
Dear Matzav Inbox,
There’s been a lot of hock lately about overpricing in the frum community and how frum families are often being taken for a ride. I’m not here to argue—I agree. I’m the biggest comparison shopper you’ll find. I run around to stores, checking out prices, and getting the best deals on everything.
But I think we need to remind ourselves of something important. Supporting Yidden is actually a mitzvah. The posuk says, “Vechi Timkaru Mimkar Leamisecha, Oa Kanah Miyad Amisecha Al Tono Ish Es Achiv,” which means, “When you sell or purchase from your brother, do not cheat him.” From this posuk, we learn that a Yid is supposed to support Jewish businesses when doing commerce. This means that one should buy products from a Yid and sell products to a Yid.
Now, is this an obligation or just good advice?
Some poskim rule that this din isn’t an obligation, but simply good advice, so one can choose to buy or sell to a goy over a Yid if he wishes. However, the majority of poskim hold that this halacha is an absolute obligation on every Yid, not just a matter of chassidus, encouragement, or good advice. Practically, this mitzvah is to be treated as an actual obligation. (For Matzav readers who want to know more: See Shu”t Rama 10; Tashbatz 3:151; Chasam Sofer C.M. 79; Pischei Teshuvah C.M. 156:6; Maharam Shick C.M. 31; Ahavas Chesed 5:6; Minchas Yitzchak 3:129).
Just as one is required to give precedence to a Yid in buying or selling, the same applies in renting. One is also to give precedence to hiring a Jewish employee. And it’s a Biblical positive command to lend money to a Jewish pauper. This applies even if the borrower is wealthy but temporarily in need of money. One is required to lend money to a Yid before lending to others.
Some poskim rule that if the Jewish-owned product costs much more than the outside product, then one is not required to buy it from the Yid. However, other poskim rule that one is obligated to give precedence to the Yid and buy from him even if his product is more expensive than the others and thus purchasing from the Yid would cause him a monetary loss. Some poskim hold that this applies even if buying from the Yid involves a great monetary loss. Others rule that one is not required to give precedence to a Yid if doing so involves a great loss, and one is only required to do so in a case of slight loss. Furthermore, even in the case of a slight loss, one is only required to give precedence to buying from a Yid if his price is equal to the market value. If, however, he is selling it for more than market value, then one is not required to buy from him for a greater amount.
So, let’s keep trying to get the best price—but don’t forget that it’s a mitzvah to support Yidden, and according to many poskim, this applies even if purchasing from a Yid involves more expense or a loss.
Sincerely,
Gedalya F.
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I dont think halacha requires us to pay more than 10% more to do business with a yid
You have a point. Paying for hiddur mitzvah has a limit al pi halacha too.
you are correct, and its even lower than 10%
This letter writer has the correct intentions, but hasnt been exact with the actual Halacha.
This causes the problem of Eitz Hada’as, when adam told chava to not even “touch” the tree, which led to disaster.
Side point: If anyone thinks there is a business that grossly overcharges you are welcome to open a competing business and offer it for less. We would all welcome it trust me!
Beware of the halachos pertaining to השגת גבול. They are not always simple. Putting a Yid out of business by undercutting his prices might involve a huge issur. Such questions need to be brought before a מורה הוראה.
So I just swa a bottle of seltzer in Shop Rite-89 cents…. in one frum store for 1.09 and in a second frum store for 1.49. I want to buy by frum people… I really do….. and I will pay more…….. but I also am on a Rebbis salary and have not gotten a reaise in 4 years. If not for CHASDEI LEV I couldn’t pay for Succos or Pesach. What should I give up from my budget to buy in frum stores. What is my chiyuv? Shoild I apply to other chesed organizations and take other chesed “gimmees” so I can shop by frum?? Or for many items. go to shop rite and be able to spend frugally and not need to come onto others??/
um, its on sale where you saw it.
I lietterally just now, while typinf this comment, checked shoprites website.
Its $1.80 for a 1L bottle of Polar seltzer (blueberry lime flavor, if you must know)
That same bottle is 1.19 in evergreen and 1.09 in bingo
I actually DO take notice of prices, and i wrote some down in 2021 to keep track of inflation. (though i dont do much running between stores, my time is worth more than the 28 bucks id save)
My point is, you are part of the hype, the “ruach” and you yell it out there, and its not accurate. You dont mean it, but we have to be better than that.
Only if there’s no real difference between the Jews and non Jews
Can one use masser money to pay the extra difference, in a Yiddishe owned store?
Question: why can’t I support myself by purchasing at the lower price?
Only up to a 6th more not when it cost me double to shop at a Jewish store
Hey Gedalia
I believe supporting my family is also a mitzvah. Being price conscious and shopping in non Jewish supermarkets may be a great mitzvah as well!
Don’t disregard the money hashem gave you.
I hired an ostensibly frum guy to do some work and he charged me more than the Spanish guys quoted but WALKED off the job and now I had to hire the Spanish guy anyway to finish it, and the “frum” guy doesnt answer my calls truth is at this point I dont want him to fix anything, but I cant spread motzi shem ra so I dont tell others of his horrible work.
lol, you just spread motzi shem ra on all jews, not just that guy!
And yes, You absolutely COULD and SHOULD tell anyone you know who wants to use him, what your experience is, thats called to’eles
though it seems, from your method of commenting, that you probably would do more than whats necessary for toeles, in which case, your right, you cannot say it. cuz you lie and exaggerate.
I think 16% is the limit because more than that is Onaah and mekach tahus.
all of a sudden the store owners and heir reps are frum
with halachos and loshon hora
follow the money trail allways
Did you know that taking advantage and ripping off other Yidden is an Issur D’Oraysa?
Amazing how biased this letter writer is.
A truly chshoveh yungerman
What a loss
A gem
We lost a gem
Woahhhhhh….. hold it R’ Gedalya F.
I get that you’d like to protect the frum stores and therefore wrote this letter.
But excuse my extreme comparison, you’re protecting the predators.
Most Poskim and Rabbanim as far as I’m aware of and have asked have told people that they do not need to pay more than fair price to support Jewish stores.
I’m a huge advocate of supporting Yidden.
But when Yidden make it impossible to support them, bringing a good 50% or more of our kehila into credit card debt, they’re going to go down with us all.
The pricing is out of hand.
We all prefer to support the Yid.
But it’s gotten to a point where more than not I’ve been forced to turn elsewhere along with my fellow kehilla in financial stress.
And due to this stress and strain, many have to rely on Tomchei Shabbos, gemachs, and people that actually clue the Klal in on where to get it affordable from outside the camp.
It used to be a Pesach only problem.
Now it has become a full year round problem. I hold my breath every time I shop in the grocery stores lest my debit card declined. The total cost for my small shoppings has reached higher than my old large weekly shoppings. I’ve been forced to order from Walmart and the like for many items and Amazon as well.
I do commend the stores that recognize the financial burden and keep their prices low. I would love to name a few kids clothing stores that offer affordable starting prices and much appreciated super low sale prices.
I’d love to mention a grocery store in NY that just announced they slashed their prices across the store (haven’t checked if the prices are affordable and fair even as slashed but I hope the local Lakewood stores and beyond follow suit so we CAN support them).
Our generation has become so accustomed to the insane prices and markups that I think many people don’t even realize why they’re in such hock!
While we do need to support Yiddishe businesses, they need to offer merchandise and services at fair prices that we can support.
The game is over. Now that people are realizing how much we are being milked and how we can afford to live, the yiddishe businesses will need to find ways to stay in business by lowering their prices.
And suddenly will be surprised that their business is doing well because people can afford to use them.
But until then, don’t bring it as a mitzvah. Cuz it’s not if you’re hurting from them.
Thank you to all the commentors for expressing what’s really correct. This letter is silly and false. It falls into the category of being a menuval birshus Hatorah. Blatant disregard for real halacha and instead one person’s twisted spin on a sensitive and important posuk with real life practical applications.
Shop where you need to shop so that you can afford to live. If you are struggling you go where it’s best priced. Period.
חייך קודמין. Simple as that. You and your family comes first. Going to the yid is indeed a mitzvah, but not if it’s going to make you broke to the point where you have to rely on organizations for support.
Your response really misses the mark and shows just how out of touch you are with the reality many families face today. It’s easy to talk about running around to different stores when you have the luxury of time and money, but most families don’t. Both parents are often working nonstop just to scrape by, struggling to afford basic necessities or pay tuition. They simply don’t have the time or resources to do what you’re suggesting. Your timing is off, and your understanding of the situation is completely disconnected from the challenges people are dealing with every day.
Your response really misses the mark and shows just how out of touch you are with the reality many Yiddisha families face today. It’s easy to talk about running around to different stores when you have the luxury of time and money, but most families don’t. Both parents are often busy nonstop just to scrape by, struggling to afford basic necessities and pay tuition. They simply don’t have the time or resources to do what you’re suggesting. Your letter demonstrates your understanding of the situation is completely disconnected from the challenges Yiddisha families are dealing with every day!
I work for a Jewish owned business. There’s a non Jewish business that recently opened to compete. They are definitely cheaper but I believe they are charging less than the standard mark-up so that they can break into the Jewish community. We lost so much business to them. What people don’t realize is that if you get a cheaper quote from elsewhere, often the other stores will match the price. Not a bad idea to bring the quote to the Jewish business and ask if they would match the price.
In a goyishe supermarket I can and do use coupons. When I try that in a Heimishe store, they look at me as if I just fell off a roof.
Its a mitzva deoraysa to support your own family before other familys
So why does Biden and the Democrats support illegal aliens before the American taxpayers?
When you buy by a Yid, his maaser goes back into the community and supports Hatzalah, Yeshivos, Aniyim, Bikur Cholim etc. Money spent elsewhere isn’t returned to us.
I’m also on a chinuch salary but still pay more for chalav yisrael and glatt. I don’t say I can get chalav stam and regular koaher meat for cheaper and it’s more affordable. So I look at buying at a Yid the same way.
If you’ve never learned the Beis Halevi on Bitachon, it’s a MUST read and will change the way you look at your parnassah. Guaranteed!!