News

Question: May a claimant reclaim his lost object from the finder based on simanim (identifying features) alone or are character witnesses also necessary?

Question: Should you pick up and try to return a relatively cheap yet identifiable item in a semi-protected area, such as a baseball mitt in the corner of a dugout in a public baseball field?

Question: May a person ignore (and not pick up) a lost object that has no identifying features?

Short Answer: While Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l and others ruled that one may ignore such an object, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l ruled that a finder must pick up the object and hold onto it until Eliyahu HaNavi comes and the true owner is established.

Question: Pursuant to the mitzvah of Hashavas Aveidah, must one inform his friend that the friend accidentally left the lights on in his car?

Question: Must a wealthy person, who is not a talmid chacham, pick up and return a lost object that is beneath his dignity to be in his possession?

Question: Must a person tovel electric kitchen appliances?

 Short Answer: While some poskim apply certain leniencies to electric kitchen appliances, many poskim and kashrus organizations, including Rav Yisroel Belsky zt”l (from the OU) and the Star-K require t’vilah, as it often can be performed safely and without ruining the utensil.