Question:
My daughter recently purchased a card game. Her brother was jealous one day and ripped two cards. The game is still useable because not every card is needed to play but she is upset because she just bought it.
Although I assume my son who is not yet Bar Mitzvah is patur, nevertheless, I would like to teach him to respect other people’s property and I told him I would ask a Rav who he should repay her. I assume it is not possible just to purchase two cards separately from the game. Thank you.
Answer:
Your approach is very correct, and he should be taught in a calm way that he has to be more careful about other people’s possesions, and to take responsibility for his actions. Although he can’t give her back the two cards, there are number of things that he can do. He can pay her a small amount of money for the relative value of the cards, or he can give her something else to compensate for the cards. Alternitively he can write her a letter saying that he is sorry.
May all of your children grow up to fear yirei shomayim, and baalei middos tovos
