11
votes
Accepted
Is it disrespectful to have a raffle where the prize is a Sefer Torah?
I got interested in the question because we did once win a sefer Torah at such a raffle during a tsedaka dinner for a school. It was organized by an organization run by a well-respected and very ...
- 53.6k
10
votes
Accepted
Midrash on the sale of the Machpelah Cave
You're perhaps referring to the Sefer Hayashar on Chayei Sarah:
ויכתוב אברהם את הדבר הזה בספר ויחתום, ויעד ארבעה עדים. ואלה שמות העדים: אמיגל בן אבישוע החתי אליחורף בן אשונה החוי, עדון בן אחירע הגרדי,...
- 17.9k
8
votes
Do the Sources include any halacha on insurance companies?
Two beraitot quoted in Bava Kamma 116b discuss forms of mutual insurance:
רשאין החמרין להתנות שכל מי שיאבד לו חמורו יעמיד לו חמור אחר בכוסיא אין מעמידין שלא בכוסיא מעמידין לו ואם אמר תנו לי ואני ...
- 45.1k
7
votes
Mechirat Chametz on Internet
Dovid Grossman was told by R’ Zalman Nechamia Goldberg that although it is preferable, per the Rambam, to make a kinyan sudar when appointing a shaliach, if it is difficult it is not required.
A ...
- 970
5
votes
Is it disrespectful to have a raffle where the prize is a Sefer Torah?
Harav Ratzon Arusi,
Wrote as an answer to such question:
"If this lottery is intended to finance things that are sacred, Torah, or Gemach, it is permissible to participate in it, because the ...
- 187
5
votes
Asara Haruge Malchut (Ten Martyrs), why were 10 Rabbis killed?
Yalkut Reuveini brings several answers. Here (end of the first full paragraph) he says Reuven was actually punished for moving the beds by Bilhah.
Here he says that Yishmael Kohen Gadol (who was very ...
- 5,465
4
votes
Selling Gemara to non-Jews
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 ...
- 53.6k
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 ...
- 7,062
4
votes
Can I place cryptocurrency / stock buy or sell orders over Shabbos?
I do not see a difference between placing an order for stock or (crypto-)currency. Maybe the question arises because crypto-currency trades 24/24 7/7 unlike certain stocks.
The question of putting in ...
- 53.6k
4
votes
Can you accept money for your chametz items during Pesach?
Being that the non-Jew owns the scotch already, it is perfectly permitted for him/her to take it, drink it, and pay the remainder of the balance to you for it.
- 21.2k
4
votes
Internet shopping after browsing in a store
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 ...
- 3,879
4
votes
Can one invest in a Jewish-controlled company which performs work on Shabbas?
This is a good and difficult question that needs some introduction to those less familiar with the relevant laws. Skip to the line break below if you don't want the intro.
A preview of the answer is ...
- 53.6k
4
votes
Halachic issues with buying an item for cheap when owner doesnt know true value
Upon investigation, I found in the sefer Mishpetei HaTorah from Dayan Tzvi Shpitz Chelek 2:26 a similar type case.
He relates that Reuvein found an old copy of the Rambam in genizah. He then sold it ...
- 42.5k
4
votes
Would buying kosher meat serve as identifying one as being a "religious jew"?
Buyers of kosher products in the US are not necessarily Jews. To take just two examples
Star-K writes
Millions of Muslims throughout the world follow a dietary regimen
similar to the kosher code....
- 53.6k
4
votes
Torah as a bar metzra
The Torah is not only a gift. It's also referred to as an inheritance (מורשה קהלת יעקב, Deut. 33:4) and as a sale (מכרתי לכם תורתי, Shmos Rabbah 33:1). So the issue of bar metzra would still apply to ...
- 9,893
4
votes
Accepted
Are women obligated in the positive commandment of remission on Shemitta?
Sefer HaChinuch (477) writes that the positive mitzvah of cancelling loans in shemittah applies to males and females.
- 45.1k
3
votes
Accepted
Do reward tokens qualify halachically as money?
Regarding fake money (tokens) being Muktzah, as mentioned in the answer below, the answer is yes - it is Muktzah, because the whole reason why money is Muktzah is because you can’t use it for ...
- 3,297
3
votes
How did Hevel acquire his flock?
See Midrash Rabba Besraishis 22:7
וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם וגו' (בראשית ד,
ח), עַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִים, אָמְרוּ בּוֹאוּ וְנַחֲלֹק אֶת
הָעוֹלָם, אֶחָד נָטַל ...
- 7,062
3
votes
How to understand this Tosfos in Megila 5b
My understanding of this is as follows:
The Talmud here is citing a Mishnah in Ta'anit (12b) which discusses the progression of fasts when there is a lack of rain:
עברו אלו ולא נענו ממעטין במשא ומתן ...
- 49.8k
3
votes
When do you own the food in your farm-share box?
How different objects are acquired is covered in Kiddushin Chapter 1. I expect produce to be in the category of property for which there is not corresponding responsibility, assuming you pay for your ...
- 4,009
3
votes
"A y'vama acquires herself through chalitza", really?
I'd think it would say she acquires herself through get or the husband's death.
There would be no point of writing the Mishnah this way, because it would be redundant. We already have been told that ...
- 49.8k
3
votes
Buying commodities of lean hogs
It would seem from the Halachic literature that the problem of selling non-kosher food or animals is only if there's a risk of eating the non-kosher things one sells.
If one is a middle-man then it's ...
- 44.1k
3
votes
Accepted
Is carried interest ribbit
As you clarified in the comments, you are describing a scenario where Reuven invests money with Shimon to invest in the stock market, and are asking whether there is a ribbit issue if Shimon keeps a ...
- 53.6k
3
votes
Accepted
Is onaah prohibited for mitzvah items
Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 227:15, ultimately from Bava Metzia 58b:
בכל מטלטלים שייך אונאה אפילו בספרים
Onaah applies to all movable objects, even [holy] books
In Bava Metzia there R. Yehudah ...
- 9,893
3
votes
Accepted
Stocks of mostly gentile owned banks with mostly gentile clients
You are really asking if Jews can invest in Bank of America or Citibank. As we see, this is indeed the case from many.
din.org explains why
According to a number of poskim including R’ M. Feinstein R’...
- 53.6k
2
votes
Can a person sell their portion in heaven?
The Maharam Al Ashkar (#101, quoted in R' Akiva Eiger on Shulchan Aruch 246) brings from R' Hai Gaon that it is impossible and forbidden, and one who does risks losing it all.
However, in Rabbinic ...
- 10.7k
2
votes
Asara Haruge Malchut (Ten Martyrs), why were 10 Rabbis killed?
the kotzker rebbe explains that at the time of throwing yosef into the pit they made a cheirem on anyone that informs yaakov, but there were only 9 brothers? the answer is hashem was the 10th. so by ...
- 313
2
votes
Can you say shechechiyanu on something you might return?
In general, one says Shehecheyanu because of the joy one feels - to thank Hashem for allowing us to arrive to that time and feel that joy. Therefore, if you feel joyous after the acquisition of the ...
- 53.6k
2
votes
Accepted
Buying food from non-Shomer-Shabbos restaurants and stores
Here is a quickly go over only.
I. Taking the words of the seller concerning components and process
SA YD siman 119 adress the subject.
There are several cases.
The basic question is if you can ...
- 22.9k
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