Mobile Phones should be banned they can easily lead people in to temptation and allow them access to pornographic sites.

I think its disgusting not to return property of another when possible-the person has valuable information on it! And to make this a Rabbinic decree-I don't know who this Rabbi is, and am glad that I don't! I don't own a smart phone-I have no need for it-but many people do have needs for it. Maybe micro waves shouldn't be sold-someone may cook meat and milk in the same one-same as for stoves-what about refrigerators-maybe someone will store treif in it! This is abominable behavior-and for this the Beis Ha Mikdash is still destroyed!

Providing they have access to porn sites that have kashrut sticker on it! :)

Sorry, but stealing is stealing to HaShem.

I visit them almost everyday! Porn is really great!

This is a taliban style ruling, not anyhting even remotely intelligent. If it is unkosher, why did the shop owner even touch it? If you are that worred about unkosher stuff, just leave it where it is. That is one ethical solution that would make everyone happy: the owner can walk in and reclaim their personal property. No need to force feed religion on someone. That is as bad as the typical arab claptrap of "convert or die, infidel!".

Do unto others as you would have others do unto yourself. That is the whole law, the rest is just details. So if you would prefer others not return any lost possessions to yourself, that is your way of doing things. But I would return lost possessions to someone if I could in hopes that someone might do the same for me someday. The idea that you can avoid practicing good will to others for "non kosher" items is the most ridiculous and bs ruling that I have heard recently.

So please stop using that too.

All Halakha I need is in the Torah - 5 books of Moshe. One must return someone else's property if found. Vayikra 11 tells me what is kosher and what is not. There is no anything else hosher or non kosher. Israelis should read Torah and not fall prey to these Idiots.

That means I can take a computer from the house of an Ultra Orthodox home and keep it as my own because he was watching non kosher materiel on it, and the television set that he hides in the cupboard in the bedroom which I have seen with my own eyes. You paint the picture that Ultra Orthodox are so "holy" that they don't do anything wrong. Stealing is wrong and it says so in the 10 commandments, but I guess your tell me that only applies to kidnapping. I am religious and I sin and I admit it, I think it's best not to be two faced as your going to get found out eventually even if its in the world to come.

Rabbinic ruling or not, it is theft. I don't need a rabbi or a book to tell me that. What is next, a rabbi saying that beating a sabbath violator is not assault? Yes we will have it - we do have it. This community has no sense of right and wring, only totalitarian instructions. Very dangerous.

You don't have to be a rabbi to know this is the right thing to do!

Your talkbacks are getting progressively more weird from day to day. What stuff are you on man?

Stealing someone else's property is a criminal offence according to the laws of the nation.

TOTALLY and FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG! Ridiculous. It is this kind of off-the-wall stupidity that turns people off to being Orthodox. Come ON people, REALLY???????

I agree with you 100%. My Catholic mother drilled into my head that God has neither sex, religion, nor nationality, but that we were given a conscience to know right from wrong and a brain to discern the difference and taking someone else's property is WRONG in anyone's book.

In that case it doesn't matter if it's not kosher.

This "rabbi" should be removed from office. Theft of someone's possession is illegal and immoral regardless of the perpetrator or victim. There is no "Jewish exclusion" that permits criminal behavior. This will do nothing but feed the anti-Semites.

No and no and no and no

What about eye glasses, without which the wearer would not be able to view immodestly clad women? They should also be banned (and should not be returned to the owner).

I love these guys when they focus on the right demons.

I guess a Rabbi can justify just about anything as long as it has the word 'kosher' attached to it.

This story lacks necessary information. Can the author Please post the actual Halachic Decision so we all can all see what was REALLY said?

Is it stealing?

a thief is a thief,or do they have there own laws

"The new halachic ruling, issued by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, states that banned cellular phone are not considered a property which, if lost, must be returned to its owner according to the Torah." These kinds of halachic rulings are demeaning to anything called righteousness. Rabbi Karelitz should consult with more rabbi's before he issue anymore halachic rulings.

Whilst I am certainly not a posek, I cannot see that this is correct. As the phone is at worst a mixture of good and possible bad, there are no grounds not to return it. If a Beis din wishes to stand by this, the claimant should be fully compensated for the replacement value. Hefker Beis din is not so simple - it's never been stated for this situation - it's not the Beis din that has been the cause of the loss- and - another Beis din may well disagree. There is a din that might possibly apply - if you are sure of misuse - that is to leave it where it is if lost (hilchos mamrim - Rambam) but I think one would have to be certain about misuse not just the possibility.