Siddurim Left at Kever David
Question
I have questions regarding books being Hefker
I live at Kever Dovid Hamelech. sometimes people leave books out for people to take.
I saw some books in an area out the front in the public area that looked hefker. I looked inside of them. Siddurim. some of them say they belonged to different Beit midrashim or even to kever Dovid hamelech. there is no way to know if they are hefker unless one can contact the Beit midrash. its a public area as well. a lot of non jews go through here. but obviously it only belongs to jews.
so I have a few questions.
Regarding the books that say they belong to certain places. are they considered hefker since they are out in the open for anyone to take or do they fall under the mitzvah of returning it? even though someone clearly may have took it from a certain place, such as the kotel, and it ended up there?
second question. if there is a Sefer with absolutely no Siman at all. there's a small book with tehilim and a few things in it like segulas. but no names and nothing at all. this one is considered hefker and free for taking?
and if someone is going to return books to where they belong, does someone have the right to borrow the books for a few days before returning it or is that considered stealing or something, upon finding it and not returning it immediately and using it for personal use? can someone use it for a few days before returning it?
thank you
I live at Kever Dovid Hamelech. sometimes people leave books out for people to take.
I saw some books in an area out the front in the public area that looked hefker. I looked inside of them. Siddurim. some of them say they belonged to different Beit midrashim or even to kever Dovid hamelech. there is no way to know if they are hefker unless one can contact the Beit midrash. its a public area as well. a lot of non jews go through here. but obviously it only belongs to jews.
so I have a few questions.
Regarding the books that say they belong to certain places. are they considered hefker since they are out in the open for anyone to take or do they fall under the mitzvah of returning it? even though someone clearly may have took it from a certain place, such as the kotel, and it ended up there?
second question. if there is a Sefer with absolutely no Siman at all. there's a small book with tehilim and a few things in it like segulas. but no names and nothing at all. this one is considered hefker and free for taking?
and if someone is going to return books to where they belong, does someone have the right to borrow the books for a few days before returning it or is that considered stealing or something, upon finding it and not returning it immediately and using it for personal use? can someone use it for a few days before returning it?
thank you
Answer
Thank you for your question.
You do not have to do Hashavat Aveidah to return the siddurim that are at the Kever of Dovid Hamelech, since it could very well be that it was intentionally left there.
With regard to the siddurim that do not have any names or Simanim, since they are at the Kever of Dovid Hamelech they belong there and are not considered Hefker.
Wishing you well.
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