8
votes
Bat mitzvah gift from non-Jew
A star of David necklace is not a ritual object (just pretty jewelry), and I've never seen anybody take offense at one being given by a non-Jew. This is, in fact, one of the safest Jewish items you ...
- 55.7k
8
votes
Giving a ham as a present to a gentile
Most likely inadvisable; may actually depend on the terms and conditions of the company from which you're ordering. Thanks to NJM for pointing to an essay from Rabbi Moshe Dovid Lebovits of Kof-K ...
- 126k
7
votes
Why did Yaakov send only animals to Esav?
There are two things that would contradict your assumptions in your question.
1 - Rashi on
Breishit 32:14 cites a Midrash saying that Ya'akov included precious stones and diamonds.
2 - Breishit 36:6-...
- 68.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Immersing a dish used for a gift
See this article by R. Aryeh Lebowitz, discussing the very similar case of purchasing a dish which has been pre-filled with candies to give as a gift, which I think addresses most of your questions.
...
- 38.2k
6
votes
Accepted
Why don't we distribute Ma'aser Rishon or Ma'aser 'Ani nowadays?
R Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz (Chazon Ish Shevi'it 5:12) writes that were we to give Maaser Rishon nowadays to Leviyim on the basis that they claim the Levi Aliya in Shul, more people would lie and ...
- 95.1k
6
votes
Giving a lulav on condition to return, but in a chain where the last person keeps it
Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 658:5) rules explicitly that only if the last person returns the esrog is the first one (and all others) yotzei.
Interesting sidebar: The Biur Halacha is in doubt whether ...
- 7,410
6
votes
Any Jewish holidays especially associated with gift giving?
Purim.
There is a mitzvah to give one gift containing two foods to someone.
Additionally, one must give gifts to two poor people.
- 68.7k
5
votes
Can a court declare a minor's lulav ownerless? Has one?
It is indeed a problem to "give" the lulav to a minor for the reasons you have stated.
Lending somebody a lulav does indeed mean that they have not performed the mitzvah as they must own it. However ...
- 2,998
5
votes
Parents who don't want children to take ma'aser from gift
Number 1 ( Agree to the parents' request and don't give ma'aser ). That's what Rabbi Dovid Feinstein told me.
The reason he gave for this was that it is a present with a stipulation. He also said ...
- 32.2k
5
votes
What would you really, actually like to receive (give?) for Mishloach Manot on Purim?
The non-junk-food items I've most appreciated getting, and that aren't burdensome to prepare or store, include:
Durable fresh fruit: apples, oranges, bananas, etc. Berries and other fragile fruits ...
- 55.7k
5
votes
Does Ma'aser need to be given on gifts?
There is no maaser on non-monetary gifts according to R Tzvi Spitz, R Moshe Feinstein, R Moshe Heinemann, Chazon Ish (all four cited by R Avrohom Chaim Feuer in The tzedakah treasury pp. 136-7).
Some ...
- 43.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Hannakuh gifts from a gentile
Yes, and I'm sure your friend and their kids will much appreciate it!
Just use some common sense about it. Don't get them Christmas stuff, or anything from other religions. It's probably worth ...
- 22.8k
5
votes
Must one fulfill a promise to another? What if circumstances change the initial reasoning behind the proposal?
It appears indeed one should keep his promises in the context of a small gift. The Rambam writes (MT Mechira 7:9) (based on the gemara in Baba Metzia 49a)
Similarly, if a person promised to give a ...
- 43.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Any Jewish holidays especially associated with gift giving?
As DanF already answered, there's a requirement to give gifts on Purim.
And as Joel K mentioned in a comment on the question, N'chemya 8:10–12 discusses gift-giving on Rosh Hashana (the date is ...
- 73.4k
4
votes
Paying more for an item -- Ribis?
There is a disagreement among the poskim, when there is a debt resulting from a purchase (chov machmas mekach) whether one may add extra payment at the time of the payment of the debt (if no condition ...
- 6,779
4
votes
Giving shaloch manos to minor or non-Jew
Aruch Hashulchan 695:18 writes:
ויש להסתפק אם שלח לקטן אם יצא ונראה לעניות דעתי שיצא דהא לרעהו כתיב וגם קטן בכלל כדמוכח מקרא דכי יגוף שור איש את שור רעהו והנוגח שור של קטן חייב׃
One can be in doubt ...
- 73.4k
4
votes
Why did Yaakov send only animals to Esav?
I have also seen that Yaakov was hinting that the bracha (which was mainly agricultural) had not helped him. The bracha from Hashem was in his flocks which had not been mentioned by Yitzchak. Yaakov ...
- 41.8k
4
votes
Why did Yaakov send only animals to Esav?
Ramban (verse 14) says it's because that's what he had at hand.
- 73.4k
4
votes
Honor a first-time blood donor during shacharit?
If there's a Torah reading, give her an aliyah, and afterwards do a Mi SheBerach prayer. The usual one blesses the person "for coming up for the honor of the Torah", but add in "and for saving lives ...
- 126k
4
votes
A verse similar to this
Deuteronomy 16:17:
אִ֖ישׁ כְּמַתְּנַ֣ת יָד֑וֹ כְּבִרְכַּ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר
נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃
Sefaria:
But each with his own gift, according to the blessing that the LORD your God has ...
- 232
4
votes
Gifting a kosher product one wouldn't eat or drink
I read a responsum years ago that said that if the gift giver feels he would not consume the item due to a personal chumra and the recipient would (e.g. I keep pat yisrael and you don't, here's a nice ...
- 4,310
4
votes
Accepted
Appropriate bat mitzvah gift from non-jew
In the circles in which I travel (American, generally modern/centrist Orthodox), there aren't any particular restrictions on acceptable gifts for a Bat/Bar Mitzva. The types of gifts I've seen most ...
- 46.7k
4
votes
Why did Abraham give his sons impure gifts?
So the Daas Zekeinim asks your question and gives a reason albeit a somewhat mystical one - that Avraham gave them strength to overpower demons and the like:
נתן אברהם מתנות, “Avraham had already ...
- 19.9k
3
votes
Accepted
What is the significance of the gifts that Eliezer gave to Rivka?
Rashi there says:
The half shekel weight of the nose-ring is a reference to the מחצית השקל, the half shekel coin that Jews donated to the Temple yearly.
The bracelets refer to the ten tablets -- the ...
- 18.6k
3
votes
Why did Yaakov send only animals to Esav?
In addition to DanF's answer, it seems there's a message in the gift. What do you get when you add twenty rams and 200 ewes? Well if you're really hungry, 220 mutton chops! If you're patient, though, ...
- 126k
3
votes
Accepted
Is Earth a gift from Hakadosh Baruch Hu?
The Midrash (Koheles 7:28, cited by Messilas Yesharim chapter 1) writes (translation mine)
When God created Adam he took him to see all the trees of the Garden
of Eden and told him "Look at my ...
- 7,410
3
votes
Giving shaloch manos to minor or non-Jew
I did a bit of searching and came across this.
It quotes from Reb Ovadia Yosef tz'l's sefer חזון עובדיה on פורים to the effect that you cannot give it to a non-Jew, since they are not included in ...
- 603
3
votes
Accepted
Examples of considerations when bringing gifts to religious Jews
I think that knowing what is socially acceptable to gift, you should be fine, but you have to know who you are giving to. It's always appropriate to ask if someone keeps cholov yisroel or does not ...
- 94
3
votes
Can you buy a beggar non-Kosher food, or chometz on Pesach?
The answer to that other question provides most of the answer to this question, which is that you may engage in non-commercial activity with most non-Kosher foods. You may buy pork, and you may give ...
- 41.1k
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