Reading The Fine Print
Rav Eliezer Cohen Case: Reuven just bought a new house and is finally able to move out of his basement apartment. When he informs his landlord that he will be leaving, the landlord shows him that in the fine print…
Kinyanim of a Minor
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question: A child finds some money laying around at home and takes it to the grocery store, where he happily purchases a lot of candy. Of course, the parents are upset and demand a refund. Do they…
Kinyanim Between a Jew and a Non-Jew
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question: Do the same principles of kinyanim that apply in transactions between Jews also apply in deals between a Jew and a non-Jew? Answer: The short answer is that yes, basic kinyanim would apply to transfer ownership…
Credit Card and Check Payments
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question: Today, there are many substitutes for cash that can be used for payments, such as credit cards and checks. How does halacha view these payments as it pertains to kinyanim? Answer: Since common practices are recognized as…
Using The Industry Board to Resolve Disputes
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question: Two Jewish diamond dealers got into a monetary dispute. As per industry best practices, these types of disputes are usually adjudicated by the diamond board. Are they allowed to have their conflict arbitrated by the board…
When Does a Kinyan Take Effect in a Real Estate Sale?
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question: When one purchases real estate there are various steps that take place after a payment is made, (even if the buyer pays in cash) such as recording the deed and handing over the key. When does…
Reading Someone Else’s Newspaper: Is It Stealing?
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question: I have a subscription to a newspaper, which is delivered daily to my mailbox. My neighbor doesn’t want to pay for the paper, so he gets up early, takes my paper, reads it, and puts it…
Making a Kinyan Subconsciously
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question: When someone shops in a grocery store, he probably doesn’t have any sort of intent to make a kinyan. This leads us to the question of when exactly the kinyan and transfer of ownership on the…
Items Destroyed in Transit; Who is Responsible?
Rav Eliezer Cohen Case: Reuven manufactures frying pans overseas and imports them to America. Shimon, a frying pan wholesaler, is one of his customers. He purchases pans from Reuven and then sells them to stores around the country. Shimon placed…
Buyer Vs. Seller; Who Takes The Loss For Damaged Items?
Rav Eliezer Cohen Question 1: On Erev Pesach, an individual made a last-minute order of meat for Yom Tov and paid in cash. The store sent him the meat through a delivery service but it got destroyed somehow during transit.…