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Owning Store that Sells Non-Kosher Food

Is a Jew allowed to own a local convenience store that also stock’s/sell’s some non-Kosher products?

Thanks!

Answer:

A Jew must refrain from owning a store that sells Torah prohibited non-Kosher products (such as non-Kosher meat, or products that were made by cooking together meat and milk).

However, under extenuating circumstances, where a person’s income depends on this, there is some room for leniency.

Best wishes.

Sources:

See Aruch HaShulchan (Yoreh De’ah 117:27) who finds a “limud zechus” for storekeepers who sell non-Kosher foods, because their main intention is to sell the Kosher products, and the non-Kosher products are only sold “by the way” because of the need to keep the store open.

Although the Darchei Teshuvah notes that other Poskim do not concur, the leniency is cited by the Melamed Leho’il (Yoreh De’ah 39) and others. See also Maharsham 1:126.

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