Choshen Mishpat Archives

Is it halachicly forbidden to pay for an item with cash so as to avoid paying sales tax?

Forbidden. ראה שו״ע חו״מ שסט, ו. שו״ע אדה"ז דיני גזלה וגניבה סעיף טו ואילך. שו״מ אג״מ חו״מ א, פב. אבל ראה שו״ת משנ״ה תנינא ב, תמה. #5625 …

I was trying on clothing in a store, and my makeup left a mark on a dress. I put the dress back on the rack and left the store. What is the proper course of action to set this right? Does it matter that the store is part of an international chain and not a small boutique, or am I just rationalizing?

You must inform the store and ask them how to deal with it. #5325

Are you allowed to book flights from Skiplagged with a hidden destination without airlines knowledge thereby you’re getting a better price than the airline knowingly sells?

Whenever you book an airline ticket, you are effectively entering into a “contract of carriage” between yourself and the airline. Usually, hidden-city ticketing is a violation of the binding contract between the…

א. האם מותר להשקיע במניות של ישראלים שאינם שומרי שבת? ב. האם מותר לקנות מניות של גוי שמוכר טריפות (ויכול להיות שימכור לישראל שאינו שומר תומ”צ)? ג. האם יש בהשקעות בכלל איסור ריבית? ד. האם יש ספר או מאמר שכבוד הרב מציע על דיני השקעה?

א. בעייתי. ב. אפשר. ג. אם יודע בוודאי שמלווים בריבית בעייתי. ד. יש אתר שלם בנושא - של מכון כת"ר - באתר הנ״ל נראה שנוטים יותר לקולא בהרבה פרטים. וראה במקורות…

אני שליח בישיבה, באחד מהפעמים שנסענו למבצעים ירדתי מהכביש המהיר, והיה שם מצלמה שתפסה אותי נוסע מעל המהירות המורשה וקיבלנו קנס, אותו דבר היה עם הגוי של הישיבה ולא חייבו אותו לשלם את הקנס, האם הם יכולים לחייב אותי?

להבהיר את השאלה: האם יש מקום (ע"פ דין) לומר שמכיוון שכשנהגתי בשביל הישיבה ולא לעצמי, שהישיבה תשלם את הקנס. או שאני חייב לשלם? אף פעם לא היה כלל ברור שכשמישהו…

I am a Bochur renting a basement together with 3 other bochurim in Crown Heights.

I have 3 questions: Who pays for checking the Mezuzahs of the basement every year in Elul? Is it the obligation of the landlord to provide carbon monoxide detectors,…

Can you give me some examples where the Torah treats women as special, precious, and where it says that men need to unconditionally respect their wives, etc.

The Torah commands a man to make his new wife who he married happy, [1] thus he may not travel in the first year of marriage without her permission.…

האם צריכים לשפוך טיפה מכל משקה ששותים לפני השתיה? והאם זה משנה באם המים מגיעים מברז? ומהו המקור למנהג זה?

נכון לנהוג כן. להטעם - עיין במקורות כאן. מקורות: המקור למנהג זה הוא מגמרא חולין קה, סוף ע״ב, שמובא שם לשפוך קודם השתייה מפני המזיקים. ואף שלא הובא…

האם מותר ע”פ הלכה להתקין במחשב שלי את התוכנות וורד ופטשופ וכו’ הפרוצים?

אסור להתקין תוכנות אלו. מקורות: ראה אצלנו כאן בשאלה 1000. https://asktherav.com/copyright-with-seforim/ ומועתק בכאן ממאמר אחר בנושא: נחלקו פוסקי הדורות האחרונים האם שייכת 'בעלות' על יצירה שאינה…

If someone runs a Gmach that has money that belongs to other people (all the money has to be returned eventually). What principles could there be with regard to someone’s check bouncing? What kinds of limitations are there with regard to contacting him about making the payment?

One who lends money to others is fully entitled to collect the loan. One may ask for repayment, and if a check bounces, one may contact the borrower to…

Is it permissible to go paintball shooting?

It is important to point out that if this is regarding a camp activity, then whatever written further below has no bearing on what should be done in camp. The…

May I split the cost of buying a video with someone and each of us will keep a digital copy?

You may buy the video together, and take turns using it, but you can’t make an additional copy, since it has a copyright. #4167

I was working for a company for over 6 years and built a close relationship with one client I was his exclusive sales rep, they don’t even call the office they call me on my cell, and he only dealt with me. I am now starting to work for a new company. May I contact this customer to come to do business with me at the new company.

One should not actively approach clients from another company’s client base. With non-Jewish client there is room for leniency, although a G-d fearing person would be strict in all…

It is Minhag Haolam, and unfortunately became a custom among Yidden too L’havdil, to make various pranks on the Secular calendar day today, under the name “April Fools”. is there any Heter to do such a thing? Is this clear out Gneivas Daas? an example, people would say something like “guess what? I won a raffle and I’m going to Eretz Yisroel next week. I have one free ticket. do you want to join?”

It is definitely not Mentshlich and not fit for a Yerai Shomayim to engage in such activities. There may be an exception if the intent is just to make…

מישהו הפיל לי את הטלפון, וזה הרס לי את המסך, היה לי את המכשיר 9 וחצי חדשים, איך יצטרך לשלם הנזק? האם את כולו או חלקו?

בכל דיני ממונות, אי אפשר לפסוק כשלא שומעים את הצד השני. ומכל מקום, אכתוב כאן נקודות כלליות: באופן עקרוני, הדין הוא שחייב לשלם את ההפרש בין שווי הטלפון כעת…

A friend, who paid for music files, wants to let me download some tracks on to my MP3 player. Am allowed to do it for a short while, as if I am borrowing them, as long as I do not keep them? Why would it be different than me just borrowing his MP3 player for a short while, to listen to tracks I do not own?

See here. The same would be in the case you described. Just as you cannot "borrow without permission" for a short while and give it back (aka stealing). When…

My work gave me a mobile internet box to use for work if I don’t have internet and need to use my laptop. I had my laptop and internet box at home and my family connected to it and the usage was a lot. My work incurred a couple thousand dollars extra expenses because of this. Am I obligated to pay for it?

It depends on the policy of your work place. If they gave it to you for work purposes only, then you are obligated to pay the difference.

About 8 years ago I used a friend’s phone without permission and went on to various websites, not realising it I signed him up to SMS messages from these things which racked up a bill of several hundred GBP on his parents card. Should I pay? Do they or he have to know the money is coming from me? Do I have to ask him for Mechila?

Causing someone to lose money or pay a charge is considered stealing and you must repay them for all charges that was your fault. If you are embarrassed to…

May I record phone calls without consent from those with whom I am talking?

Aside from the legal issues which are different from state to state, there are also Halachic issues. See more here.

My friend sold me an iPhone and I opened up the box already and then I changed my mind about buying it. May I still back out of the sale? I already paid him the money.

You may not return it, since you already made a Kinyan, unless the seller agrees. Sources: חושן משפט סימן קפ"ט ועוד