[Avodah] dina demalchuta

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Micha Berger wrote:

> I would personally think that owning the forms that misreport
> one's income, even if one never sends them in, is a violation of
> even va'aven. EvE includes owning the tools to be dishonest in
> business. Owning them -- not even using them. As Rashi quotes
> chazal in his commentary on the pasuq, to actually use two sets
> of weights, measures or books would be theft, and wouldn't have
> required this distinct prohibition.

I understand EvE to refer to a 15 ounce weight which is labeled "one pound", or a spring-type scale whose spring is adjusted for that same effect. I don't know how that would apply to a *blank* form, which is a pareve tool to be used either honestly or dishonestly.

Perhaps when RMB wrote "owning the forms that misreport one's income", he was referring to forms which have already been filled in?

Or perhaps the situation is this: Suppose a person had income which he is not hiding, but he is misreporting. He really ought to report the income on Form ABC. But instead, he plans to report it on Form XYZ, which he is really not entitled to, but he will do it anyway, because XYZ will result in a smaller calculation. Perhaps in such a case, it is a violation of EvE to have even a blank XYZ in his home?

In any case, even if it is not possible to come up with a practical haycha timtza of RMB's point, I still thank him for reminding us of an easily forgotten d'Oraisa which we should at the very least be aware of.

Akiva Miller

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