Rav Chaim Kanievsky and the Caterer Who Cooked on Shabbos
A caterer secretly cooked replacement food on Shabbos for a family's kiddush. Rav Chaim Kanievsky ruled the horrified family did not have to pay him.
“Actually, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, ruled on a similar case!
“A caterer’s food spoiled on Friday night. Facing the terrible embarrassment of having nothing to serve at the family’s kiddush, the caterer unfortunately gave in to his yetzer hara and cooked replacement food on Shabbos. The family later found out what had happened and was horrified to learn that they’d eaten food cooked on Shabbos.
“Rav Chaim ruled that the family didn’t have to pay the caterer. Their revulsion at discovering they had eaten food cooked on Shabbos canceled out the benefit they got from it.”