What must be returned?

Hi,

The following classes of items must be returned to their owners:
1. Items which have identifying signs, such as a unique size, color, arrangement, or even placement in their location.
or
2. Items which are found before the owner realizes they were lost.

(Code of Jewish Law Choshen Mishpat 262:3)

But we will need to add clarifying points in the next few posts.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Returning worthless property

Hi,

One is not obligated to return property which is worth less than the equivalent of a Talmudic Prutah. This is roughly equivalent to between 5 and 10 cents, American. (It's based on a volume of silver, and it fluctuates with the price of silver.)

(Code of Jewish Law Choshen Mishpat 262:1)

Chag Atzmaut sameach,
Mordechai

Careless owners

Hi,

If an owner is careless with his property, one is not required to return it to him. For example, one who sees a person leave his dog in an unfenced yard is not obligated to chase the dog and return it, when it leaves the yard.

However, others are not permitted to take advantage and collect the property for themselves.

(Code of Jewish Law Choshen Mishpat 260:4; Shach 260:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Returning lost pets

Hi,

One who sees an unaccompanied animal wandering in the street, in a time or place when animals do not usually wander unaccompanied, should consider it to be a lost animal. He should return it to the owner.

(Code of Jewish Law Choshen Mishpat 261:1-3)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

More treasures in the trash

Hi,

One who finds items which appear to have been accidentally discarded - such as silverware in a home's trash bin - is obligated to retrieve the items and return them to their owners.

(Code of Jewish Law Choshen Mishpat 260:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Finding treasures in the trash

Hi,

One who finds a sealed item in an area that is usually designated for trash should not take it - it is likely that someone put the item there for safekeeping.

However, if it is publicly known that the trash heap is frequently cleared, then one may take any item found there. One may assume that everyone is aware that items placed there are going to be cleared away, and therefore people do not use it for storage space.

(Code of Jewish Law Choshen Mishpat 260:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Do not touch

Hi,

One who finds an item which seems to have been placed there intentionally - such as a stack of coins - may not move it. If one is not certain, he should err on the side of caution and not touch it.

One who does remove it from the site, must then find the owner and return the item; he may not simply return it to the site, as the owner may have returned in the interim and seen that it was gone.

(Code of Jewish Law Choshen Mishpat 260:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai