Sechora - Shareholding

QUESTION: I bought a few hundred shares in a corporation that manufactures non-kosher foods. Is this a violation of doing business with non-kosher food?

ANSWER: Igeros Moshe (EH 1:7) was asked a similar question about buying shares in a corporation that is open on Shabbos. Does buying a few shares in a company really make you a partner in the corporation? Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l ruled that this is permitted, since there is no intent to acquire ownership and become a partner in the company. Although according to the letter of the law the shareholders are all partners, in truth those that own only a few shares have no actual say in the running of the company. The purchase of the shares is simply a profit-sharing investment. However, if one purchases a major stake in a company and can actually impact the running of the company, at that point they are a partner and all of the halachos discussed above and of partnerships would apply.

____________________________________________________

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.