[Avodah] [Areivim] Kosher Supermarkets

Fri Feb 25 04:54:10 PST 2022

At 11:50 PM 2/24/2022, Marty Bluke wrote to me. 
(I am moving this discussion to Avodah.):

>Your gift of the food to your gentile cleaning 
>lady may be a violation of lo sechanem. The 
>Gemara learns out from lo sechanem that it is 
>prohibited to give a gift to a non Jew. So your 
>actions may be a case of a chumra that leads to a kula.Â

Let's put the Gemara you referred to in proper 
context.  From what I have posted below:

"If you have a relationship with the non-Jew and 
may receive something in return, one is permitted to give gifts."

I certainly have a relationship with my cleaning 
given that she cleans my house, and a clean house is what I receive in return!

Yitzchok Levine

From

https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews

Source

    * One is forbidden to give a free gift to a 
non-Jew.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-1>[1] 

        * Some explain that this by all non-Jews 
except for a ger 
toshav.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-2>[2] 

        * Others explain that this only applies 
to 
idolaters<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-3>[3] 

        * Others explain that this only applied 
to the seven nations that inhabited the land of 
Israel in the days of 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Joshua.4?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Yehoshua.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-4>[4] 

    * The prohibition is not about the act of 
giving, but the non-Jew benefiting. Therefore, it 
only applies if the non-Jew receives the 
benefit.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-5>[5] 

    * One is permitted to accept a gift from a 
non-Jew.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-6>[6] 

    * Some prohibit one from donating blood in a 
country that is mostly 
non-Jews.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-7>[7] 
Nowadays many permit donating 
blood.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-8>[8] 

Exceptions

    * If you have a relationship with the non-Jew 
and may receive something in return, one is 
permitted to give 
gifts.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-9>[9] 

    * It is permitted to give a gift for an 
ulterior 
motive.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-10>[10] 

    * If you are giving a gift in order to 
maintain a peaceful environment, it is 
permissible.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-11>[11] 
Therefore, one 
may<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-12>[12]: 

        * Give charity to a non-Jew.
        * Visit a non-Jew who is ill.
        * Bury and eulogize non-Jew.
        * Comfort a non-Jewish mourner.
    * One may tip a taxi driver, even though 
you'll never see him 
again.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-13>[13] 

    * Some allow giving a gift if it is out of 
compassion for a non-Jew 
struggling.<https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Giving_Gifts_to_Non-Jews#cite_note-14>[14] 

Sources

<https://www.sefaria.org/Avodah_Zarah.20b?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Avoda 
Zara 20b quoting 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.7.2?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Devarim 
7:2. Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 151:11 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Choshen_Mishpat.249.2?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>C.M. 
249:2 Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Orach_Chayim.2.51?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>O.C. 
2:51) says this is specifically by non-Jews, but 
does not apply to irreligious Jews. Tosfos 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Avodah_Zarah.20a?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Avoda 
Zara 20a s.v. d'amar. Beis Yosef 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Choshen_Mishpat.249?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>C.M. 
249. Shach Y.D. 151:18. Sma 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Choshen_Mishpat.249.2?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>C.M. 
249:2 explains that a ger toshav is a person who 
accepts the sheva mitzvos bnei noach and we are 
therefore obligated to provide for him if he 
doesn't have and are allowed to give him gifts. 
However, one who doesn't abide by the sheva 
mitzvos can only be sold to Meiri 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Avodah_Zarah.20a?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Avoda 
Zara 20a, Shut HaRashba 1:8, and Sefer HaChinuch 
Mitzvah 426. Shut Titz Eliezer 15:47:5 Torah 
Temimah in 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.7.2?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Devarim 
7:2. Titz Eliezer 15:47 says this is not accepted 
as it is against the rishonim Avoda Berura 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Avodah_Zarah.20?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Avoda 
Zara 20 Yad Rama 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Batra.6?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Bava 
Batra 6 Rav Menashe Klein (Mishneh Halachos 
4:245) says this would be an issue of giving a 
free gift and healing non-Jews Rabbi Aryeh 
Lebowitz in a 
<https://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/750344/rabbi-aryeh-lebowitz/ten-minute-halacha-donating-blood/>shiur 
strongly encourages donating blood. He explains 
that you are donating to a system (just like 
paying taxes), so there is a reciprocity. It 
helps when everyone donates and this is similar 
to the Taz Y.D. 151:8. Additionally, your blood 
may be going to a Jew and he may need it 
immediately. Finally, many poskim including Rav 
Heinkin say that the prohibition only applies to 
idolaters. Rabbi Lebowitz quoted from Rabbi 
Mordechai Willig and Rabbi Tzvi Sobolofsky that 
it is permissible to give blood Taz Y.D. 151:8. 
Rosh 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Avodah_Zarah.1.19?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Avoda 
Zara 1:19 explains that it is not a free gift, 
but an exchange, similar to a sale. Ran 
(<https://www.sefaria.org/Gittin.38b?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>Gittin 
38b) uses this rationale to explain how Rabbi 
Eliezer freed his slave in order to complete a 
minyan. Although this was a gift to the slave, it 
is permissible if the givers benefit. Shut 
HaRashbash 468 says it would be prohibited to 
give a vessel to a non-Jew as a present on Yom 
Tov if you forgot to do tevilas keilim. Shulchan 
Aruch 
<https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Choshen_Mishpat.249.2?lang=he-en&utm_source=halachipedia.com&utm_medium=sefaria_linker>C.M. 
249:2 Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 151:12 The Debreciner 
Rav (Beer Moshe 3:117) explains that if you don’t 
he (and his friends) will no longer stop and pick 
up Jews. Shut Divrei Yatziv 10:43
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