11
In most cases, when this sort of thing comes up I say something like: "I have some dietary restrictions and wouldn't be able to eat there; could we meet at $other_restaurant instead?".
For someone known to be observant, I would instead say something like: "last I heard they aren't kosher; has that changed?" That is, presume that the other person has the ...
9
Our sources discussed this concept long ago. See Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 151:1, e.g. the Talmud discussed whether I may sell frankincense to pagans knowing that they will use it for idolatrous worship.
There is a key distinction between enabling a sin (i.e. it would be impossible or incredibly difficult for the sinner to sin without you, or you are ...
7
In modern times in the first world, if a gentile wants observant Jews to frequent his establishment, he should obtain commercial certification of kashrus (kosher status). The certifying agency will explain all he needs to do to satisfy their requirements, which will vary from agency to agency. And the only restriction on Jews will be to ensure that there is ...
7
I would assume it depends on what's considered a normal form of transaction.
If any action is recognized by society as a form of transaction, halacha recognizes it -- this is known as kinyan situmta.
But Rambam and Shulchan Aruch rule that if you use "word alone" to commit to buying or selling (without any language of oaths), "though you have made no mark ...
7
Per Rabbi Chaim Ehrman from the Chicago Community Kollel based on a Maharsham there are Poskim that say that since Hachnosas Orchim is a Mitzva therefore one may accept payment for one staying over Shabbos. However Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch in Teshuvos V'hanhogos 2:197 disagrees and says that one does not do the Mitzva of Hachnosas Orchim when paid.
Does a ...
6
Quoting from "Rubashkin Revenge: Ethical Certificates at Center of Dispute" (Jewish Journal, Los Angeles, July 25, 2012:
Although the pushback against the Tav appears to be coming primarily, if not exclusively, from individuals affiliated with the Chabad Lubavitch movement, there is no evidence that any official encouragement came from Chabad, according ...
6
Just to redact the fantastic comments of DoubleAA and of Danny Schoemann into a consolidated answer format:
There are the general steps of repentance, namely:
1) Regret that he did it.
2) Stop doing it.
3) Ask forgiveness from anyone harmed (if applicable).
4) Confess to God (Vidui).
5) Accept never to do it again.
(All that done seriously, not just lip-...
6
The Ramban in his commentary to Vayikra 23:24, explains that the Biblical word "Shabaton" is the Rabbinical source for forbidding business transactions on Shabbos. It implies that one should rest, by abstaining from weekday activity (commerce).
Further support is taken by Chazal from Isaiah 58: 13-14. There it states that one should not pursue their needs ...
5
Rabbi Avraham Danczig -- best-known for his work Chayei Adam (c. 1800), describes his own life's struggle as a businessman trying to find time for Torah in the introduction to his work Chochmas Adam. He discusses it there.
It's not that merchants are arrogant, the point was a warning "if you let yourself get too caught up in your work, you'll never have ...
5
For the general rule, Shulchan Aruch Yore Dei’ah Simon 117 reads like this (parentheses are RaMah): “Anything that is forbidden by Torah law, even if it is something that one may derive pleasure thereof, if it is something specifically for food – it is forbidden to do business with it (or to borrow against it. Even to buy it to feed it to his non-Jewish ...
5
Let's assume here that we're starting with all-kosher ingredients, e.g. plain produce without infestation concerns; ingredients with a kosher symbol on them; kosher meat that came certified, soaked, salted, and ready to use.
If a non-Jew wants to open, say, a grocery store where all products go straight from case to shelf, and only stock products with ...
5
The Shach there quotes Rif, who says that once the money is spent, the deposit converts to a loan, and that is why "Shimon" is responsible for all losses. This is only logical: The difference between a deposit (pikadon) and a loan (halva'ah) is that with the former, one returns the item itself, whereas with the latter, one is responsible to repay the value ...
5
In theory I see no reason per se that would prohibit a non-Jew from buying and selling books, menorahs, and the like, if s/he really wanted to do so. An item on which the seller's word is required that it is ritually okay would be more problematic, but these days your matza, myrtle-branches, and the like come shrink-wrapped and pre-certified, so it's really ...
4
I am not sure why people are opposed, as different people give different reasons, and there is no "official" opposition front. Moreover, while no one (to the best of my knowledge) forbids one to place a sticker saying "R' Yanklowitz likes this company", there are several sticky points in this particular case, most stemming from a lack of honesty as to their ...
4
When a loan is given and a time is set for the return of the loan, the lender may not demand the return of the loan before the set time has arrived (Choshen Mishpat 73, 2). However, if the borrower wishes to repay the loan before the time has arrived he may do so (Choshen Mishpat 74, 2). This is the general rule (albeit there are certain special ...
4
Normally, in cases of significant underprice, the seller can demand a retraction of the sale (Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 237:2, q.v.), though he cannot demand that the sale remain intact but the buyer pay the difference in price (S'ma :6). Although that doesn't normally apply to documents (SA :29), it does when the underprice is by more than half (Rama :...
4
Some of the modern poskim's opinions on this issue (though not all issue regarding their halachic status might be treated the same way - CYLOR):
R. Menashe Klein (Mishnah Halakhos 6:277) and R. Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg (heard in person) hold that corporations do not exist at all, and, if not for violating the secular law, you can guiltlessly steal from ...
4
The gemara in kiddushin 58a says that the only issurei hana'ah that have a problem of tefisat damim (the prohibition of the monetary exchange) are avoda zara (idolatry), hekdesh (consecrated items**), and peirot shevi'it (produce of the sabbatical year from the land of Israel; I believe even the idolatry issue is only with regard to tikrovet avoda zara [...
4
There are discussions of whether it's permitted to walk into a casino and gamble, but the Gemara makes it clear (Sanhedrin 24b) that a person whose only job is getting people's money via gambling is "not among those who help civilize this world", and is disqualified from being a witness!
So 1--3 would all be clearly prohibited.
Regarding the pork abattoir, ...
4
There is a health food store in Maryland owned by the 7th Day Adventists Church; many of their canned products are certified kosher by well-respected kashrut organizations. Nevertheless, Rabbi Hillel Klavan, shlita, who is also the son of the great rabbi of the early 20th Century, Rabbi Joshua Klavan, zt'l, emphatically told my wife and I that we should not ...
4
I don't see the stated problem here. Gasoline is a continuous fluid to more digits than we can actually measure with the comparatively crude instruments used in gas pumps.
He's not selling a gallon of gas for 4.009; he's selling 10/4009 gallons for a penny.
There's actually a worse problem that reached mild fame here in the US before dying away. Gas ...
4
Can a Jew own a non-kosher-food butchery that sells pig?
NO
but maybe if he only owns stock in the butchery it is permitted since he does not own it in such a way that he has the right to eat from it
Shulchan Aruch YD 117.1
Anything that is specifically for eating and Biblically prohibited, even though it is not forbidden to derive benefit from it, ...
4
You definitely need to ask a rav. It is possible this is permitted in case of non-Jews who will handle the sefarim with respect but likely this is NOT permitted in case of messianic Jews.
Two relevant sources you might consider when asking are
dinonline writes the prohibition of selling tefilin and similar items to non-Jews is out of concern for disrespect ...
4
From an article by Rabbi Meir Orlian, answering this question
It is permissible to browse, though, if there is a possibility that
you might buy there. Any store owner knows that potential customers
comparison shop and might decide not to buy there. (Pischei Choshen,
Ona’ah 15 nt. 15) It is also permissible if you ask the store owner up
front, “Do ...
3
To clarify -- the Noda bihuda makes it clear that there is never a prohibition of "tzaar baalei chayim" per se when your intent is to swiftly kill an animal -- by any means. He says that to go hunting for fun is technically permissible, but a horrible thing to do.
That discussion was only about hunting for fun. If a wild animal is threatening me or my ...
3
I would think a critical point here (though not necessarily the only point) would be the concept of lashon hara leto'elet -- something that's necessary to be said for a productive purpose.
Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz has a lecture on the subject where he asks if one can be an investigative journalist and stay within the laws of lashon hara. Well, what is the ...
3
In the article by Rabbi Dr. Michael Broyde and Prof. Steven Resnicoff cited by Isaac Moses in his comment to the question, there is a brief summary at page 2, followed by discussion and sources. See the original text for footnotes. They write:
The sparse literature on the relationship between corporate ownership and Jewish law obligations reflects the ...
3
R. Asher Meir at the Business Ethics Center in Jerusalem, writing for Aish HaTorah, answers a similar question thus (excerpted):
The Mishna discusses a person who climbs a wild olive tree and starts shaking the ripe olives from the branches onto the ground below. Since the olive tree doesn't belong to anybody, the olives on the ground don't belong to him;...
3
You ask two questions:
Is there a halachic reason to be opposed to Uri L'Tzedek and Tav haYosher? Why do some frum Jews oppose it?
I cannot answer the first. As to the second, the culture of the orthodox Jewish community is that it is resistant to change and that new trends tend to meet opposition at first. Here, for example, rabbis for centuries, and (...
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