Parshas Vayeitzei

"My boss is coming to the house tonight, make sure you hide all of the
customer samples that we've collected."

After Lavan searched Yaacov's possessions for his idols, Yaacov said
"You have felt all of my belongings, what have you found that belongs to
you?" (Biraishis 31:37) Even after living with Lavan for 20 years, Yaacov
had nothing that belonged to Lavan.

Make sure your home library has many authors, not many owners!!

Have a great Shabbos !!

Rabbi Chaim Flom

Dear Rabbi Flom,
What's the story with taking things from hotels that you stay in?
Thanks.
Mark

Dear Mark,
I would imagine that what the hotel expects you to use up, you an keep, and certainly something that they give you, you may keep. When it comes to glasses,towels, sheets, blankets,etc there isn't a thought in the world that you could keep it. An opened bar of soap, they don't re-use, so you can keep. But if you don't finish the bar, you can't ask for a second one, just because you want to take home 2. I'm not sure what hotels policies on pens& writing pads are. Ask. Otherwise, in general, "when in doubt, do without".
Take care.
Rabbi Flom

quote:

there isn't a thought in the world that you could keep it

Suppose that hotels have a policy of expecting towels to need to be replaced without specifying the type of anticipated loss, such as by stealing...

If one finds that a hotel towel from a thousand miles away was inadvertently mixed in with one's luggage, is there any thought that one does not need to go out of their way to return it since the hotel had an expectation that it was likely to be lost by being taken?

Dear Rob,
My quote was
"I would imagine that what the hotel expects you to use up, you an keep"
I am not sure why you understand that to mean anything else. I was talking about "using up" not "stealing"
The example that you gave is an excellent one. If by accident you take a towel from a hotel, you must give it back.
Take care.
Rabbi Flom