Q&A: Several Halakhic Questions
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Several Halakhic Questions
Question
1. Is it permitted to use a gift that I’m happy to receive (not something festive, just some product) during the Nine Days?
2. Is paying for and using an online business platform that displays sales data of other stores, and in general offers tools that I consider problematic, forbidden if I do not use those tools but only the tools it offers that I consider acceptable?
3. Is it permitted on the Sabbath to read any secular book, even if it deals with subjects like television and media, if the reading is for enrichment and not for study purposes?
Answer
- Yes.
- I didn’t understand.
- Yes.
Discussion on Answer
Are these legal offerings? If so, I don’t see a problem. At most, don’t use what doesn’t seem acceptable to you. If it’s illegal, then it is proper not to use the site.
Thank you. Regarding the second question, the question is whether it is permitted to pay a subscription fee and use a business website that offers services such as access to suppliers and automatic order fulfillment, when the site also offers services that are considered (in my view) problematic (such as linking to competing sites / tracking popular advertisements, etc.), provided that I do not use those services, but only the regular services. Sorry for the cumbersome wording.