Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef Shlita stated during his motzei Shabbos shiur in the Yazdim Shul in Yerushalayim that one may not cheat the transportation companies in Israel and using a youth card [which is a lower fare] than a card for adults.

“Today, people give themselves a heter” the rav explained. “They get on a bus, Egged, bochrim over 18-years-old, and they pay with a youth fare card. They feel they have a heter but who gave you permission? It is gezel! They are subsidized by the state. There are lines that do not have many riders, so they are subsidized. But this is a private company.”

“One chacham says ‘but they are mechalel Shabbos’, but what is the connection? May one steal from one who is mechalel Shabbos? May one steal from Lieberman? It is prohibited! It is gezel!”

The Chief Rabbi continued, “Some opine ‘why should students enjoy this until 18? Am I, a bochur, less than the students? But what can we do? These are the conditions and HKBH gave you sense to understand the value of bnei yeshivos. But these are their conditions. It is a private company and one must be very careful of the prohibition of gezel”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)