[Avodah] Driving Miss Daisy to Chameitz

[Samuel Svarc]

>From: Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org>
>Subject: [Avodah] Driving Miss Daisy to Chameitz
>
>My neighbor gave me a lift home from the bus stop last night, and posed
>this dilemma.
>
>Every week she drives this 86 yr old lady to the supermarket to help
>with her grocery shopping. Friend is sure that the older woman will not
>change her very routine menu.
>
>So:
>Does he drive the woman, risking lifnei iveir or mesayei'ah?
>Or does she not drive, risking the woman having a food shortage?
>Should she bow out but find a non-Jewish driver -- is that any less
>lifnei iveir otherwise?

Off the top of my head. I would ask a Rav, but I don't see a question of LI
or m'sayeiah. The woman has a choice of kosher for Passover food items in
the store. The only real question is if the assister physically assists in
moving the chometz; e.g. off the shelf into the cart, from the cart to
checkout counter, into car, or from the car to the house. But those actions
can be more easily explained to the elderly lady, "As an observant Jew I am
not allowed to touch chometz on Passover".

KT,
MSS