is a Gemorah in Baba Kamma (also brought down in Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat Hilchos Genevah) that one who steals something and later wishes to repent and return what ...
1
vote
1answer
62 views
Gneivas daas with fake social media accounts
Many companies (and the US government) create fake social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.) accounts in order to make it look like people are talking about their product. I personally know several frum ...
