buying, selling, etc.
10
votes
1answer
215 views
What is the halachic status of things in outer space?
Is everything in outer space hefker? For example if a private person lands on the moon or an asteroid can he be koneh it? Do you retain the rights to something that you send into space?
1
vote
2answers
92 views
Bittul Chometz before the time
After bedikas chometz on the 14th of Nissan by night and again on the 14th of Nissan by day we are "m'vatel" (nullify) all of the chometz in our reshus (property.)
Can a person say already any time ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Eruv t'chumin for dependants
One can 'force' a dependant to make an eruv t'chumin. Since they are only made for a dvar mitsva this is considered like forcing him to do a mitsva which one who has the power, has to do. Normally ...
2
votes
0answers
26 views
What lesson do we learn from Abraham paying money for the Cave of Machpelah?
In Genesis, we see that Abraham makes Ephron accept money for the Cave of Machpelah in order to bury Sarah. He is offered the cave for free, but insists on paying the full price. This sort of story ...
8
votes
3answers
473 views
Can a person sell their portion in heaven?
Can a person sell their portion in olam haba (heaven)? Is the sale valid and binding?
2
votes
1answer
39 views
Renting building from a church
The question of renting a hall in a Church to use for a simcha (bar mitzvah) has been discussed. I have a similar question, however a little different.
There is a Christian church that owns a large ...
10
votes
1answer
186 views
Does a child own what he's implicitly given by his parents?
I assume that when a parent owns an object and a child uses it, it remains the property of the parent's absent any intent/declaration on the parent's part to grant it to the child (and absent an act ...
4
votes
0answers
69 views
How should parents divide wedding expenses with their child's future in-laws
Today there are many different practices that have been "adopted" (not formally though) among the various Jewish communities on how the parents of an engaged couple divide up the expenses of the ...
2
votes
1answer
90 views
To what extent should one not sell unkosher goods?
I know that, as a Jew, I shouldn't sell unkosher goods. So, does this mean I can't directly make profit from selling unksher goods? For example, if I work for Walmart, and some one buys pork while I ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Early bird discounts and ribbis
Are early-bird discounts ribbis? For example, "buy before March 1, 10% off", or "tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door"
Inspired by http://myparnasa.com/collecting-interest-ribbis/
1
vote
0answers
34 views
Issues with kallah trying on wedding ring before wedding
Does the kallah trying on a wedding ring for size before the actual wedding cause a problem of her having taken possession of the ring before the wedding?
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Why sell and be mafkir chametz? [duplicate]
My understanding is that we do both of the following:
We (appoint a rabbi as an agent to) sell our chametz to a gentile. This sale takes place the morning of the day before Pesach, before the ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Receiving someone else's chametz mail
Yesterday, I heard the door open and close. I went over and discovered that the mailman had delivered the mail. A magazine (which I looked forward to reading), some envelopes and a small package. I ...
2
votes
2answers
136 views
Why don't we just make our chametz ownerless?
I'm trying to understand the "legal fiction" wherein we declare any chometz we have as ownerless like the dust of the earth. Is this halachically acceptable? How can a person declare something in his ...
3
votes
1answer
47 views
Selling to a gentile on Yom Tov — Same by a Jew?
It says in SA OC Siman 497 Sif 17 that one may sell to a gentile on Yom Tov a treif animal (i.e. after this animal was slaughtered on Yom Tov permissibly it was found to be treif, non-kosher). The SA ...
4
votes
2answers
81 views
Selling Chometz to a young gentile
May the sell of chometz be done with a young gentile that in Judaism would be considered a "katan" in terms of halacha and therefore perhaps wouldn't be able to have his buying and selling be "valid" ...
3
votes
1answer
67 views
May one sell challah to a gentile?
Consider the following scenario.
A person left his home in Eretz Yisrael to go to Chutz L'Aretz for Pesach. He remembered before the zman issur in Chutz L'Aretz that there was a piece of challah ...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
Animal testing of cosmetics and other products
To what extent does tzaar baalei chayyim--the prohibition on causing needless pain to animals--apply to animal testing of products such as cosmetics? What are the potential halachic problems for both ...
4
votes
0answers
46 views
Would my sale of chometz affect others?
If one person made a mistake or abused the chometz sale system by selling something that he does not own, would that affect the overall sale between the Rabbi of the community and the non-Jew?
For ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Purchasing products that were not manufactured in a Torahdik manner?
Are there any restrictions on purchasing or using non-food products that were manufactured in violation of the Law? If so, on what grounds?
For example: A non-Jew manufactures a product, and, in ...
6
votes
2answers
116 views
Does it matter through whom you sell your chometz?
I have seen online forms and received emails from many far-flung places offering to sell my chometz for me. I also have a competent Rabbi in my local shul who is willing to do it. No two of these ...
5
votes
1answer
37 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
71 views
What is the implication of suicide for home buying among Jewish people?
We have seen a property in an prominently Jewish area. It is owned by a Jewish lady whose husband committed suicide almost 8 years ago by overdosing with sleeping pills. We are not Jewish and the ...
5
votes
1answer
72 views
Mezuzah on rental property
If you own a home that you rent out, are you obligated to place a Mezuzah (or Mezuzoth) on that property?
What if the property is attached to your home, such as a basement apartment or add-on suite?
4
votes
2answers
100 views
In auctions today are you still obligated after being out-bid?
A mishna on Erchin 27a discusses buying land back after it has been consecrated. It says that if one offered ten selas, another twenty, etc. up to one who offered fifty, and then that last guy ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
What is a covenant and what are its implications?
When two parties make a bris-covenant what does that actually mean? Is it a form of oath? Legal arrangement? Is it binding only as an oral agreement? Are there any official procedures involved in ...
3
votes
0answers
55 views
Selling land to Gentile to build Church
In YD Siman 151 it discusses the things that one is allowed and not allowed to sell to a gentile (for reasons that they might be used for Avodah Zara -- idol worship). I didn't see the following ...
1
vote
0answers
42 views
Paying more for an item — Ribis?
I will ask the question using the following scenario:
Reuvan wrote a sefer that he was charging for it 50 Shekels. Came along Shimon who wanted to buy the sefer. At that time he didn't have money on ...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
Can a Jew sell a sefer Torah to a non-Jew? Why or why not?
A question was raised whether a non-Jew can run a Judaica store. My thought on that was it depended on what types of judaica he sold. I doubted that a sofer would sell him mezuzah parchments, ...
5
votes
3answers
240 views
4
votes
0answers
43 views
Why does the Torah repeat the story of Efron HaChiti many times?
The story of Avraham buying the cave of Machpelah is principly mentioned in Parshat Chayei Sarah Bereshit 23:3-20.
If so, why does the Torah stress again and again that Avraham bought the cave from ...
5
votes
0answers
68 views
Mistake when buying ring to get married with
The following case might perhaps be too localized however I'm asking it as a theoretical question in order to understand these laws in Choshen Mishpat and Evan HaEzer better.
A Kallah (bride) went to ...
6
votes
2answers
263 views
What is a good place to buy kabbalah seforim online?
I am aware of Nehora and the other sites I could find googling this same inquiry, I'm looking for other recommendations of sites that have a good selection. Specifically I'm looking for Kanfei Yona ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
Does one make a shehechiyanu on a leased item? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Would you make a Shehechiyanu when you lease a new car?
Does one make a shehechiyanu on a leased car or other large/expensive item?
5
votes
1answer
290 views
What are the halachot of Chanukat Habayit?
What are the laws and customs appertaining to chanukat habayit?
At what point, if at all, should you make a shehechiyanu; upon closing? Moving in?
Should you make a chanukat habayit on a home that ...
2
votes
0answers
27 views
Can a person forbid with a vow his portion of a jointly owned item?
Orach Chayim 153 (15) says that a person cannot forbid with a vow (assur) his part of the synagogue or the books in it. If he did make such a vow, it is ineffective. MB [87] explains that this is a ...
5
votes
2answers
158 views
Business with Christians during their holiday periods
According to those who hold that Christianity is avodah zarah, may Jews do business with Christians within three days of Sunday (or if you want, within 3 days of Dec. 25 or Easter) in light of the ...
4
votes
1answer
67 views
Women and arba minim on first day
On the first day there is a din of "lechem" ("to you") that the arba minim must belong to you. Many women will take the arba minim of their father or husband (or brother perhaps) in order to fulfill ...
1
vote
0answers
72 views
Woman giving away husbands money
The gemorah in Moed Katan Daf 8a says,
אמר רב כהנא אמר רב יהודה אמר רב מעשה באדם אחד שכינס מעות לעלות לרגל
ובא ספדן ועמד על פתח ביתו ונטלתן אשתו ונתנתן לו ונמנע ולא עלה
Rav Kahana said in ...
12
votes
1answer
157 views
How much must one do to to sign a contract?
Nowadays most software comes with a EULA. In order to install the software one must click the "agree" button. However, there are some software that says are distributed through different licenses. For ...
7
votes
1answer
83 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
187 views
Chanukas Habayis
In Chutz Laaretz do you make a Chanukas Habayis? Do the Halachic requirements and process differ from in Israel?
7
votes
1answer
98 views
Product liability in halacha
What does Judaism say about product liability? That is, if I sell someone a product and — because it was manufactured
poorly or
not as advertised
— the purchaser sustains damage, to ...
4
votes
0answers
77 views
Is there any place I can rent or borrow a Megillah from?
Specifically in or around Brooklyn, NY: I was wondering if anyone knows of a place that rents or lends out Kosher Megillos for Purim.
12
votes
3answers
145 views
If a person voids a purchase/sale, what happens to the Bracha?
You buy a new Talis and after you wear it you notice a defect. You want to return it to the store for a refund or replacement. However a person is only obligated in Tzitzis if he owns or borrows the ...
6
votes
4answers
118 views
Asara Haruge Malchut (Ten Martyrs), why were 10 Rabbis killed?
In Vayigash, Rabenu Bahya (also the Zohar) comments and says that the reason we had Asara Haruge Malchut because the brothers sold Yosef. However, Reuven didn't sell Yosef, so why should the ...
5
votes
2answers
119 views
renting a simcha hall from a church
Is there a halachic problem with renting a hall that belongs to a church for a bar mitzvah?
7
votes
1answer
405 views
Does casual sex establish a marriage?
Do premarital sexual relations effect Kiddushin (betrothal/first step of Jewish marriage) if there is no intention of getting married?
If so, is the physical act itself determinative of whether or ...
2
votes
0answers
98 views
Buying products from store that sells avodah zarah?
What is the Halacha on buying products (not used for Avodah Zarah and not intended) from stores that sell things that can be used for Avodah Zarah?
Assuming that buying such products is forbidden, ...
3
votes
0answers
138 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 ...
