Choshen Mishpat Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

27 02, 2026

Hashavat Aveidah for Lost AirPods at Packed Theater

February 27th, 2026|Choshen Mishpat, Hashavat Aveidah, Non-Jews and Other Religions|

Question

A congregant went to see a show a few weeks ago, and her husband lost his AirPods there. He called the venue and left a voicemail describing the lost AirPods, and they said they had them. His brother went and picked them up. The husband got them, and they were the same make and model; however, when he opened them, he saw they were registered to someone else.

It’s not possible to figure out to whom the AirPods are registered, so they went to the

25 01, 2026

Is Reselling World Cup Tickets Above Face Value Halakhically Permitted?

January 25th, 2026|Business Ethics, Choshen Mishpat, Shulchan Arukh|

QUESTION

Riverdale, NY

Someone has World Cup tickets that he wants to resell. One can resell through the FIFA resale website, where one sets a price and sees whether someone will buy it (and FIFA takes a cut). The going prices there have ranged from 2x to 70x the face value of the ticket. This person has a private Jewish buyer who agreed to pay a little less than 2x the face value. Is there any ona’ah issue because it is so much more than the face value, or not because this price falls within the “secondary market” rates?

ANSWER

Initially, I

Reinterring a Corpse Buried in an Otherwise Reserved Plot

11 06, 2023

Reinterring a Corpse Buried in an Otherwise Reserved Plot

June 11th, 2023|Choshen Mishpat, Death and Dying, Yoreh De'ah|

https://pixabay.com/photos/old-stone-ancient-architecture-3118750/

QUESTION

Minneapolis, MI

A man was mistakenly buried in a plot reserved for a distant relative (his second wife’s cousin). The

9 01, 2023

Employer’s Delayed Payment of Bitcoin to Employee

January 9th, 2023|Business Ethics, Choshen Mishpat, Interpersonal Ethics|

QUESTION

Philadelphia

Kvod HaRav Linzer:

An Israeli man was hired to do some contract work, and the agreement was that the final month ‘s work would be paid in Bitcoin. The employer never paid that month’s salary, despite the employee repeatedly asking to be repaid. Finally, over 5 years later, the employee received the payment of 3 bitcoins. The sum is worth much more than when it was to be originally paid, but the employee lost the opportunity to potentially sell when the price was much higher. What does the employer owe now as fair recompense? Thank you.

13 07, 2021

Can a Lender Charge the Borrower for the Opportunity Costs of a Loan?

July 13th, 2021|Choshen Mishpat|

QUESTION

Washington, D.C.

Rabbi Linzer, one person wants to lend a large sum of money (short term loan) to a someone. The lender will withdraw money from an investment account to do this. In order to liquidate the investments, the lender will have a tax penalty and also have opportunity costs because he wont be making money over the course of the short term loan. I assume it is ribit to charge for the opportunity costs. Can the borrower pay the capital gains tax penalties that will result or is this considered ribit as well? Thank you.

ANSWER

Payment to enable the loan, even

1 06, 2021

Is a Kohen Married to a Divorcee Able to Be a Witness?

June 1st, 2021|Choshen Mishpat|

QUESTION

Washington, D.C.

Rabbi Linzer, I was asked if a kohen married to a גרושה, who is otherwise 100 percent shomer mitzvot, is eligible to be an eid for a wedding? Thank you.

ANSWER

He is pasul mide’orayta. See Shulchan Arukh CM 34:2, which rules that anyone who is liable malkut is pasul for eidut. Rambam (Hilkhot Sanhedrin 19:4, no. 151) explains that a kohen who marries a gerushah is liable malkut. Also see Shulchan Arukh CM 34:23 that rules he is pasul even without a public announcement. Although it sounds like you need eidut to invalidate him, this is a case

14 03, 2021

The Requirement to Construct a Parapet

March 14th, 2021|Choshen Mishpat|

QUESTION

Washington, D.C.

A congregant is moving into a new house and one of the bedrooms has a door to the roof over an extended sunroom one floor above the ground. The builder told them that they don’t need a parapet, but she’s concerned from a halakhic perspective. Any thoughts on whether they need to build some kind of a safety structure?

ANSWER

Assuming that the roof is flat, accessible, and usable, she definitely needs one. It is a mitzvat aseih de’orayta, and it is a violation of a lo ta’aseih not to have it. From a halakhic perspective, if it is 10 tefachim off

25 12, 2020

Reporting Jewish Businesses for Not Following COVID Protocols

December 25th, 2020|Choshen Mishpat|

QUESTION

Brooklyn, NY

Can a Jew report a Jewish business to 311 for not following COVID protocols?

ANSWER

I am assuming that the punishment for such violations is some form of fine / closure and not imprisonment. As such, it is by almost all accounts, permissible and does not fall into the category of moser. Added to this, there is an element of kiddush HaShem, given the public reporting of frum Jews violating these protocols – to have a frum Jew take them seriously is quite important.

20 12, 2020

Yerushah and Halakhic Wills

December 20th, 2020|Choshen Mishpat, Death and Dying|

QUESTION

Maryland, USA

Does one have to be worried about halakhic rules of yerushah (boys over girls, פי שנים for the בכור, etc.)? and therefore put all their money in a trust to go into effect a minute before death except a small amount to fulfill halakhic yerushah. Or, can this totally be ignored and fill out your will to have equal parts go to daughters and sons, etc?

ANSWER

Yes, you do need to worry about it. The Rishonim are explicit that dina demalkhuta does not apply

17 12, 2020

Regifting Gifts

December 17th, 2020|Choshen Mishpat, Interpersonal Ethics|

QUESTION

New York, NY

בעניין גניבת דעת: is it a problem to give someone a gift that you received from someone else and you don’t want without disclosing that it is a re-gift? I don’t think this is an issue but a congregant said that her Rabbi said that it is.

ANSWER

Well, genveivat da’at is when you do something so someone feels underserved gratitude towards you – like you invite them to a wedding when you know they can’t make it. I assume the pesak here that

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