Q&A: Cutting in Line
Cutting in Line
Question
Hello Rabbi,
What is the source for the fact that, according to Jewish law, it is forbidden to cut in line—for example, a line for the checkout at the supermarket or a line to enter the sea.
Thank you very much
Answer
I do not see why this is important. It is obviously morally forbidden. There is not much importance to the question of whether there is also a formal halakhic clause here. People speak about stealing time ("what is crooked cannot be made straight"), but I doubt whether there is a formal halakhic prohibition in this. There are, of course, broad catch-all clauses, such as "love your fellow as yourself," the law of the land is law, and the like.
See here: https://din.org.il/2019/01/21/%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%99-%D7%94%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94/
And here: https://www.yeshiva.org.il/midrash/32086