| Abstrakt: |
Opportunity costs are a basic concept in economics, and several cases of halakhah implicitly recognize opportunity costs. One possible case is in reference to the concept of davar ha-aved with regard to the prohibition of buying and selling goods on chol ha-moed. The question is whether potential profits from buying or selling a good on chol ha-moed should be considered as davar ha-aved or not. If the loss of the profits is considered a davar haaved, then it would be permitted to do the transaction on chol ha-moed and this would be a recognition of opportunity costs. Some authorities forbid a person to do a transaction on chol ha-moed to earn a profit unless some of the profits are used to purchase goods to enhance the celebration of the holiday and these scholars do not recognize opportunity costs with regard to chol ha-moed. Other authorities also allow a person to buy and sell goods to earn a profit by relatively unique opportunities, which would be a partial recognition of opportunity costs. A third group of scholars, which includes the Rama, is more expansive in allowing a business person on chol ha-moed to buy and sell goods to earn a profit that would be forgone if the person closed his/her business on chol ha-moed. This group recognizes opportunity costs in almost all cases of buying and selling goods on chol ha-moed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
