January 7, 2021 · 3:16
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Please feel free to email us at [email protected] _______________________________________________Question: We previously spoke about the importance of patronizing Jewish businesses. Does the same mitzvah apply to large Jewish-owned supermarket chain stores? Should one give them priority over non-Jewish chain stores?Answer: Generally speaking, shopping in a large chain store owned by a Jew would also fall under the mitzvah of supporting a Jew and is the proper thing to do.In Sefer Teshuvos Vehanhagos, Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita offers an interesting justification for those who are not strict to only buy from Jewish stores. He suggests that it could be that one only is obligated to buy from a Jewish store if the owner needs this business to earn his livelihood. If he has enough money to live and one would only be providing him with extra money by shopping in his store, it could be argued that there is no strict obligation to shop there. In this case, Rav Sternbuch suggests that he may be permitted to purchase from a non-Jewish store for even a slightly cheaper price, thereby saving himself money, rather than giving the store owner extra money.Rav Sternbuch says that he did not find this chiddush in any sefer and is merely offering it as a justification for those who do not frequent Jewish stores.Rav Yaakov Blau zt”l, in his Sefer Tzedaka U’Mishpat on the laws of tzedakah, discusses a case where someone in the market to buy a Sefer Torah