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Let’s say you invest in a billion dollar company and you find out they make guns that are used to kill innocent people, is this a sin to keep investing

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  • Why would you think it is not a sin?
    – Avrohom Yitzchok
    Commented Sep 3, 2023 at 19:44
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    Do they make guns or do they make guns for the exclusive purpose of killing innocent people? There is a big difference the two. Investing in the former isn't so difference than investing in a company that produces knives. Investing in the latter is being a partner in crime
    – Schmerel
    Commented Sep 3, 2023 at 19:57
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    @DoubleAA -- "Exactly", no, but I sleep easier if I am not investing in porn, gambling and the like. (I never buy individual stocks -- it can eat up all your time.)
    – Maurice Mizrahi
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 1:18
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    There is a large difference between investing and getting control, vs. investing and being an anonymous investor with no say in what the company does. It is also quite rare that companies are "pure evil", most do good as well as some not-so-good. All this to say it would be better to ask for guidelines for halachic investing rather than paint black and white scenarios which rarely exist
    – mbloch
    Commented Sep 4, 2023 at 3:09
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    @RaulValdezJr. Raul, you are such a great questioner and we are so happy for your questions. I think Tamir was simply informing you on how to use Mi Yodeya according to its rules, which are established by the community in order to keep it as effective a question/answer machine as possible.
    – Rabbi Kaii
    Commented Sep 5, 2023 at 12:39

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If the question is to decide what is moral or not, I don't know. Assuming the question is the title question that you are doing business and investing with a rasha, then Rabenu Yona in Sharie teshuva 3:51 says:

ואסור להתחבר אל הרשע בעסקי העולם. שנאמר (דברי הימים ב כ׳:ל״ז) בהתחברך עם אחזיהו פרץ ה' את מעשיך. ונאמר (משלי ג׳:ל״א) אל תקנא באיש חמס ואל תבחר בכל דרכיו ואמרו רבותינו זכרונם לברכה באבות של רבי נתן אל תהי חבר לרשע אפילו לדבר מצוה. ורבו דרכי מות הנמצאים בחברת הרשעים. וכבר גלינו על העון הזה וכובד ענשו:

And it is forbidden to make an association with an evildoer for matters of the world, as it is stated (II Chronicles 20:37), “As you have made an association with Ahaziah, the Lord will break up your work.” And it is [also] stated (Proverbs 3:31), “Do not envy a lawless man, or associate with any of his ways.” And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said in Avot DeRabbi Natan (Avot DeRabbi Natan 9:4), “Do not befriend an evildoer even for the matter of a commandment.” And there are many paths of death found in the association with evildoers; and we have already spoken about this iniquity and the severity of its punishment.

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  • Thank you for the reply
    – user24193
    Commented Sep 6, 2023 at 16:23

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