Business Halacha: Paying a Shomer Sochor

Question: What payment is required to render the guardian a shomer sachar (paid guardian)?

Answer: Any monetary benefit that the guardian receives in return for guarding the item renders him a

shomer sachar.

Therefore, if he received any payment – even as little as a perutah (a few cents) – he is considered a shomer sachar (Shach 303:1).

Furthermore, even if the guardian received no actual payment, but will be repaid in kind – e.g. watch for me today and I’ll watch for you tomorrow – he is considered a shomer sachar. Therefore, a group of friends or mothers who take turns watching for each other are all considered shomer sachar (C.M. 305:6).

Similarly, any favor that is agreed upon in return for watching – even lending the guardian an item or picking up something for him – is considered payment to render him a shomer sachar (Aruch Hashulchan 303:3).

If a person was paid to watch a for a certain number of days, but the item remained with him afterwards, he is considered a shomer sachar for the days that he was paid and a shomer chinam for the days afterwards (304:6).

Authored by Rabbi Meir Orlian

These articles are for learning purposes only and cannot be used for final halachic decision.

The Business Halacha email is a project of Business Halacha Institute (www.businesshalacha.com) and is under the auspices of Rav Chaim Kohn.

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