Dear Rav
are we allowed to buy and sell pigskins for clothing and shoes?
thanks
Allen Klein
Dear Allen,
(Please note that actual Halachah le'Ma'aseh questions need to be addressed to your local Orthodox rabbi.)
The Halachah is brought in Yoreh Deah 117.
1) It is forbidden to do business (make profit) with things that are forbidden Min ha'Torah to eat. Some learn this prohibition is mi'd'Oraisa from the verse Yiheyu. But some consider this only as an Asmachta and forbid this mi'd'Rabanan because they might be eaten by the Jew or others (Taz YD 117:1)
2) Business can be done with camels, donkeys ,etc. that are basically used for work and not food.
3) Concerning Treif animals that are normally raised for food, if one raises them to sell for another reason, such as for skins, a Machlokes exists.
Tosfos (Bava Kama 82b) permits it, but the Rashba forbids it. Although the Shach (117:1) seems to be lenient, the Aruch haShulchan forbids it. Pischei Teshuva 117:6 brings more opinions that forbid.
4) Paragraphs 1-3 apply to a "permanent" business. If in the course of hunting Kosher animals, a Treif animal is caught, he can sell it even for food.
5)A special Isur exists with pigs. See Bava Kama 82b where Chazal totally forbid pig raising (Choshen Mishpat 409:2) (This seems to apply to raising pigs, but business with pigskins depends on our discussion above in paragraph 3).
All the best,
Reuven Weiner
Dear Rav
Thanks
what is the border line? buying shoes that are made with pigskins? many clothes are made with pigskins.
best rgds
Allen
Rebbe,
Maybe this is a stretch but would this apply to owning a football made from pigskin?
Sam Kosofsky
The Tradition in our family - from my great grandfather who became a hide and skin trader - was a talmid of the Hassam Sofer in AHU - that leather made from pigskins may be freely bought and sold. Even pigskins also - once salted and prepared for tanning - may be freely bought and sold.
Rabbi Yeshayahu HaKohen Hollander
Dear Allen and Sam,
There was a misunderstanding of my previous answer.
The Halachah forbids making profit with items that are forbidden to eat.
This includes:
1) Raising certain Treif animals.
2) Business with them, even after death when dealing with the carcasses which include meat.
Dealing only with skins without purchasing the meat is no problem at all. There is no problem with owning footballs and items made from pigskins.
(Paragraph 3 above refers to raising animals for skins which involves dealing with the meat of Treif animals).
Sorry for not being clearer.
All the best,
Reuven Weiner