Question:
1. Am I allowed to pass by on someone else’s property w/ out permission?
2. Am I allowed to pass by a property that’s owned by a Jew with permission, but a gentile is the tenant and wasn’t asked?
Thank you so much!
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
- It is nice to see that you are so careful not to take or use other people’s things without their permission. You’re question is a very good, because we are not allowed to use someone else’s property without their permission if they mind. Often it is easy to know if the person would mind, such as cutting thru their lawn. If one is certain the owner doesn’t mind, or it is common practice to do so, it is permitted. If it isn’t easy to know, but when in doubt you should either ask them, or if that can’t be done, not to do it.
- When a person rents a property, it belongs to them for the duration of the rent, therefore it would depend on the gentile tenant.
Sources:
Pischei Choshen (Geneiva 8 ftnt 29, Halachos of Other People’s Money ftnt. 137 in the name of R’ Z. N. Goldberg shlit”a.
