Hello Rabbi,
I found old bicycles in the building shelter. May I take them?
They have identifying marks, but they do not belong to any of the building’s residents.
Thank you.
Hello and blessings,
An object placed in a protected location is not considered lost property, and one may not touch or take it, whether or not it bears an identifying mark.
However, bicycles left in a building shelter that is jointly owned by the residents may be removed by the residents or by the building committee appointed by them, since the shelter is not required to store the belongings of outsiders. Therefore, if the bicycles indeed belong to none of the residents, they may be moved outside to the street, and one may also take and use them.
In practice, it is advisable to post a clearly visible notice in the building stating that old bicycles are in the shelter and that, unless their owners remove them within one week, they will be taken outside for disposal. If a week passes and the bicycles have not been removed, one may take and use them as stated.
With blessings,
Rabbi David Ohayon
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. It may therefore contain inaccuracies and should not be considered a definitive reference.
PLEASE NOTE*
Attention: You should not learn from one case to another, each case must be analyzed individually. Generally speaking, it's always best to have contact with a Rabbi in person, not just virtual contact. Note that where there is a local Rabbi("Mara Deatra"), one should ask him. The answers are under the responsibility of the rabbi who responded, and not under the responsibility of the website and/or the Head of the Institution.
Last Articles
Those Who Study Torah Sustain the Entire World
In Chapter 1, verse 31: “And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” — there is a
Tomb of Tana Hakadosh Rabbi Nachum Ish Gamzu
Rabbi Nachum Ish Gamzu was one of the first Tannaim (sages of the Mishnah era) and teacher of Rabbi Akiva
Jewish funeral / burial practice and customs
The Required Laws of a Jewish Funeral It is a positive mitzvah, ordained by the Sages, to accompany the deceased
The Tomb of the Tana Hakadosh, Rabbi Yosef Benaah
The Tana Rabbi Yosef Benaah (זיע״א) also called “The White Righteous One” or “The White Ari”) was known in his
The laws of the eve of Passover that falls on Shabbat (2025)
This year (2025) the fourteenth of Nissan (the eve of Passover) falls on Saturday, the chametz is checked by candlelight
A Guide for Converting to Judaism
Introduction Many people wish to join the Jewish people, but few succeed in completing the conversion process. Not all those
You may interested
Why Did They Place a Hand Under the Thigh When Taking an Oath in the Torah?
Sources and Reasons: Genesis chapter 24, verse 2: “And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who
Payment for Melted Ice Cream in Supermarket Chains
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. It may therefore contain
What to Do in the Event of Skin Irritation and Sensitivity Caused by Tefillin
Sources and Reasoning: Whether an Intervening Barrier Between the Skin and the Arm Tefillin Invalidates Their Placement The Gemara in
A Lost Item with Identifying Marks After Much Time Has Passed and the Owner Has Despaired
Sources and reasoning: The Gemara in Bava Metzia 26b states: Rava said: If one sees a sela coin that has
Sources and Reasoning: May Hatarat Nedarim Be Performed Conditionally? It must be considered whether conditional hatarat nedarim is effective, for
Speaking During Vayechulu and Me’ein Sheva
The Tur (Orach Chaim 268) cites Sefer Chassidim: “There was an account of a pious man who saw another pious
Is It True That a Memorial Candle Troubles the Soul by Causing It to Come?
Sources: [1] The source of this claim is the book Agudat Shmuel on Mishlei 20:27 [which is merely a purported
Remarrying One’s Divorced Wife: Is It a Mitzvah? Is There Any Reason to Divorce and Then Remarry?
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. It may therefore contain
Greeting and Giving a Gift to a Mourner after the Birth of a Son in the Family
Sources: The law of the family being healed, and greeting a mourner It was stated in Shabbat 105b: “Rabbi Chiyya
May One Ask Halachic Questions of Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Reasons and Sources: First and foremost, one must know that factually, based on data I received from practical research conducted
Pidyon HaBen After an Early Miscarriage
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. It may therefore contain
