Is this stealing? | Imamother

amother

Mauve

Sun, Sep 18 2016, 2:04 pm

About 8 months ago, dh was asked if he would like to take over checking shatnez in our community. We live in a smaller community, and there has been one man checking Shatnez for years. Dh was told that this man was going to stop doing it because of other life circumstances. The rav made an announcement about the change, and thanked the man for his years of service.

DH gladly accepted, and paid around $2000 to be trained. He also paid for a flight for a follow up training, and the microscope and equipment he needed. It was no small investment! It was also money we really did not have.

DH has been working very hard the last 8 months. He checks clothing Close to yontif, and takes emergency, last minute checks. He has been up till 2 am some nights checking. He charges minimum for his services, and most likely hasn't made as much as he laid out. But he does really enjoy it.

A couple days ago, dh gets a text from the old Shatnez checker, saying he talked to the rav, and he is putting himself back on the list of ppl who check. DH asked why, and the man said it was never his intention to give it up fully. DH has put out The last dates that he would check before yontif, and then this man announced that he would consider last minute checks.

So, this is really bothering me! Probably more then DH, but it defiantly bothers him Too.

Thoughts?

amother

Mauve

Sun, Sep 18 2016, 3:10 pm

The previous checker helped with the training, but the one who did the real training was a big rav from Lakewood, that dh paid, and flew out here. The previous checker was not paid.

Im not sure the rav's opinion, but he allowed it to be in the shul newsletter.

DH will loose business because the other man has years of experience.

allthingsblue

Sun, Sep 18 2016, 6:03 pm

I know it's easy for me to say, as I'm not going through the situation, but it is an appropriate time of year to remember that all parnosah comes from Hashem. No one can take away your parnosah. Especially if it was halachically ok for this man to do what he did, while you may not like it, you'll probably be better off if you come to terms of it and try to think favorably of this man.

greenfire

Tue, Sep 20 2016, 4:01 pm

don't see why they both cannot do the same job ...

your husband is already invested and it would be wrong for anyone - including the rav who encouraged him - to make him stop

perhaps if they were upfront & said it was temporary ... but then again who would invest so much in a temporary situation

can he expand his services to another small neighboring town ?

amother

Pearl

Tue, Sep 20 2016, 8:51 pm

It may not be halachically okay. I don't know what he told the Rav. He may not have given enough information.

(If he said, "I used to be the shatnez checker here, I took a vacation and Person B started shatnez checking, can I go back to my job" of course the Rav will say yes. If he said, "I told Person B that I will not be shatnez checking anymore, since now there was a job opening he spent money getting trained to fill the gap. Now I want to go back. Can I do that, even though there is really only enough clientele for one shatnez checker in the city? Do I have to repay Person B for the cost of his training if I do so?" the answer would likely be different.)

If there is not enough business for both of you in your city, it is very likely Hasagas Gevul. I would ask another Rav, although you should let him know what the first Rav said.

You could also contact the Business Halacha institute, they should be able to guide you as to your halachic rights in this situation.

Chayalle

Tue, Sep 20 2016, 9:23 pm

amother wrote:

The other man asked our (mutual) Rav. I guess halachicly it's ok, but I think it's totally wrong.

Was your husband present when the other man asked the Rav, or did he just inform your DH that he asked the Rav, and the Rav said it's okay?