Questions tagged [dina-dmalchusa-dina]
The Halachic concept that one is bound to follow the laws of the country they live in. Literally translates to: "The law of the kingdom is the law."
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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 ...
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What defines a country to be a legitimate country?
There are a few Halachas that apply to a Jew's relationship with his country. For example, Dina Dmalchusa, another is not to rebel (although its Halachic strength is disputed, all agree that under ...
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Limits to Dina Dmalchusa Dina
What are the specifications of Dina Dimalchusah? A more targeted question to answer would be: If I ripped off the label of my mattress — the label that says its removal is punishable by federal ...
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Asking a shaila where disclosure of classified information might be necessary
Orthodox Jews have taken on more and more responsible government positions and have been trusted with clearances to see highly sensitive classified materials. Many years ago I had such a job. It ...
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Being appointed to a jury in a case between two Jews
In the U.S., a person can be appointed as a juror without volunteering for the position.
If a person would find themselves appointed as a juror over a monetary dispute between two Jews, how should ...
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Does "dina demalchusa dina" apply to laws no one keeps?
Suppose there is a law which most people routinely ignore, and the government rarely if ever enforces it. Does the principle of dina demalchusa dina still require you to obey this law?
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My obligation to not let other avoid taxes
Let's say I'm a customer. There is a seller who is offering me a deal in such a way that it is obvious he's trying to avoid paying taxes. (For example, the seller insists on cash payments and a lack ...
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(How) did the South African rabbinate deal with non-white conversion candidates during apartheid?
As I understand it, during apartheid, the South African government treated the Jews as "white."
Did it ever happen that someone in a different racial group expressed interest in converting to Judaism ...
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Is Dina D'Malchusa a din in Gavra or in Cheftza?
Let's say that Reuvain owes Shimon money in American law, and Dina Demalchusa applies, does that mean:
Reuvein has a halachic monetary obligation to Shimon which is as strong as any other obligation, ...
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Hackintosh in Halacha
A Hackintosh is a bootlegged version of Apple's macOS loaded onto a computer that has not been manufactured by Apple and doesn't have a license to run macOS. According to Apple's macOS license,
I. ...
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Limits to Financial Dina Dmalchusa
What are the limits of Dina Dmalchusa (specifically financial Dina Dmalchusa, unlike this question which deals with non-financial dina dmalchusa)?
In general, dina dmalchusa means one must pay taxes ...
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Would I be allowed to sell my Chametz alcohol during the Prohibition?
During the Prohibition in the United States, owning alcohol was permitted, though selling it was prohibited.
If I had a barrel of Vodka which I bought before the prohibition was made law, would I be ...
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Alcohol sales despite government monopoly
Many places have government imposed alcohol monopolies and private retailers of alcoholic beverages are forbidden.
As alcohol, especially (red) wine, has a central place in Jewish practice and as ...
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Contradictions between Federal and State Laws as they relate to Dina De'Malchusa
I am wondering about the laws of Dina d'malchuta dina in the United States when there is a contradiction between state and federal laws.
Case in point: In 2012 both Colorado and Washington passed ...
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Which takes precedence - dina d'malchuta or halacha? What about minhag yisrael?
A more practical ramification of Is a ban on government workers wearing religious symbols a gezeirat hamalchut for which one would be obligated to give up his life?
If the law of the land (dina d'...
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Is it a mitzvah to escape the death penalty from a secular court?
This question addresses whether it is a mitzvah to attempt to escape the death penalty if it is imposed by a Jewish court. The answer to this question seemed to be that it is not a mitzvah to attempt ...
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Leaving cities during plagues
Over the Yomim Tovim I happened to skim through a copy of Rav Hirsh's sefer "Horeb". In one section he discussed a directive from Chazal to leave a city struck with plague. With Ebola having been ...
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R' Akiva Eiger and the epidemic
A rav mentioned it to me that R' Akiva Eiger got an award from the Prussian king, because during an epidemic in Posen he, in accordance with the doctors and the authorities, required the strict ...
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Is trying to get out of jury duty permitted halachically?
In the comments on this question about being on a jury when a trial could run into Shabbat, somebody brought up the point that it's generally not hard to avoid jury duty. And, in my experience, lots ...
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Inheritance laws and dina d'malchuta dina
If someone dies and halacha says you get to inherit, but civil law says I do, who does? If we both agree to let a bet din decide the matter, then you inherit and the matter is closed. But if I take ...
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Do i have a responsibility to report users breaking the rules?
If I know that a certain user of a website is breaking the rules, can I just turn a blind eye, or must I report it? Also,
Does it matter what kind of rule it is? (E.g. No swearing vs. age requirement)...
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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 ...
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Does Dina deMalchuta include international law?
Chaza"l set forward a regulation that "dina demalchuta dina," the law of the land is the law (Bava B'atra 54b).
International law is a set of near-universally recognised modes of conduct between ...
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Hezek re'iyah and dina d'malchusa
Assuming all the necessary local zoning permits were received, can a Jewish institution or individual build a construction (such as a school playground) with a view of private property (e.g., a ...
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Halachic sources on business ethics in a globalized industry?
The usual rule in halachah, as far as business dealings, is הכל כמנהג המדינה - everything follows the local custom. This applies to things like expected product quality (Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat ...
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"Evading" small taxes
I believe it has been stated times before on this site that Dina DeMalchusa Dina does apply to paying taxes.
However, I noticed in this answer that it must be enforced in practice to apply. With ...
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Handling Conflict between Jewish and Civil Law
This question is an offshoot from the one titled "Questions about Polygamy in Jewish Law and Culture"
Taking under the knowledge that the previous question was well answered with an observation:
It's ...
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Under-Aged Drinking for the 4 Cups on Pesach
Whats the halacha to drinking wine/alcohol for a minor when they need to drink four cups of wine on pesach and if so then is in it going against Dina D'malchusa Dina?
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Are "Price-Tag" Attacks halachically sound?
Certain fringe elements* in Israel are known for committing crimes in reaction to Palestinian attacks. This attacks have in the past included the destruction of Palestinian-owned olive groves and ...
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Responsibility to government law
When a particular non-Jewish law is inconvenient, and no harm seems to be done to anyone by ignoring (breaking) it... is one required still to keep it? If so, or if not, why? This question ...
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Is it permitted to jay-walk on Shabbos if there is an automatic walk signal at the corner?
My shul has arranged that the cross-walk signals in front of the shul are automated on Shabbos so no one has to push a button to get a walk signal. This can be annoying for non-Jewish drivers who ...
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Should a Va'ad revoke kosher certification of caterers that allow catering a gay marraige affair? [duplicate]
Related and a follow up to this M.Y. question:
The U.S. Supreme Court has legalized gay marriages in al states. There have been several publicized law suits in a few states where a gay couple sued a ...
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Is one allowed to carry a gun for self-defense if local secular law prohibits it?
There is a rule of Dina D'Malchuta Dina - the law of the land is valid, providing that it does not conflict directly with Torah laws.
There is a Torah law of Venishmartem lenafshotechem (Devarim 4:15)...
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Paradox of a corrupt court
With current events in mind (South Africa v. Israel Genocide Convention), I have a question. How does Torah help us solve the paradox of applying justice to an injust justice system?
If the court ...
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The kippah and dina d'malchuta dina
If the military forces a Jewish member to remove his kippah because they do not allow head covering, must he comply under dina d'malchuta dina or not? On the one hand, head covering in Judaism is a ...
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Dina D’malchuta Dina when it contradicts halachic liability
Does the Halacha of Dina D’malchuta Dina apply to cases where the government law is more lenient than Halacha in liability cases? For example, say someone does something which accidentally leads to ...
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Are you liable for infecting others?
The Talmud says:
One who injures another becomes liable for five things: damages, pain, medical expenses, incapacitation, and mental anguish. [Bava Kamma 83b]
It does not spell out HOW or WHY the ...
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Trespassing on Public Parks
If a state or federal park is closed, is it against halacha to go there anyway (if you are not damaging the property)?
(Thoughts: I would assume it is g'neiva because it is not my property.
However,...
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Dina D'Malchuta with regards to the State of Israel?
Simply put, I've heard that the 2nd oath (of the 3 oaths Ketubos 111a) (i.e. not to rebel against the nations of the world) doesn't apply within the State of Israel. I don't know whether or not that ...
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Is there a Jewish protocol for civil disobedience to civil law?
I'm asking if there is a specific Jewish protocol for civil disobedience for civil laws/civil wrongs such as racist policies (ex. Heschel, Martin Luther King Jr. and the making of Civil Right Act of ...
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How is Dina d’malkhuta transferred from one nation/state/malkutha to another?
How is Dina d’malkhuta transferred from one nation/state/malkutha to another?
Does land enter a state where it has no malkhuta or does it go directly from one malkhuta to another?
If a nation has an ...
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Divorce and dina d'malchuta dina
For many centuries, in Christian lands (Italy in particular), divorce was outlawed. But Judaism allows divorce. Does anyone know what the Jews did in these countries, if they wanted to divorce? If ...
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How far does dina demalchusa dina go?
Does this apply to laws which are clearly corrupt and based on lies? At what point does a law which solely benefits one political group but harms everyone else stop being legitimate through the lens ...
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Why does Jeremiah 27.9 speak of a city instead of kingdom?
On the DD"M wave, Jeremiah writes (29:7):
"וְדִרְשׁ֞וּ אֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הָעִ֗יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִגְלֵ֤יתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה וְהִתְפַּֽלְל֥וּ בַעֲדָ֖הּ אֶל־ה' כִּ֣י בִשְׁלוֹמָ֔הּ יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם ...
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Limited liability in Halacha
According to Halacha, may a Jew sue another Jew through a beit din for the actions of a corporation the other Jew is invested in if that corporation is a limited liability structure under secular law?...
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Is one allowed to use neighbor's overhanging tree branches for schach?
The Shulchan Aruch in CM 155:26 rules that if the neighbor's overhanging tree branches present a nuisance, one is allowed to cut them until the property line.
Is one allowed to cut these branches if ...
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Setting the bar for life threatening situations (VeNishmartem)?
The Halachah says (Rambam Rotzeach-uShmirat-Nefesh 11,5, read on to ch.13, interestingly haMechaber omitted those Halochos):
"הרבה דברים אסרו חכמים מפני שיש בהם סכנת נפשות.:"
"Our ...
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What to do in face of total ban on kosher meat?
If a country bans shechitah and also bans the importation of kosher meat, do the Jews of that country have to go vegetarian according to dina d'malchuta dina?
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Mikvah during UK COVID-19 Lockdown [closed]
The UK is currently under a strict lockdown, prohibiting the leaving of one's home for any other than the following purposes:gov.uk
Shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, ...
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Why specifically did Rav Moshe Feinstein serve as rabbi in Ohio for a while, per his visa? [closed]
Rabbi Feinstein's family write (beginning to Igros vol. 8) that Rabbi Feinstein had a relative in Ohio who arranged for a pulpit opening, which led to Rabbi Feinstein entering the US on a religious-...
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