Can a big chain-store set up shop while driving the little guys out of business?  By Dayan Shlomo Cohen Many questions arise in the cutthroat world of business as to what form of competition is ethical or morally acceptable, and what is not. The Torah gives us guidelines (as explained in two previous articles on this subject) which can be applied to many common business … [Read more...]

By Dayan Shlomo Cohen Previously… In our previous article, we identified four levels of benefitting from the efforts of another: 1. Grabbing a unique find before the person who spotted it is not immoral according to all opinions. 2. Acquiring a unique item before another prospective buyer is immoral according to Rashi but not according Rabbenu Tam. 3. Acquiring a … [Read more...]

Benefitting From the Effort of Another By Dayan Shlomo Cohen, Badatz Ahavat Shalom, Yerushalayim A Preemptive Purchase In this series of articles, we will examine the position of the Torah as to benefitting from the effort (both financial and physical) exerted by another. The Shulhan Aruch states that a verbal agreement creates a moral obligation on the parties involved to … [Read more...]

By Dayan Yosef Greenwald, Dayan Bet HaVa’ad, Yerushalayim In our previous article we discussed using Ma’aser funds to pay for tuition and child support of young children. We concluded that whenever an expense is deemed an obligation, it cannot be funded by Ma’asrot, and thus many Poskim maintain that in our day and age – a Torah education up until the sixth and seventh grade … [Read more...]

By Dayan Yosef Greenwald, Dayan Bet HaVa’ad, Yerushalayim Some of the important discussions regarding the disbursement of Ma’aser funds, pertain to the support one’s children. May Ma’aser be used for marrying off a child? May it be used for supporting a son in Kollel? How about paying tuition for high school yeshiva students or hefty seminary payments? These are some of the … [Read more...]