Lesson #106: Partnerships in Question
Sometimes, a person sincerely seeks to do a gooddeed, and help his fellow, but ends up doing so at the expense of somebodyelse, and thus acts wrongly.
A man has a friend who desperately needs a job. However, he knows that this friend is notespecially reliable, and that he had been in several partnerships which brokeup because of him. Moreover, he is notfinancially stable, and is thus in no position to enter into a businesspartnership. But the man feels bad forhis friend, who has a family to support, and wants to recommend him to adifferent friend who recently opened a business and needs help. Would he be allowed to suggest to the fellowwho just opened a business to bring in his friend as a partner, despite knowingthat this friend would not likely make a good partner – and in fact, he himselfwould never go into a business partnership with him?
Halacha strictly forbids making such arecommendation, as this could end up causing real harm to the businessman. Interestingly enough, recommending thisperson as a business partner would violate the prohibition of Rechilut, becausethis would create a situation which would likely result in a bitter conflictbetween two Jews. Even though the mansincerely wishes to help his friend, he may not recommend him for a partnershipif he knows that he would not make a good business partner.
This applies not only to business partnerships, butto any type of partnership – including the most important kind of partnership, marriage. It is wrong to recommend as a Shidduchsomebody whom one would never want to marry his or her own child, knowing thatthis person would not make a good marriage partner. Sometimes, when a Shidduch is offered, theperson who is approached will ask, "Would you want this young man to marry yourdaughter?" This is a perfectlylegitimate question to ask. And if theanswer is "no," then the person should never have suggested the Shidduch.