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 »
Category: Theft and robbery
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 »
Can I Skip the Agent
Question: I work as a freelance graphic artist, producing pictures and advertisements for various customers. I have one client, an advertising executive, whom I service occasionally doing all kinds… Read more »
monetary
Question: when I was a bar mitzvah bachur (and before then),I used to ride on the yeshiva buses without paying for them. The story is as follows: three of the… Read more »
supermarket goods stolen
Question: an answer was posted with regards to stolen supermarket goods from the door of one’s house how can i be responsible to pay for something i never acquired? outside… Read more »
monetary
Question: i may have taken longer than usual showers when i was in the dorm of a yeshiva.i am uncertain if my parents were paying for the dorm.also ,in a… Read more »
shlichut
Question: I was asked if I can buy a expesive item for my friend and to lay out the money. I bought it and a אונס happened on the way… Read more »
Delivered order that was stolen
Question: Hi. I ordered an order from my local supermarket. They dropped it off on the top step leading to my house. (I live in a single family house). They… Read more »
Can I “lose” a library book in order to keep it? What is my owndershi
Question: There is a book that I’d like to buy, but it is out of print and I can’t find it anywhere for a reasonable price. I see that the… Read more »
Ethics in school
Question: If a teacher gives a test to one set of students in the first session. Then the same/very similar test to the second set of students an hour later,… Read more »
Stole Food from Office Kitchen
Question: My office has a kitchen where the company puts food that everyone can take. People also order lunch, which is delivered to the kitchen. One of the companies that… Read more »
Reason for Mice Infestation
Is it true if you have had mice in your house its because of thievery ? Answer: The Jerusalem Talmud [Demai 1:3] and the Medrash Rabba [Devarim 3:3] tell the… Read more »
Robin Hood and Judaism
What is the jewish opinion on Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Thank you Answer: Stealing is a Torah prohibition and a person’s altruistic motives… Read more »
Class Conversation
If you have not completed the assigned reading for a class, is it Gineivas Das to still participate in class conversation about the reading? (For example, you are still able… Read more »
Tasting Grapes in Store
If you are at the grocery store and would like to buy grapes but do not know if the grapes are good or not, are you able to try them… Read more »
Sharing Employee Discount
Your friend has a job at David’s Tea and she gets a 50% off discount on everything in the store. You ask her to give you her discount because you… Read more »