YWN-ISRAEL reported that the Chief Sephardi Rabbi of Lod, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Hadad ZT”L was niftar during Pesach. According to a report published by the dati leumi Kippa website, last week rabbonim were addressing the problem of the chametz the rav sold to a non-Jew before yomtov. Residents were questioning if their chametz is still in the possession of the goy since the rabbi was not alive to but it back following yomtov.
Rabbi Naftali Vaknin, who heads Lod’s Kashrus department told residents the issue was being addressed. He added that some 80% of the city’s businesses sold their chametz via the city’s Ashkenazi rabbi so the petira of Rav Hadad did not impact most businesses. He made a point of stating this included the Osher Ahd and Shufersal supermarkets in the city.
Rav Vaknin stated in his opinion, worst case scenario would be that the sale would be party of the inheritance to Rabbi Hadad’s sons, who would then buy back the chametz. He stressed the actual contract was not lost, adding the contract stipulates that if the chametz is not purchased by the goy after yomtov by paying the balance of the worth, the contract is null and void. Hence explains Rabbi Vaknin, at worst there is a rabbinical issue which can be solved.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
this also happened in scarsdale new york seven years ago
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/16694/rabbi-of-young-israel-of-scarsdale-along-with-wife-rl-killed-in-fire.html
The rabbi isn’t party to the sale. The goy purchased the chometz from each Jew directly. The rabbi’s sons have nothing to inherit on this.
If the contract is null and void does that possibly mean retroactivly the chametz was never actually sold which means all the Jews owned chametz over Pesach? I hope not!
“adding the contract stipulates that if the chametz is not purchased by the goy after yomtov by paying the balance of the worth, the contract is null and void.”
If the contract becomes null and void, that means the Jews owned the chometz on Pesach – and it can no longer be used.
If the sale ends up being null & void, does that mean that the people actually owned the chometz on Pesach?? Yikes!!!
toras moshe,
the rav is the community’s shaliach
Null and Void meaning the ownership REVERTS back to the Yid who previously owned it. That takes place as of the time when the eino Yehudi does not pay the balance due. However, he owned it throughout Pesach.