Tagged Questions
5
votes
2answers
164 views
Is it permitted to learn in kollel without earning a living?
Based on this post which states in part:
Ramoh in Yoreh Deah, 246:21
“A person should hire himself out for alien work rather than requiring assistance from others”; “The man who is ...
0
votes
1answer
92 views
How much is an ashkenazi kesuba today
A standard Ashkenazi kesuba is a document no different to a post dated cheque; there is nothing religious or holy about it. It says that the man will pay his wife upon divorce or death the sum of 200 ...
2
votes
0answers
41 views
Time-limited promotional giveaways for some, fees for everyone later
If someone provides a discount for early payment, and raises the price for others, there is reason to consider this a form offorbidden usury.
What if someone is giving away a gift to some as a ...
3
votes
1answer
60 views
At what cost must one perform a mitzvah?
To what lengths must one go to fulfill a positive commandment, or avoid transgressing a negative one?
Obviously, with few exceptions, one must not go so far as to die in order to fulfill a ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Does caring for children in foster care count as work?
If someone looked after foster children on weekends (from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon) and received remuneration does this count as work and not permissible on the Sabbath?
5
votes
1answer
141 views
Do Jews have an obligation to support the effort to free Jonathan Pollard?
I am not entirely clear on all of the particulars of the mitzvah of pidyon shivuyim - redeeming Jewish captives. Nor am I positive that someone jailed by a democratic goverment for breaking secular ...
4
votes
2answers
73 views
Must one give maaser from virtual money?
If a person achieves a gain or a payment of a currency that that is purely virtual and does not have any physical counterpart (ie it is not associated with a financial institution) must one give ...
5
votes
1answer
36 views
Do reward tokens qualify halachically as money?
I give my children special slips of paper as a reward for good behavior (a "token economy"). They can collect these slips of paper and use them to "buy" rewards such as toys, treats, or fun ...
4
votes
0answers
28 views
Davar Ha'avad on Chol HaMoed — Loss coming later
It says in SA OC Siman 537 that one is allowed to do a malacha on chol hamoed if it's a "davar ha'aved". That is to say if the person doesn't do the malacha now it will come to a loss ("hefsed".)
...
1
vote
1answer
89 views
Which US half-dollar coin should be used for Zecher Machatzis Hashekel?
It is customary on Taanis Esther to give a coin (or three coins each) valued at half the local currency's standard unit to tzedakah in commemoration of the mitzvah of Machatzis Hashekel (Rema 694:1).
...
5
votes
2answers
253 views
Bitcoin and Halakha
What are the halakhot that apply to bitcoin? Is it halakhickly money? What even is the halakhic definition of money? Can bitcoin transactions be made over shabbat? That sort of thing.
1
vote
0answers
41 views
Is Sephardi Chief Rabbi Sholomo Amar's recent psak on fiduciary responsibility really “unprecedented”?
HaAretz, last week, reported that Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar issued a halachic decision that "[b]usiness owners whose actions, either intentionally or through negligence, cause the public ...
1
vote
0answers
28 views
How much is a Prutah in cents/agurot? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Cash value of ‘perutah’
Various laws mention a minimum monetary amount Prutah or Shaveh Prutah.
How much is this in cents/agurot?
Also, how do we calculate this ...
8
votes
1answer
100 views
What happens if you borrowed money and the currency became worthless?
In Israel in the late 70s early 80s the currency (Lira) became worthless. Suppose one day the American dollar would become worthless, and one owes another $1,000,000- would the borrower just pay back ...
1
vote
0answers
50 views
Loan in exchange for keeping shabbos, ribis?
The Father (not frum) of a Baal Teshuva asked his son for a loan. The son agreed to give his Father the loan on condition that he starts to keep Shabbos. Is this a problem of ribis?
2
votes
0answers
50 views
What if the Gabbai Tzedakah runs away?
Suppose a Gabbai Tzedakah passes our good friend Reuven while making his collection rounds. Reuven reaches into his pocket for his wallet and removes the money he wants to donate. By the time Reuven ...
10
votes
2answers
176 views
Does “foreign religious obligation” = “Takruvas Avodah Zarah”?
Background: There is a verse in the Christian scriptures (Luke 6:30) that, when read out of context, implies that a follower of osso ha’ish should give anything anyone asks for. I had heard an urban ...
3
votes
1answer
114 views
Is a speeding driver who causes damage exempt from paying due to his status as a Roidef?
On this forum they ask a very interesting question. What happens when a person who is driving a car is speeding, at a pace where a fatal accident could easily occur. He then crashes into another ...
8
votes
2answers
85 views
Is it still tzedakah if it is returned?
If a poor person asks for charity and I give some money to that person, but he then returns it to me, (because he doesn't feel it is enough, or any other reason) have I accomplished the mitzvah of ...
7
votes
1answer
131 views
Transfer of loan / mortgage from non-Jew to Jew
What happens if a Jew borrows money on interest from a non-Jew, and then the lender turns around and sells the debt to a Jew? (Such transactions are very common in the mortgage industry.) Is it ...
3
votes
1answer
82 views
Is tzedakah money fungible if someone gives to me to give to another?
The discussion in this question seems to indicate that my own tzedakah money is fungible; I can collect coins in a tzedakah box and exchange them for other currency when it's time to make the ...
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?
10
votes
1answer
88 views
Can one take any money offered to him?
Is a tzedaka allowed to take money from people who earn their money in inappropriate way (say, the person worked on Shabbos, stole, cheated, etc.)
If not, is this a chumra or a halacha?
Please ...
3
votes
0answers
129 views
Selling a house to a non Jew
Notwithstanding anti discrimination laws which may disallow a seller to only sell to other Jews exclusively. Suppose a Jewish fellow - living outside of Eretz Yisroel - lives on a block which is ...
7
votes
1answer
81 views
Paying bill for aveirah already done
Is one allowed to pay a service fee for an aveirah which someone else has already done, in order to get some other good or service now? The case I had in mind is an animal adoption where the agency ...
4
votes
1answer
76 views
Can I keep money that came into my possession on Shabbat/yom tov?
My family is not frum, and my grandfather gives out money to all the grandchildren at our seder. I refused the money, but my father took it and put it in my room. Can I use this money?
5
votes
1answer
169 views
Best way to destroy coins
This year (5772) is the fourth year of the Shemitta cycle, and as such, this Pesach is the time of Biur Maaserot. Does anyone have suggestions (from experience or sources) regarding how to best ...
7
votes
1answer
84 views
Why is it ok to pay the kids for the afikoman?
Most Pesach sedarim feature the afikoman hide-and-seek game; either the children steal it and ransom it back or the parents hide it and (in my experience) pay a prize to the child who finds it. At ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views
Maaser on Selling Previously Purchased Items
Many times people buy things and then later resell them. Assuming no profit was made in this sale, is there an obligation to give Maaser on the newly acquired money?
Practical examples: eBay, college ...
4
votes
1answer
97 views
Processing an online payment - which will be processed on Shabbos
With my bank, when you process, online, a payment, it automatically goes out on the following day. If I authorize it on Friday they will send it on Saturday. I can also request any future date I want. ...
17
votes
1answer
149 views
What do you do if you made a Tzedaka pledge and now the organization folded?
Recently a friend of mine asked me the following question. He pledged $500- to a Yeshiva, yet before he paid the pledge the Yeshiva closed. Does he still have to pay his pledge to another Tzedaka or ...
14
votes
2answers
154 views
Does Jewish Law Recognize Bankruptcy?
If someone borrowed money and then declared bankruptcy, does he still have a halachic obligation to pay it back?
If the lender was a corporation (bank, etc.).
If the lender was a friend.
Do we say ...
5
votes
3answers
340 views
Is maaser calculated pre-tax or after-tax?
I have heard different opinions concerning whether taxes can be deducted before calculating maaser. It is logical to me that if you cannot deduct your expense to live in your house, you shouldn't be ...
1
vote
1answer
102 views
No one's ticket collected on the train: destroy?
This is a rolloff of this question: Train ticket not collected: destroy?
IF one is on a train that is too packed for any conductor to go on. Or it is a day where there is bad whether and the ...
4
votes
2answers
117 views
Can donating to a Gemach be ribbis?
Suppose that Reuven is strapped for cash. He goes to the local Gemach and gets a hefty $10,000 dollar loan for his daughter's wedding. 3 months later, Reuven manages to acquire the money and repays ...
15
votes
4answers
277 views
Train ticket not collected: destroy?
Assuming a train line where single-ride tickets are normally collected or cancelled manually by train crew circulating among seated passengers, and it is physically possible to use them later if they ...
5
votes
3answers
162 views
Is there any issue except for Dina Dmalchusa in counterfeiting money?
If someone were to find a way to make exact forgery of currency (in such a way that it would be impossible for anyone to find that it's counterfeit), would there be any prohibition to do so (except ...
6
votes
2answers
143 views
Is one allowed to cancel a check?
If I give a check to someone (as a gift) and I change my mind, am I halachically allowed to cancel it, or do we say that the check is a shtar, and by signing it is considered as if I gave him the ...
4
votes
1answer
79 views
What conditions must be met in order for voluntarily forgone income to count as tzedakah?
Suppose one has done work of some value for a charitable organization in exchange for money. This organization would normally qualify as a destination for tzedakah, and perhaps you have also given ...
7
votes
1answer
159 views
Are kickbacks prohibited?
Would a person be allowed to give/take bribes to a person responsible for purchasing in a company? Would it be forbidden directly as "shochad" (bribery) or under a general prohibition of Gnevas Daas, ...
3
votes
2answers
136 views
Chametz owned by a public company
I work for a publicly-owned company, and I have reason to believe that the majority of the shares of this company are owned by Jews. In the office there are snacks that are available for employees to ...
4
votes
1answer
103 views
Stealing one or one Hundred
I wanted to Know any SOURCES and their answers as to if I steal 1 dollar or one hundred dollars is it the same Sin or is it different? Is it one sin of stealing or one Hundred? When you are punished ...
6
votes
3answers
212 views
Investing in Halacha
Does anyone know some halachik sources that discuss investing in stocks? There are many potential issues. For example, do you need to worry (about ribbis) if your money is used to lend with interest? ...
6
votes
1answer
102 views
Owning stock in companies that operate on shabbat
It is my understanding that one may only have ownership in a business that operates on shabbat if you co-own with a gentile and have an explicit arrangement that all profits derived on shabbat belong ...
6
votes
1answer
154 views
Purchasing from a Jew
רמבם, הלכות מתנות עניים י:ז
שמנה מעלות יש בצדקה זו למעלה מזו, מעלה גדולה שאין למעלה ממנה זה המחזיק ביד ישראל שמך ונותן לו מתנה או הלואה או עושה עמו שותפות או ממציא לו מלאכה כדי לחזק את ידו עד שלא ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views
Cancellation of debt, income?
Suppose someone has a $20,000 balance on a credit card or HELOC and settles for $10,000 - the IRS considers it cancellation of debt income and you are required to pay taxes on your $10,000 gain. Would ...
7
votes
3answers
567 views
4
votes
1answer
90 views
Would the rabbis who prohibit all gambling and lotteries prohibit a no-lose lottery?
In a no-lose lottery, lots of people put money in a bank; all of them will get their money back whenever they want. Additionally, the bank takes the proceeds from investing their money and ...
11
votes
3answers
197 views
Ma'aser kesafim on capital appreciation
If you own property (e.g. stocks or real estate) that increase in value over the course of the year, are you require to donate 10% of the increase to tzedaka, if you are merely holding on to the ...
8
votes
4answers
273 views
How does paying a Mohel work?
I have heard - do not know the source - that a Mohel is not supposed to charge an official price - however you are supposed to pay him.
1: Is it true that a Mohel is not supposed to charge an ...
