Question:
Dear rabbi,
My father, who lives outside of Israel, owns an online business in which both jews and non-jews remotely work together all over the world. I work in my father’s company and live in Israel.
For the past couple years, we have been trying hard not to be opened on Yom Tov at all so that even our non-jew employees wouldn’t have to work on those days.
My question is related to next Shavouos which will fall on a Sunday in Israel, and Sunday + Monday outside of Israel.
What is the din for that Yom Tov sheini ? Would it be possible to arrange it so that non-Jews could work on Yom Tov sheini? Let’s say my father transfers the ownership of his company to me for that day, would that work out as I only have a day of Yom Tov? Or does it all depend on the location of the non-Jew during Yom Tov sheini ?
I am greatful for your reply,
Answer:
In general Yom Tov Sheini has the same halachos as on Yom Tov Rishon, and the non-Jewish employees. However, your idea to buy the business from your father for the second day of Shavuos is a valid idea. You will however have to buy it correctly so that you are indeed the one who will have ownership over the company for that day. In order tomake sure that the kinyan is done properly, you should pay you father some money for the business, and have someone do “kinyan suder”, with him for you. Have your brother or a friend of your father’s give your father a pen of his to pick up, and with that your father should know that he is transferring the business in exchange for the pen, and selling the business to you for Yom Tov (The sale should be from before Yom Tov.)
After Yom Tov, your father will pay you money to buy the business back, and also do kinyan suder. You or a shaliach of yours should pick up your father’s pen, with your permission to sell the business back to him in exchange for the pen that he picked up.
Chag Kasher v’sameach.
