Selling Animals to Non-Jews before Pesach

Date: 1808

From: Rabbi Moshe Sofer

To: Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolios

Description

Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolios defended his ancestor the Bechor Shor's prohibition against the common practice of selling chametz-fattened animals to non-Jews before Pesach and repurchasing them afterward. The Chasam Sofer rules there is no clear proof to prohibit, arguing that ha'arama is not universally forbidden, that the non-Jew has sufficient legal intent to acquire, and that a valid sale supplemented by hefker resolves concerns.

Source: Shu"t Chasam Sofer OC §62

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