A Virtuous Vendor Worthy of His Weights

A Virtuous Vendor Worthy of His Weights
In addition to the mitzvah in Parashas Kedoshim, Moznei tzedek v’aifas tzedek yihiyeh lachem (You shall have true scales, true weights, a true eiphah) as well as the lav (Torah prohibition) of Lo sa’asu avel bamishpat, bamidah, bamishkal u’vamesurah (Do not commit a perversion of justice with measures, weights, or liquid measures [by using false weights]), a merchant or storeowner has the additional obligation to “add extra” to the scale. This practice is derived from the positive mitzvah in Parashas Ki Seitzei: Even shlaimah v’tzedek yihiyeh lachem, which Chazal interpret to mean, Tzaddeik mishelechah v’ten lo (be extra-scrupulous from your own, and give him [the customer] more). The merchant is obligated to give the customer extra by adding a small amount of the product or deducting a few cents from the price.
Today we use electronic scales for these types of transactions, which round off the numbers somewhat. Halachically this is not considered having false scales and cheating the customer, because hiskimu alav bnei hamedinah (all citizens agreed to it); these scales are universally accepted—by customers, too.

But what about being scrupulous regarding the added responsibility of tzaddeik mishelechah? Some contemporary poskim are melamed zechus (defend the practice) for those who are lax in adding extra in a transaction: perhaps it doesn’t apply in the current day and age, when people are mochel (forgive) each other the small change. Alternatively, this obligation applied before digital scales were introduced—when scales could not be relied upon to be totally accurate—and the seller had to add some of the product to avoid inadvertently cheating their customer.

Other poskim maintain, however, that this practice instituted by Chazal stands today, as always. A storekeeper who is a yarei Shamayim (G-d-fearing person), they say, should be sure to “tip” the scale in the customer’s favor.

https://halacha2go.com?number=752

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.