Q&A: Counting a Grievance
Counting a Grievance
Question
In a place somewhat far from where people lived, they wanted a prayer quorum on the Sabbath.
They asked someone to organize a minyan in return for payment of 50 NIS per person, for several Sabbaths.
The organizer went, gathered friends, called, coordinated, checked that there would be a minyan, a Torah reader, the prayer time, etc.
And he told the participants: I receive 50 NIS for each worshipper and give you only 40; the difference is my fee.
They understood and accepted.
They came happily, Sabbath after Sabbath, for 40 NIS, even though they knew the organizer was “making” 10 NIS off them for his effort.
Is he now in the category of “do not withhold good from its owner”?
Do they at least have a grievance against him?
Answer
I didn’t understand the question.
Discussion on Answer
Obviously not. That’s what was agreed.
Many thanks.
The place that needed the minyan did not know, and still does not know, whether it needs to pay the venue, and if so, can he wait until they sue him, or is he obligated to tell them?
The participants knew, and it was explicitly stated to them,
that the organizer receives 50 NIS per person and gives them 40 NIS.
(There is significant effort involved in reorganizing the minyan every week.) They understood and accepted, and kept coming back again and again on that basis.
Now someone comes and claims that this is “do not withhold good from its owner,” and that he must give them 50 NIS to each participant, even though they knew in advance that they would receive only 40 NIS, and they knew he was being paid 50 NIS on their account.
Is there really such a law, that “do not withhold good from its owner” obligates him to add 10 NIS for them (his profit from the organizing), even though it was explicitly agreed that they would receive only 40 NIS?