Financial Conduct in a Family Business: What Is Permitted and What Is Forbidden?

Question:

Hello, Rabbi,
My siblings and I work in a successful family business that my father founded and still manages. At times, I take items from the business, as well as money from my parents, without explicitly asking for permission. I know that if I were to ask, my father would agree, but I refrain from bothering him due to his many commitments. My siblings act in a similar manner. I am concerned that this might constitute theft. In my daily life, I am very careful not to take anything from others, even the smallest amount, but in this case, I tend to be more lenient, assuming it is a matter of doubt. Have I acted correctly? And how should I conduct myself moving forward? Thank you very much.

Answer:

Hello,

Yashar Koach for your desire to act in a way that is good and upright in the eyes of God.

When dealing with a shared family business, especially when there are no clearly defined rules, extra caution is required. Often, we grant ourselves leniency in such situations—sometimes unjustifiably—yet we do not have the right to do so.

Therefore, I believe the best course of action would be to sit down, discuss the matter openly, and establish clear guidelines. This way, there will be no room for uncertainty or wrongdoing.

All the best, and again, well done,

Yuval Cherlow

Rabbi Cherlow is the Head of the Ethics Division at the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization.

This question was originally published on Kipa website