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Price gouging during times of emergency

שו”תCategory: generalPrice gouging during times of emergency
asked 3 months ago

Hello Rabbi,
I recently heard that there are yacht owners who offer to transport people from Israel to Cyprus and vice versa at exorbitant prices. Do you think there is anything immoral in such conduct?
Best regards,


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מיכי Staff answered 3 months ago
I think so. It is difficult to offer a clear justification, since it is ostensibly supply and demand. And yet there is a sense of exploitation here. Of course, this is also the case in halakha (see Mida Tova 1967, Parashat Yashav).

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בועז replied 3 months ago

When there is no price increase as a result of high demand, it creates a situation where there is no supply at all even for those who really, really need it. Those who just want to travel take the place of those who have to go for surgery. When there is control over the prices of eggs and milk even during emergency hours, there are simply no eggs and milk in supermarkets for those who arrive a little late.

מיכי Staff replied 3 months ago

There is no contradiction. The question was about the owner of the yacht and you are talking about government regulation.

בועז replied 3 months ago

I explain that even in a yacht there is a moral consideration to raise prices privately because of the low supply and high demand. If I raise prices I allow those who really care to go out with the yacht

מיכי Staff replied 3 months ago

That's really not your job. Take the market price and give priority to those in need.

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