Question: We were on a trip and we needed to make a rest stop. we were in the middle of nowhere and we found a restroom to use in the… Read more »
Category: Theft and robbery
Took items from seminary
Question: I took something from the seminary I was in when we had a baking class. The school didn’t let us take some of the extras that I took and… Read more »
blackmail
Question: Hi I’m in a dira in Bnei Brak and someone has info on me and he is forcing me to give 1000 dollars or he will leak the info…. Read more »
Is it stealing to go to your cousins party and bring food home.
Question: Is it stealing to go to your cousins party and bring food home. The family doesn’t mind if others take it and people take home food. I don’t know… Read more »
Returning stolen item I took as a child
Question: When I was very young (before my bar mitzvah) I stole a piece of candy at disney world. I want to pay them back now but they are a… Read more »
Listening to a WhatsApp message
Question: Is it a problem under Cherem D’Rabeinu Gershom to listen to a WhatsApp message intended for someone else? What if the person it was sent to is listening to… Read more »
looking at seforim for free
Question: What is the Rav’s opinion regarding one who brings seforim to sell to a yeshiva, and the bachurim look at the seforim, which they may or may not have… Read more »
cheating
Question: A college student was having a hard time with his math class, so he paid his brother to do the homework assignments for him. The student’s major is law,… Read more »
Business/Partnership Money stolen
Question: Hi Rabbi, I have a business in partnership with someone who is also my best friend. I have taken a lot of cash when available without her knowing when… Read more »
Using hotel facilities without permission
Question: A while back me and some friends used an hotel in Israel’s pool facilities( including towels), I was told to contact them and ask mechilla, when I researched them… Read more »
Knas in yeshiva
Question: Is a Yeshiva allowed to ask bucherim for knas for coming late in the morning? If yes, what’s the limit? Is the Yeshiva supposed to give back the money… Read more »
Paying back time from hourly work
Question: 10-15 years ago, I engaged in hourly work for non-Jews in the Chicagoland area. While I cannot remember specifically not working honestly, I suspect that at some points in… Read more »
giving someone else second half of return ticket
Question: The train that runs from Ben Gurion airport to Jerusalem costs 11NIS if you start from the airport but is free if you start from Jerusalem (the trip from… Read more »
Seforim store
Question: Is it ok to go to a seforim store to look up something very quickly in a sefer, to clarify something that I’m learning, or is that gezel? I… Read more »
Are the yorshim allowed to read private letters written by the deceased?
Question: Is the cherem applicable after the death of the letter writer? Are the yorshim allowed to read private letters written by the deceased? Answer: My apologies that it took… Read more »
Using Office supplies at work
Question: Am I allowed to print out a document for personal use using the office’s printer, ink, paper… Answer: It really depends on what the boss would say about it…. Read more »
RABBI BY DEFAULT (ROSH HABURA BY DEFAULT)
Question: 2 1/2 years ago I started a class in my beit knesset which continues to this day. Last week, without my knowledge, the rav of the beit knesset appointed… Read more »
Photo ownership
Question: My husband and I received a free photoshoot that included five free pictures. All additional pictures would cost $10 each. Before we reviewed the pictures with the photographer she… Read more »
Considered theft
Question: If one is to print a personal email or document by printing one or more pages to a printer belonging to work, is that considered theft? Answer: It depends… Read more »
Can I use my mothers credit card?
Question: Can I use my mothers credit card? Answer: If she allows you to use it you may, if she doesn’t you may not. If you are not sure you… Read more »
If I stole and borrowed and didn’t pay back under thirteen am I still liable?
Question: If I stole and borrowed and didn’t pay back under thirteen am I still liable? I don’t really know how much I stole and and I wasn’t religious yet…. Read more »
Using mikvah for tevilas keilim
Question: My local hardware store has a free mikvah for items purchased at their store. If I buy something there that I need to toivel, can I also toivel something… Read more »
can a person use an item without permission of all its owners?
Question: if 10 people own an item beshutfos, and the item is the type that does not get used up, e.g. a house, chair, table, land, etc. and one of… Read more »
Reuse a used mikveh Towel?
Question: May one reuse a used mikveh towel? The men’s mikveh charges for the towels. May one pick up a used towel from the floor and stand on it or… Read more »
Parking Illegaly
Question: Is it g’neiva to park a car in an empty parking lot which is privately owned and signage shows that it is forbidden to park there. Certainly this would… Read more »
Employee
Question: An employee of a jewish-owned store undercharged me a small amount (a quarter, etc.). When I brought it to his attention he told me not to worry about paying… Read more »
Weight loss contest
Question: Is one allowed to enter into a weight loss contest, which entails that all contestants put money into a pot, and whomever losses the most weight by the appointed… Read more »
Stealing
Question: A hired manager of a federally funded program allows select employees who are paid by the hour to not make up time when they go out in the middle… Read more »
Benifits paid for therapy
Question: After my regular job each day I go to a second job where I am a Para for a special needs child. With this job I get paid by… Read more »
Not watching all the videos on a required online course
Question: I am required by the state to take a certain online course before I can get my driving license. For some reason many of the videos which are part… Read more »
Reading Seforim in a Store
Question: Am I allowed to browse seforim or even read a portion of them in a seforim store or is it stealing? Answer: It depends on the store owner and… Read more »
Cheating on a test
Question: Is it geneivas daas to cheat on any test? Do any of the following reasons apply: a) if it is no way at all related to the topic I… Read more »
My business partner stole the money. Should he return double amount?
Question: My business partner stole the money marking transfers to himself, as a merchandise. He made it trough and year, in multiple transactions. I found it after a lot of… Read more »
Is gambling permitted?
Question: What is the Halacha for gambling? Does it differ for Ashkenazim and Sephardim? Or on a Kosher cruise? Answer: Gambling is not permitted, and the reason for it is… Read more »
Is it theft to use/move around an item that is chained to the building itself?
Question: If one were to use a gym where their was a posted sign saying something akin to “bandages, or gloves must be used while using punching bags”, would it… Read more »
Does unauthorized use over multiple instances require multiple compensations?
Question: If you use an item without the owner’s permission, and then return it, does this count as theft if they never find out? If so, does the rule of… Read more »
borrowing without permission from the owner
Question: I am currently in a mother and baby resort for women who have just given birth to babies. Twice a week a photographer comes to take portraits of the… Read more »
Daughter and Son In Law – Maaser Money
Question: If one has a daughter and son-in-law in kollel and actually living a kollel life (very minimal expenditures, very simple life), are parents permitted to use maaser money to… Read more »
Switching items in shul
Question: Last Shabbos it was raining in my neighborhood and I brought my rain coat (a shayne coat) with my name in it to shul. For some reason when I… Read more »
Returning stolen object or money
Question: If a person stole money or an object, can he return it without the owner’s knowledge? If he must inform the owner, can he return it with an anonymous… Read more »
Money for a haircut
Question: There is a rosh kollel who came over to me in beis medrash, put $100 into my hand, and told me to get a haircut (because he felt that… Read more »
Can Jews buy lottery tickets?
Question: I am confused as to whether buying lottery tickets is prohibited. I know that gambling is prohibited because it is considered to be a “theft” in that people expect… Read more »
Paying back the mikva fee
Question: Shalom, I attend the mikvah sometimes before shachris etc, however the local mikvah’s payment machine seems to have constant problems resulting in me often being unable to pay (yet… Read more »
Underpaid on the bus
Question: If a person accidentally underpaid his fare on a bus, and did not realize until later, what is the appropriate tikkun? Do we say that since the bus driver… Read more »
Stealing for non-kosher
Question: Is it permissible to throw out or get rid of anyway a food that is not kosher that you are afraid someone is going to eat if not thrown… Read more »
Taking from others without permission
Question: Is it permitted to take/use an item that belongs to your close friend/ family member without asking permission if you know without a doubt that they would let… Read more »
Real estate lease
Question: I own a warehouse of 73,000 square feet. I have a single tenant currently in the whole building. They want to downsize when their lease is up in a… Read more »
stamps
Question: Are you allowed to use a stamp from an envelope that was returned Answer: Depends, if it happened in Israel the stamp should be destroyed as one has to… Read more »
Can I cut schach from a public tree without getting permission from the government?
Question: There is a tree on a small island in a public park where the palm branches are getting old and falling off anyway as there is no gardening there…. Read more »
Can i take food from Yeshivas kitchen without permission?
Question: it stealing to take food from the Yeshivas kitchen without asking, if eventually they will use it/ serve it. For example, there is a box a cereal thats out… Read more »