Business Halacha Daily

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.orgQuestion: What can a shul or mikvah do if it finds itself overloaded with aveidos that people left there?Answer: If they already have been koneh it, they are stuck with it. However, if whoever has jurisdiction over the premises had in mind not to acquire it, and it is only picked up after the person who left it there is...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.orgRav Baruch FriedQuestion: I was in a supermarket and found $10 in front of the customer service counter. I picked it up, saw that there was no siman, and was about to take it for myself. The storeowner saw me pick it up and said that it belongs to him since it was found on his property. Do I have to give it to him?Answer: If...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Question: In my development, there are many scooters, coats, toys, etc., which were obviously dropped by children. Do I have to pick up and return all of these lost items?Answer: The truth is that anything knowingly entrusted to a child has the status of an aveidah m’daas. The Mishnah in Bava Basra (87b) discusses a case where...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.orgRav Baruch FriedQuestion: A man has a private jar of coffee, which he keeps in shul. One day, I see him taking a cup of coffee and leaving his jar on the counter. I know that other people will assume it is there for the public and will take some. Do I have an obligation of hashavas aveidah to put away the coffee for him? Am I...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.orgRav Baruch FriedQuestion: A fellow is walking in a totally non-Jewish neighborhood and finds a pocketbook. It contains a lot of cash but no credit cards or ID. It does, however, contain a “mitzvah note” signed by “Mommy”. Is he allowed to keep it?Answer: Generally, if one finds an aveidah in an area that is primarily frequented...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Baruch FriedQuestion: Someone lost an item, which was worth a significant amount of money. His neighbor later revealed to him that he had seen the item on the street but didn’t bother to pick it up. This individual wants to take his neighbor to a din Torah for causing him a loss by not performing the mitzvah of hashavas...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.orgRav Baruch FriedQuestion: Someone is walking in the street on Shabbos and finds a large sum of money with a siman. What should he do?Answer: The Mishnah Berurah clearly says that if one finds money on Shabbos with no siman, he is not allowed to take it for himself. Although there are certain leniencies that apply in cases of a...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.orgRav Baruch FriedQuestion: Reuven is walking in the street in a place where no Jews live and he finds a book. On the inside cover, he sees a name and phone number. Does he have to return the book to its Akum owner?Answer: The Torah commands us to return lost objects to their owners; however, this is limited to our Jewish...

Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.orgRav Baruch FriedQuestion: Yankel was shopping in Walmart. When he gets back to his car, he sees that the parking spot next to him is empty and there is a Walmart bag with some items in it lying on the ground in that spot. Obviously, someone forgot it there. What is the halachic status of this bag?Answer: We have to deal with...