Q&A: Borrowing a Sacred Book Without Permission
Borrowing a Sacred Book Without Permission
Question
I study in a yeshiva, and it has already happened several times that one of the rabbis who doesn’t know me took a book of mine from my place without asking. A friend from the yeshiva told me he heard that the rosh yeshiva said that in the study hall it is permitted to take one unless it is explicitly written not to remove it beyond four cubits. That sounds like theft to me, and I don’t see why I should now have to write “do not touch” on every book I bring to the yeshiva. But my books are important to me, so I don’t want just anyone handling them casually.
I wanted to ask the Rabbi what he thinks about the issue from a halakhic perspective?
Answer
Jewish law explicitly states that it is permitted to use someone else’s books: “A person is pleased that a commandment be done with his property.” If you are not pleased with that, write that it is forbidden to take them.
Discussion on Answer
Obviously not. If it interferes with your own use, then it is forbidden. We’re talking about a kind of use that does not interfere.
Up to what point is it permitted to use them? Also to take them out of the study hall? Sometimes it causes me to lose study time because people take a book I was planning to learn from.