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Cancelling caterer due to blizzard

Question:

If someone hires a caterer for a Simcha, and then on the night of the Simcha there’s a blizzard, and the Simcha is cancelled, does the person who hired the caterer responsible to pay anything? Is this different then a person who hired workers and then cancelled due to an אונס , where we say that if no one could have anticipated it, the person is פטור? Please provide מראה מקומות, thank you.

Answer:

I am not writing the halachah  just some broad outlines. If the caterer and the person who hired him could have foreseen the blizzard (by listening to the weather forecast) or both were unable to foresee the blizzard, then  the person who hired the caterer is not responsible to pay for anything. In spite of the above could be that the caterer does not have to refund any money he has already received (e.g. a deposit).

Sources:

CH:M 333:1-2, Teshuvas Rashbo 1:1028, Maharam quoted by the Mordechai Bova Metziah 345, Ramo CH:M 334:11, Erech Shy 334:1, CH:M 321:1

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