Tagged Questions

1
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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 ...
3
votes
2answers
95 views

Can a judge take an equal bribe from both sides?

It says in CH"M Siman 9 that it is forbidden for a Dayan to take a shochad (bribe.) What about if a particular Dayan is dealing with a case between Reuvan and Shimon that they both want to give the ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views

Receiving money for a day's work, considering it to cover a debt?

I will pose this general question by presenting the following scenario: Reuvan works for Shimon. One time, at the end of the day, when Shimon came to pay Reuvan for that day's work (which was $100.), ...
7
votes
1answer
132 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 ...
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?
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 ...
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 ...
15
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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 ...
3
votes
2answers
82 views

Am I allowed to use borrowed money for something else?

Reuven goes to his good friend Shimon and tells him that he needs $10,000 for X. Shimon naturally agrees. Reuven then realizes that he needs the money for Y instead. Is Reuven allowed to use the ...
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 ...
7
votes
2answers
149 views

Are late or overdue fees Ribbis?

If I take out a library book, and they charge me $.10 per each additional day extra. Or if I owe money on a bill, and they charge me a $10 late fee for being overdue. Are these a case of Ribbis? Or ...
15
votes
3answers
292 views

Can I lend out a Library Book?

I just borrowed a wonderful book from the local library (let's assume Jewish library - but does it matter?). My friend sees the book and wants to read it. My library lets me keep the book for a week, ...
5
votes
1answer
142 views

Car falls into my ditch- I'm not responsible?

Halacha dictates that if someone were to dig a huge hole in the middle of the street and a car fell into it, he would not be responsible to pay for the damage to the car. The language of the Talmud ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views

Do I need to use damage compensation for repairs?

If I get a scratch on a car door and I am compensated, do I have to repair or can I just keep the money and live with the dent or scratch? (This may be a similar question but I am unsure so I made ...
1
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2answers
77 views

Scratch on a car: liability if panel was later paid by another

If someone scratches my car door and then later a second person knocks it off completely and the second person has to compensate, is the first person who scratched the door still responsible to pay ...
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, ...
5
votes
1answer
113 views

Responsibility for Incoming Call / Text Message Charges in Halacha

In many places (or at least in the USA), users are charged for incoming calls and text messages. If someone explicitly tells someone else to stop calling or texting their number, does that person ...
4
votes
1answer
83 views

Compromising a Doubtful Loan and Ribbis

First let's get the case: Reuven lends $100 to Shimon to be paid back in a year. There is no record of the amount of the loan. And then, one month later, one of the following happen: Shimon ...
11
votes
2answers
195 views

Receiving Too Much Change

Do I have an obligation to give back extra change I receive? Would it matter if the store owner or person giving it to me was a Jew?
5
votes
2answers
108 views

Check that did not clear

If I give a check in payment of an obligation or purchase and the check never cleared. The recipient never called me to say he lost it or misplaced it. Do I have to call the recipient and give him ...
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? ...
7
votes
2answers
124 views

Attaching Conditions to a Sale

If I sell someone an item (e.g. an orange), and I attach a condition (e.g. "you may not make orange juice"), is it successfully binding? What happens if that someone does violate the condition (e.g. ...
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 ...
3
votes
2answers
149 views

Card Counting Permissibility

For what it is (if you haven't heard of it), see Card Counting (wikipedia) Also assuming Gambling is not a problem in that scenario. It's perfectly legal in the U.S. So would it be a problem in ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views

Settling debt with a credit card company

Is it Halachically sound to settle debt for less than owed with a credit card company?
3
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1answer
60 views

What is the role of government punishment in the teshuva (repentance) process?

If I understand it, according to Halacha, if Reuven steals $100 from Shimon, he has to first return the money (possibly plus another $100), apologize; then regret, confess, resolve, and abstain. If ...