[Avodah] Selling whiskey/bourbon

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Micha Berger wrote:

> I'll try one more time, and then give up.

Please don't! Let's work together, to find the root of the problem.

> If the minhag were economically viable, the storeowner would be
> able to keep it. And if it's not economically viable, the minhag
> doesn't stick.

I suspect that "the minhag" you're referring to is the combined practice of not seeling one's own chometz, but buying from as store that does.

My suspicion is that there is no such "minhag". Some/many individuals may follow such a practice, but I don't think there's any community composed of people, all of whom follow the practice you've described. In fact, I think you've *proven* that such a community cannot exist. Rather, all communities are composed of three groups in varying proportions: (1) Those who have no qualms about mechiras chometz at all, (2) Those who neither sell their own chametz gamur nor would buy such after Pesach from one who did, (3) Those who would not sell their own but do buy from one who did.

> My not selling my own chameitz gamor therefore serves no purpose,
> once my world HAS TO contain people who do not do the same.

It serves the purpose of protecting you from a possible violation of owning chametz. I really don't know why this bothers you. How do you relate to the general principle of being machmir on oneself but meikil for others?

Does it bother you that an Ashkenazi who lives in a mixed neighborhood might sell kitniyos on Chol Hamoed to Sefaradim? A good portion of his parnasa comes from people who are actually eating things that he would not eat on Pesach! [Rhetorical question:] What purpose is served by his avoidance of eating kitniyos, if he is enabling others to eat it?

Akiva Miller

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