The Shopkeeper Law (#8)

I found this interesting and I hope I can explain this adequately. I feel to really understand something I need to be able to explain it. This is a Jewish Law and as close as I can come to finding something in the Bible to support this principle is Leviticus 25:17; 17You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God. This law comes from the Talmud a Jewish Book. I have read about this law in a book and even viewed Dennis Prager's video on this subject.  There are over 600 Jewish Laws above and beyond the 10 Commandments. The law is such that you should not use a storekeepers time and inventory if you have no intent to buy from him before going into the store. You are stealing his time and the store's resources and then going elsewhere to buy. Dennis Prager tells about a lady that goes into a camera store to research what particular model of camera to buy. She takes up about 30 minutes of the salesman's time and views his stock of cameras on display. After deciding what she wants she askes the salesman if he knows an internet site where she can get that camera online cheaper? The salesman gave up his time to help her and viewed the store's inventory to make her mind up but then leaves to go buy it online. There is a principle here that involves honesty. It is different than going from one store to another to compare products and prices. This woman knew ahead of time she would not buy from him but used the salesman's expertise and knowledge to make up her own mind.  She stole time and the store's resources from them, even if she did not take a dime out of the cash register.  Dennis Prager tells about a time a businessman that leases a lot of cars told Dennis he could lease a car for him at cost. Dennis really didn't even know what car he wanted. The businessman suggested he go car shopping at dealerships until he knew what he wanted and then come back and see him.  It is the same principle, Dennis would know going in that he wasn't going to buy from the dealership. He would be stealing the salesman's time and using the dealership's inventory to make his decision and then go elsewhere to lease the car. How about dating? Dennis talked about a single woman expressing the thought she wished men would use this same shopkeeper law in dating. Many may go into the dating scene expecting the relationship to go further later and then find out the man had no intention of marrying, to begin with. I do not intend to promote Adultery or Fornication. Some may question the use of honesty related to any sin.  The Bible does teach that sex outside of marriage is a sin. It is not my intent to discuss that particular teaching here. Just being honest, if you had no intention of getting married wouldn't it have been better to be honest and admit the intent was just for no commitment sex?  This principle of honesty can go so much further than just the simple shopkeeper law and apply to other areas of life. Anyway, give it some thought. I believe you can find the video of Dennis Prager on his list of 5-minute videos and the book, "Think a Second Time".  I have heard of this before and found it to be an interesting principle. God bless, LVZ.