Question:
Is there an issur geneivas daas to give a lab grown diamond present to a kallah, if she might think that it’s natural?
Does the din change if a ring was natural, and now you want to give a lab grown necklace
Thank you
Answer:
Hello,
- Under normal circumstances since it is reasonable for your kallah to assume that the diamond is natural, then it would be geneivas daas, as it is fooling her that you gave her a better present that what you really did. Additionally, when one side is going to give an expensive diamond, the other side feels compelled to reciprocate with an expensive present in return. What would the choson feel like if he wasn’t told that what he thought was a gold watch was really only gold plated?
- The necklace would not be as bad; however it would still be geneivas daas not to say something.
- As a side point before even getting into the actual question, whether it is permitted or not, it is not a very smart to give a kallah a ring and necklace, that she thinks is real, and cost thousands of dollars, and it really is something cheap. She eventually is going to find out, and she may be very hurt and might feel that she was fooled, and shortchanged, which can affect the couples shalom bayis. However halachically it depends.
Best wishes
