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 as pruzbul, heter iska, selling chametz, and heter mechira of…
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. Part 2 begins with a continuation of the discussion and…
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…
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 is a concept known as the “heter mechira” that transfers…
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 it. But Levi says, “the bike is not yours, Reuven,…
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 to get paid. Question: Can the homeowner say that he…
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, etc.). After the work is done, he requests payment from…
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 for Bais Din as well, and how often does this…
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 is performed? Answer: Normally, a claim that one party retracted…
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 sufficient to finalize the transaction and render it binding upon…