Q:
Am I allowed to give or sell non kosher food to a non jew?
A:
The following is applicable to whether one may give or sell non kosher food .According to the Shulchan Aruch ,It is forbidden for a Jew to sell or give as a gift non-Kosher food to a non-Jew provided that it is forbidden deoraisah. However, something that is only forbidden derabbonon one can sell to a non-Jew ,see The Shulchan Aruch 117:1.
The reason it is forbidden to sell non-Kosher to a non-Jew is based on a posuk and according to many poskim this derivation is deoraisah. However, some hold that it is only a preventative measure put in place by the Rabbonim so that a Jew doesn’t come to eat the non-Kosher food himself.
Just as it is forbidden to sell non-Kosher food to a non-Jew it is forbidden to give a non-Jew a gift of non-Kosher food. Some poskim permit feeding one’s non-Jewish workers non-Kosher food, while others forbid this. Rama 117:1 is strict but Shach 117:3 is lenient. Since when you give a gift it is like paying someone as people generally don’t give gifts unless it is in exchange for a favor, therefore it is equally forbidden .
It is permitted to sell non-Kosher animals to a non-Jew if they are going to be worked and not eaten such as horses, donkeys, or camels. Kaf Hachaim 117:2 points out that this depends on the majority practice of the time and place.
One can sell vegetables that have bugs in them since one isn’t profiting from the bugs which will most likely be consumed with the vegetables.
One can do business with non-Kosher fats of kosher animals as the pasuk says that it can be used for any purpose.
Many poskim permit anointing oneself with forbidden fats but since some rishonim forbid doing so, one shouldn’t do it unless one is in pain. As a result some are strict not to use bar soap that was made from forbidden non-Kosher fats .
There are Some are lenient to allow a Jew who owns a store that sells non-Kosher to make a partnership with a non-Jew and all of the non-Kosher food will be the property of the non-Jew. To avoid maris ayin one should have a sign pointing out that the non-Kosher foods belong to the non-Jew.
There are Some that defend the practice of Jewish owners who sell non-Kosher food as a small part of their business in order to make money to pay the rent and taxes. However, most poskim hold that it is forbidden to do so. Aruch Hashulchan 117:27 has a leniency to defend those who are lenient. He says that they need to sell non-kosher in order to pay rent and taxes and it is not their main business. Therefore it is like they do not intend to sell the non-kosher and it just ended up that they sold some non-kosher, see the Kaf Hachaim 117:67 who disagrees.
A shochet who does shechita in order to sell kosher meat and on occasion has a Teref or Nevelah animal is allowed to sell it to non-Jews since it isn’t his intention, his intention was to only sell the kosher meat.
A hunter or fisherman who trapped a non-Kosher animal may sell it to a non-Jew since it wasn’t his intention to trap it. One should sell it immediately and not keep it around to grow and become more expensive.
If someone is hunting or fishing for sport and not as a profession and they happen to trap a non-Kosher animal they may not keep it to give to a non-Jew according to most, however, some are lenient. |
