Shopping Cart Considerations

The following week, unfortunately, I had the same distinction of being the last shopper at the store. On my way out, the same manager as the week before unlocked the door and let me out. I told him that he doesn’t need to worry – this week I remembered to pay for the seltzer. He responded that he remembered what happened last week and noticed the seltzer again on the bottom of my cart. He told me that he thought about asking me if it was paid for, but then he thought better of it. Better leave well enough alone. (To his boss: don’t be so hard on him, it was late. Everyone wanted to go home.) By the way, I, baruch Hashem, have since improved, and it has been a long time since I was the last shopper in the store.

If this manager did not know whether or not I paid for my carbonated beverages, would a casual observer know? The second time around, there was a small red “paid” sticker on top of one of the bottles. However, since it was under my cart, it was hardly visible. Is that a problem? Would someone think I was stealing?

Rav said it would constitute a chillul Hashem if he would not pay the butcher soon after his purchase (Yoma 86a). Rashi explains that the butcher might assume that Rav does not intend to pay. However, it may simply be that Rav is waiting for the butcher to come and collect the money owed, or perhaps he intends to pay in a few days. Still, since this is not the most common practice, Rav says it is a chillul Hashem.

According to Rashi, the reason it is only a chillul Hashem for him, is that people view him as a role model and would learn from him. Keeping things on the bottom of a cart without any indication that they were paid for is a common enough practice that it would not constitute a chillul Hashem to the general public. People realize that the items were probably paid for.

However, the Ben Yehoyada has a different approach to our Gemara. He understands that Rav is saying that even if it is the common practice not to pay right away, an adam gadol should pay right away. An adam gadol should always keep himself above even the slightest suspicion. Perhaps, according to the Ben Yehoyada, an adam gadol should always make sure that everything in his shopping cart is bagged or clearly marked “paid,” although now it is a common sight to see people carrying loads of groceries in their hands to avoid paying for plastic bags.

It is interesting to note that the Chasam Sofer has an altogether different approach to this Gemara. He points out that Rav specifically mentioned meat being purchased from a butcher as opposed to any item being bought from a store. The Chasam Sofer says that a rav should not accept free meat from a butcher. People might erroneously assume that the free meat was a tradeoff for a lenient ruling on a question of the kashrus status of an animal. Moreover, an onlooker might mistakenly assume that a delayed payment for meat is, in fact, free meat. To clear himself of any suspicion, Rav said that he must make payment immediately specifically for meat purchased from the butcher.

Mazal tov to all those who finished Yoma!