SHORT, CONCISE VIDEOS COVERING AN ARRAY OF BUSINESS TOPICS
INTEREST &
HETER ISKA
Are there any Ribbis issues I need to be aware of when syndicating a deal? If I put up money to help my partnership through the month, are there Ribbis concerns?
GENEIVAS
DA’AS
Can I write “Best deal in town” on my ads if it may not be accurate? May I advertise a few doorbuster items to get customers through the door?
LOSHON HARA
IN BUSINESS
If someone asks me questions about an old employee, and I have some negative things to say, am I allowed to? What are the paramaters?
PARTNERSHIPS & DISSOLUTIONS
I am working much harder than my partner and bringing in all the deals. Am I entitled to a larger share? Our partnership is really not working out; is there any way I can force him out?
TODAY'S ARTICLE:
Must I correct Someone’s Faulty Assumptions?
Question: An individual from Lakewood was making a wedding for one of his children in Chicago. A good friend of his from Lakewood happened to be in Chicago on business at that time and decided to attend the wedding. When the ba’al simcha spotted him, he said to his friend…
Gezel Akum Part 2
May One Renege on a Real Estate Contract During Attorney Review?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: The process of purchasing real estate consists of three different stages: signing the contract, an Attorney review period (only in certain states), and closing. Is it…
What Should You do with a Package Received That is not Yours?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: A person received a package delivered to his house. He had not ordered any package, nor did he expect to receive such a package from anyone.…
May One Ask for Information from a Company if he has Ulterior Motives?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: Reuven is looking to start a new business. His friend Shimon suggests that he start a business for long term storage. Reuven thinks it is a…
May One Park in an Illegal Spot?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: Someone is driving to a meeting or an appointment but cannot find a parking spot nearby. If he will be late otherwise, would it be permitted…
Gezel Akum Part 1
Can One Take Advantage of Broad Online Return Policies?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: Many websites have a very broad return policy, sometimes even allowing one to keep an item they returned (and received a refund for). Question: What…
Using a One-time Coupon Code Multiple Times
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: There are many online shopping websites which offer special coupon codes for new customers with free shipping or discounts. If someone who is not a…
Using A Family Member’s Amazon Prime Account
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: “My sister has an Amazon Prime account. Although I do not find it worthwhile to purchase my own account, I do occasionally order from…
May One Take Advantage of a Price Glitch?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: When engaging in online commerce, one often discovers price glitches where a mistake was clearly made in the price given online. For example, one may…
Gezel Part 3: Gezel D'Rabbanan and Hashavas Gezel
Riding in a Car That May be Stolen
Rabbi Chaim Weg Case: A certain individual gets a ride from work with his neighbor every day. One day, the neighbor says to him that he is in the…
Accidentally Buying Stolen Goods
Rabbi Chaim Weg Case: Someone bought a few pallets of merchandise, which he then placed in his warehouse for a few days. The police subsequently arrived and informed him…
Can One Be Forgiven for Stealing When He was Younger?
Rabbi Chaim Weg Question: A certain individual engaged in the “art of pickpocketing” when he was a teenager. As he grew older, he eventually outgrew it and wanted to…
May a Storeowner Purchase Possibly Stolen Products?
Rabbi Chaim Weg Case: Someone entered a sefarim store and told the owner that he had a whole stack of machzorim to sell. He offered the owner an exceptionally…
Gezel Part 2: Borrowing Without Knowledge and Intellectual Property
Paying an Invoice Late
Rabbi Chaim Weg Case: Someone hired a painter to paint his house but was shocked when he received the total bill for several thousand dollars. Apparently, he had not realized…
Making Private Calls During Work Time
Rabbi Chaim Weg Question: Is it ever permitted to make private phone calls during one’s work time? Does it matter if the call is very important? In addition, is it…
Is Copying Music Permitted?
Rabbi Chaim Weg Case: Reuven was listening to the most recent popular Jewish song that had just come out, when his friend Shimon met him and heard the song for…
Gezel Sheina: Can You Really Steal Someone’s Sleep?
Rabbi Chaim Weg Case: Reuven, a ba’al tokea (one who blows the shofar), spent a lot of time practicing blowing the shofar in his home before Rosh Hashanah. However, Shimon,…
Parameters of Gezel
Borrowing Without Permission to Avoid Financial Loss
HaRav Chaim Weg Question: Someone was holding several bags of groceries while walking home from the store when some of the bags started to tear. The person was not in…
Borrowing a Siddur without Permission
Rabbi Chaim Weg Question: Someone was searching for a siddur to use in shul but could only find a privately owned siddur. He knew that the owner was currently away…
Borrowing an Item Where the Owner Does Not Mind
Rabbi Chaim Weg Case: Reuven met his friend Shimon on the street who told him that he had the latest recording of a shiur delivered by their Rosh Yeshiva on…
May I Purchase a Product when the Store Owner is Not There?
Rabbi Chaim Weg Question: In my small community, I can only purchase cholov yisrael milk in a small family-owned grocery store. When I recently came to the store, the door…
Intro to Choshen Mishpat
Indirect Damage According to Halacha
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Case: I was looking at my phone while driving [big mistake], and veered off into the next lane. A Jew driving next to me swerved to avoid…
Using Tactics to Strong-Arm a Person Into a Settlement to Avoid Bais Din
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Case: A former customer of mine is calling me to a Din Torah over several thousand dollars that I owe him. I know he doesn’t have conclusive…
Buying a Used Second Car and What to Expect
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Case: I put up my used car for sale, advertising it as “a great second car”. A guy from my shul saw the sign and bought the…
Do I Need to Repay a Loan that I Do Not Remember Taking?
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Case: A friend of mine is “pretty sure” that he lent me $20 dollars this past Purim. I have no recollection of it, but I was quite…
Commerce on Chol Hamoed
May a Retail Store Remain Open on Chol Hamoed?
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: In the previous session, we discussed some of the rules of commerce on Chol Hamoed as they relate to real estate management. Commerce that takes place…
Amazon Businesses on Chol Hamoed
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: In the previous session, we discussed some rules of commerce for retail businesses on Chol Hamoed and when it is permitted to sell based on the…
Real Estate Management on Chol Hamoed
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: In the previous session, we discussed some general principles concerning the laws of commerce on Chol Hamoed. How do these principles play out in the specific…
Is Commerce Permitted on Chol Hamoed?
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: There are many halachos of Chol Hamoed that can have a far-reaching impact on the permissibility of commerce during that time. Can you offer a brief…
Minhag Part 2
Paying Vendors in a Timely Manner
Rabbi Baruch Fried Case: In our school we have a constant stream of suppliers for things like office supplies. A colleague of mine was surprised that we always pay our…
Leeway in Work Hours
Rabbi Baruch Fried Case: I run a company with mainly frum workers. I noticed many of them spend quite a while on coffee breaks. They already take off time for…
Backing out of an Online Purchase
Rabbi Baruch Fried Case: While shopping online, a certain item on a Jewish website caught my fancy and I impulsively decided to buy it. Minutes later I regretted the whole…
Unions and Strikes in Halacha
Rabbi Baruch Fried Case: I am a school bus driver in a large Jewish community. The other bus drivers are planning a walk-out as a push for higher wages and…
Minhag Part 1
Halachic Expectations of an Expensive Daycare
Rabbi Boruch Fried Case: My children’s daycare center is very quick to cancel school for seemingly minor things, such as nsow, Erev Yom Tov, In- service days, etc. I am…
Severance Pay with No Contract
Rabbi Boruch Fried Case: Our company is downsizing, and we needed to let a few employees go. One of them is demanding severance pay, despite there being no mention of…
Is Paid Maternity Leave Mandatory?
Rabbi Boruch Fried Case: As the sole secretary of a Yeshiva, I am their only female employee. When I mentioned to the principal my upcoming maternity leave, he breezily said…
Selling a Laptop without a Charger
Rabbi Baruch Fried Case: I bought a used laptop from a frum person. Upon delivery, I discovered it did not come with a charger. The seller claims he just said…
Dina D'Malchusa Dina Part 2
Lost Objects and Dina D’malchusa Dina
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Question: Someone went to the beach and lost an expensive watch of over $10,000. He was not sure if it was swept away by the water or…
Driving Over the Speed Limit – Is it Ever Permitted?
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Question: Whenever a certain person drives with his family, his wife insists that he drive exactly at the speed limit, since dina d’malchusa dina, and that is…
Construction in Violation of Zoning Laws
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Question: Reuven decided to build an extension next to Shimon’s property. When Shimon complains that Reuven’s construction violates the local zoning laws, Reuven responds that it is…
Using Counterfeit Money
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Question: Someone owns a gift shop in a busy tourist hot spot. One day, he discovers a one-hundred dollar bill in his cash register that is…
Dina D'Malchusa Dina Part 1
Filing for Bankruptcy According to Halacha
Case: I lent someone from my shul a large sum of money, using all the proper kinyanim and documentation according to Halacha. A short while later he declared bankruptcy and…
May I Bring an Employer to Secular Court?
Case: I recently returned from disability, to find that my employer has given away my job to another. When I threatened a lawsuit, he said “Go ahead, I have insurance.”…
Does a borrower need to be responsible for a damaged item in which he had no control?
Case: I borrowed a very expensive printer from someone for a one-time business need. While I was using it, there was a freak storm that caused a sudden power surge.…
Business Law Vs. Halacha with Regard to Inheritance
Case: My father passed away suddenly, leaving a sizable estate. He never executed any halachic or legal will. I know that according to Halacha my sister does not get a…
Yashrus and Halacha
Trying on Shoes or Clothes in a Store and Then Purchasing Them Online
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Question: Someone wants to buy shoes from an online website but they do not know the exact size that fits them. Is it permitted halachically to enter…
Downloading Songs and Using them for Profit: Is it Halachically Permitted?
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Question: It is quite common nowadays to use songs created by others for promotional videos and other purposes, and most people will do so without even thinking…
Paying For Work You Did Not Ask For
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Case: A contractor decides to install extra items in a house he is working on without consulting the owner. For example, an electrician is hired by a…
Using Knowledge Gained from a Former Employer
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Answer: The basic issue at hand in questions like this is whether any system or program that the employee is paid to create for the employer…
Commerce in Halacha
Is a “No-return Policy” Permitted According to Halacha?
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Question: Is it halachically permissible for a store to have a “no refund policy” or “credit only policy” concerning exchanges and returns? Answer: This question would…
Misrepresenting a Child’s Age to Gain Free Entry to a Park
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Question: Someone takes their family to an amusement park where children under three may enter for free. They have a child who just turned three but…
The Allowances of Working Remotely
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Question: Working remotely has become more popular over the past few years and especially during the last few months as a result of Covid-19. Many employers…
May One Renege on a Transaction Paid for by Credit Card?
Rabbi Yosef Greenwald Question: If one purchases something online using a credit card, what is the maximum amount of time that one may back out of the transaction? Even if…
Ribbis & Investments
Capital Calls & Ribbis
Capital Calls & Ribbis Preferred Equity: Why Don’t the Elements of Risk Take Away Potential Ribbis Issues? Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky Case: Reuven and Shimon create a business partnership. One…
Ribbis and Convertible Notes
Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky Question: In the previous sessions, we have discussed investment issues in halacha and in particular with regard to the prohibition of ribbis (forbidden interest). Another common…
May One Convert a Loan Into Equity?
Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky Case: Reuven lent $1,000 to Shimon, but rather than asking for the money to be returned, Shimon suggested that Reuven use the money towards a…
Equity and Heter Iska: When is it Not Allowed?
Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky Case: A person was offered an opportunity to invest in a start-up company for $2o0,000, for which he would receive a 5% annual return using…
Introduction to Investments & Ribbis
Preferred Equity: Why Don’t the Elements of Risk Take Away Potential Ribbis Issues?
Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky Question: In these preferred equity cases, although there are some guarantees in the deal, there are also elements of risk in a deal, including the deal…
Taking Only from Profit
Rabbi Yosef Josilowsky In our last session, we addressed one scenario of preferred equity (where the investor takes precedence in receiving his money back over others) and issues of ribbis,…
Why Might Preferred Equity Be Considered Ribbis?
Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky We mentioned in the first session on this subject that various types of investments exist in today’s business world that sometimes raise halachic questions related to…
Introduction to Investments and Ribbis
Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky Question: There are many different types of investments in the business world today, and the halachos of ribbis (forbidden interest) vary depending upon which investment…
An Employee's Obligation to His Employer
How Much Downtime Is Allowed at the Office?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: What are the halachic parameters for downtime in an office or business setting? Is an employee allowed to take a break, get a cup of…
Accepting an Interview for a Job When Someone Else has Already Been Chosen
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: Someone looking for a job discovers that a company or business has a position available but the company tells him that there is someone else…
May One Use a Client List from an Old Employer
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: An employee leaves a business or company for whom he or she was working and is now in possession of some useful information gleaned during their…
May a Manager Leave During the Peak Season of the Business?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: A certain business employs an essential worker, such as a manager or secretary, without whom the business cannot function properly. This worker is needed especially…
E-commerce and Shabbos
May a Jew Keep His Business Open on Shabbos? Part 3
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff, Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs, and Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: We are familiar with different types of famous cases of ha’arama (halachic loophole) and “heter mechira” cases, such…
May a Jew Keep a Business Open on Shabbos? Part 2
Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs, Rabbi Daniel Dombroff, and Rabbi Yosef Kushner In Part 1, we began discussing the case and question below with responses by Rabbi Honigwachs and Rabbi Dombroff.…
Commerce and Shabbos Roundtable Part 2
May a Jew Keep a Business Open on Shabbos? Part 2 Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs, Rabbi Daniel Dombroff, and Rabbi Yosef Kushner In Part 1, we began discussing the case…
Can a Jew Keep a Business Open on Shabbos?
Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs, Rabbi Daniel Dombroff, Rabbi Yosef Kushner Case: We know that in general, a Jew is not allowed to keep his business open on Shabbos. But there…
Homeowners, Contractors & Subcontractors
Can a Borrower Claim Compensation for Damage Done to a Borrowed Item?
Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs Case: Reuven borrowed a bike from Shimon, and Levi then accidentally drove over the bike. Reuven demands that Levi pay for the bike since he ruined…
Can a Homeowner Tell a Subcontractor to Collect Payment from the Contractor?
Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs Case: Someone built a house using a contractor. The house was completed, but shortly thereafter, an electrician came to the door, claiming to be a subcontractor, asking…
Can a Homeowner Pay Subcontractors Directly?
Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs Case: A contractor accepts a job from a homeowner on a cost-plus basis and hires subcontractors to take care of some of the work (plumbers, electricians,…
Can a Case be Dismissed from Bais Din Like in Secular Court?
Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs Question: In secular court and in the Supreme Court, if the plaintiff does not have standing, the case is thrown out. Is the same thing true…
Contracts
Can One Ever Back Out of a Deal?
Rabbi Yehoshua Wolfe Question: We know that a kinyan is required to effectuate a halachic transaction. If so, is one allowed to back out of an agreement before a kinyan…
Does Halacha Require a Kinyan to Finalize an Agreement Even When Secular Law Does Not?
Rabbi Yehoshua Wolfe Case: One area in which halacha clearly diverges from common law relates to the execution of transactions. According to common law, an agreement between parties is…
Ironing Out Tentative Agreements
Rabbi Yehoshua Wolfe Case: Two parties arrive at some form of an ambiguous oral agreement. One party later sends a note to the other by text, email, or Whatsapp to…
May One Retract on an Agreement Before the Contract is Signed?
Rav Yehoshua Wolfe Case: In negotiations between parties, the process often begins with a term sheet, where an initial agreement is drafted. At a later date, the lawyers will…
ETHICS & KICKBACKS
Are Kickbacks Permitted According to Halacha?
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: A common question that arises with respect to employees relates to kickbacks. Kickbacks are cases where an employee directs business to a particular vendor, and certain…
Common Business Ethics Shailos and How to Identify Them
Rav Yosef Kushner Case: We discussed in the previous session how not divulging important information or rationalizing one’s business conduct often serves as a “red flag” that one may need…
What is the Difference between Business Ethics and Halacha?
Rav Yosef Kushner Case: In the previous session, we discussed the meaning of the concept of business ethics within secular law as well as business ethics within the realm of…
Business Ethics and Halacha
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: We hear a lot in the business world today about morals and business ethics. What exactly is business ethics and how does it manifest itself in…
LENDING MONEY & PURSUING RECEIVABLES
Can a Lender Pursue a Borrower’s Assets?
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Case: In the previous section, we discussed the question of whether it is halachically permitted for a business to attempt to collect receivables. We will now…
Can a Business Pursue Receivables?
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Case: Many businesses are struggling due to Covid-19 and do not possess as large a cash flow as they did in the past. One of the avenues…
Is There a Mitzvah to Lend to the Rich?
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Question: In the previous segment, we discussed the mitzvah of lending money to those struggling financially. Does this mitzvah apply as well to lending money to…
The Extent of the Obligation to Lend Money to Those in Need
Rabbi Dovid Grossman Question: Many people have been struggling financially over the past few months due to Covid-19. How much of an obligation do other Jews who are financially better…
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS & LATE FEES: Is it Ribbis?
May One Retract on an Agreement to Sublet a Summer Home
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: Reuven agreed to rent his summer home to Shimon and received a deposit from Shimon for it. Shimon then decided he no longer wanted to use…
Does Halachah Allow for Late Fees?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: Due to the coronavirus and the resulting financial difficulties, some renters have had trouble paying their rent in a timely manner and have had late fees…
May One Claim Unemployment for Yomim-Tovim?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Case: During the recent period of Covid-19, many people have not been able to continue with their regular jobs and have applied for unemployment. But in order to be certified for receiving the unemployment…
May a Summer Camp Offer an Early Bird Discount?
Rabbi Daniel Dombroff Question: At the time of this writing, it seems that some types of summer camps in the United States will be allowed to open this year, but…
YICHUD AMID COVID-19
How Do Doctors and Patients Avoid Yichud During Covid-19?
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Case: In addition to the yichud scenarios discussed in previous sessions that have been especially pertinent during Covid-19, additional yichud shailos have arisen involving doctors, dentists, and…
Yichud Part 3: Dating in an Empty Office Building: Is it Allowed?
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: One of the major halachic issues that has arisen during the era of Covid-19 is yichud while dating. While couples going out on a date would…
Yichud Part 2: How to Avoid Yichud in Businesses amid Covid-19
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Question: In the first segment of this series, we raised the issue that yichud may apply in cases of businesses currently operating by appointment only and behind…
Yichud Part 1: Introduction and Dealing with Set Appointments
Rabbi Yosef Kushner Introduction: Let us begin this series of daily halachos on yichud by summarizing a number of the basic principles of hilchos yichud that are relevant for discussing…
BUSINESS COMPETITION AND FREELANCERS AMID COVID-19
Altering the Position of an Employee
Rav Chaim Weg June 11, 2020 Case: Due to Covid-19, a business owner does not have sufficient work to give to his employees. The owner decided that he would ask…
Paying for Unused Articles by Freelance Writers and Journalists
Rav Chaim Weg June 10, 2020 Case: A freelance writer was approached by several editors of a publication prior to the spread of Covid-19 to write some time-sensitive articles, such…
Whose Purell Is it?
Rav Chaim Weg June 9, 2020 Question: During the last few months, it has become more common to do shopping for others, such as for elderly neighbors or relatives.…
Business Competition During Covid-19
Rav Chaim Weg June 8, 2020 Question: Someone has been selling masks in his development for the last several weeks. He now discovers that his neighbor is beginning to sell masks as well, and he…
CANCELLING WEDDING VENUES & MORE DURING COVID-19
Wedding Hall Cancellations in Light of Covid-19
Rabbi Baruch Meir Levin Question: Someone rented a banquet hall for a bar mitzvah but was then unable to have the event due to the governmental restrictions on public gatherings…
Canceling Vacation Rentals Amid COVID-19
Cancelling Vacation Rentals Rabbi Baruch Meir Levine Question: Someone rented a house in Orlando for Pesach but due to Covid-19, was not able to travel and make use of…
Paying for a Wedding Cancelled Due to Covid-19
Rabbi Baruch Meir Levin Question: A chasan was unfortunately forced to cancel or delay his chasuna due to Covid-19. However, he had already made an agreement with a photographer, a…
Paying for Canceled Playgroups Due to Covid-19 | Part 2
Rabbi Baruch Meir Levin Question: The Bais HaVaad recently released guidelines about unemployment for morahs who run playgroups for children that were cancelled over the past few months due to…
MAASER OBLIGATIONS AND EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AMID COVID-19
Separating Ma’aser Kesafim on a PPP Loan Amid Covid-19
Rav Chaim Weg Question: If a business receives a PPP loan in order to help make their payroll, must the business owner separate ma’aser kesafim from that money? Would it matter if…
Giving Ma’aser Kesafim During Times of Financial Difficulty
Rav Chaim Weg Question 1: As a result of the coronavirus, many people have unfortunately been struggling financially to make ends meet. Is the widespread practice of giving ma’aser kesafim, one-tenth of…
Landlord and Tenants Rights Amid COVID-19
Rav Chaim Weg Question: What is the halacha if a landlord rents out hisbasement to another family or a playgroup, and a member of that family or playgroup contracts the…
Proper Precedence in Payments
Rabbi Chaim Weg - Rosh Kollel of Bais HaVaad Kollel for Dayanus - formerly Rosh Kollel of Scranton Kollel When money is scarce, who gets paid first? Question: What are…
TUITION FOR SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUPS AMID COVID-19
Maaser for Covid Tuition
Q1. May one use maaser for tuition in general? Q2. Even if in a normal circumstance one cannot, is it possible that the tuition being paid during the COVID-19 school…
Playgroups vs. Schools
Q. The peshara for playgroups as mentioned previously was 25-33% of the regular tuition. Why does it seem that the expectation regarding schools is to pay closer to full tuition? As a…
Tuition for Playgroups and Babysitters
As playgroups and babysitters are closed. Do parents have to pay tuition? If yes, how much? The starting point for these kinds of questions is the Chasam Sofer, which as…
Firing and Furlough Amid COVID-19
Due to COVID-19, many businesses and schools have been closed. What obligation does a business or school owner have towards his employees? If one is obligated, are there any exceptions?…