Question:
BH. Thank you for your help.
If someone has a not-yet-observant close relative, would it be permissible to sell their hametz for them online (without them knowing)…? Would this sale be valid? Assuming the person is out of their home for Passover (they are visiting family), would this be allowed? (perhaps because the yetzer hara of the not-yet observant person would not want the person selling it to do it, but we can argue the true person, their neshama, of course wants to do the will of Hashem, so they are really almost kidnapped by the yezter hara, and maybe Hashem wants us to help?)
Thanks so much.
Answer:
Your intentions are very noble, but unfortunately you can not sell someone else’s item against their will, or without their knowledge. You can however tell them that since they will not be home anyways for Passover, that you will “sell” their chametz for them, and this way they will have a merit in the world to come for it, and it will not cost them anything. After getting your fathers consent, you can then sell it for them.
Best wishes, and a chag kasher v’sameach
