Rabbi Rules Against Buying Olive Oil from Stolen Olives
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Rabbi David Bigman, president of the Ma'ale Gilboa Yeshiva, ruled it is forbidden to buy olive oil made from stolen olives. The ruling applies even if the buyer is not directly involved in the theft, as purchasing the oil supports ongoing transgressions. This applies even when the oil's exact origin is unknown, if the press buys stolen olives. The decision emphasizes consumer responsibility in preventing further theft.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Rabbi David Bigman ruled it is forbidden to purchase olive oil derived from stolen olives.
- The ruling applies even if the buyer is not directly involved in the theft.
- Purchasing oil from presses that buy stolen olives is forbidden as it aids transgressors.
- The prohibition remains even if the specific origin of oil in a bottle is unknown.
- The ruling emphasizes consumer responsibility regarding the source of goods.
- The decision addresses olive oil produced from olives harvested from farms with Palestinian neighbors.
Rabbi David Bigman, president of the Ma'ale Gilboa Yeshiva, has issued a halachic ruling stating that it is forbidden to purchase olive oil produced from olives that are considered stolen. The ruling addresses the practice of olive presses buying olives from farms where trees belonging to Palestinian neighbors are also harvested.
Rabbi Bigman clarified that even if a buyer is not directly involved in the act of theft, they are forbidden from facilitating such actions by purchasing the resulting oil. He emphasized that this prohibition applies even when it is impossible to determine if a specific bottle of oil contains oil from stolen olives, as long as the press openly admits to purchasing such olives.
The ruling, issued in response to recent events, draws upon halachic sources concerning the purchase of stolen goods, citing the Shulchan Aruch which states that buying stolen merchandise supports transgressors and encourages further theft. Rabbi Bigman highlighted the consumer's responsibility and the impact of their purchasing decisions on the continuation of these acts.
He presented four halachic approaches, distinguishing between a mere suspicion of theft and goods held as definitively stolen. Rabbi Bigman concluded that there is no halachic permission to purchase goods that are presumed stolen, even if the product has been transformed, such as olives into oil. He referenced the opinion of the Ribash, which suggests that the prohibition of theft may be lifted after the owner's despair and a change in the nature of the stolen item. However, even under this view, Rabbi Bigman ruled that the purchase remains forbidden due to the prohibition of aiding transgressors.
In summary, Rabbi Bigman's ruling states, "Therefore, it is forbidden to buy oil produced from olives that are presumed stolen." He reiterated that the inability to ascertain the exact origin of oil in a particular bottle does not alter this decision, asserting, "There is no permission to buy olive oil from an oil press that boasts of buying stolen olives."
