August 12, 2021; Elul 4, 5781
Halacha – Jewish Law Offering a Kindness That is Sure to be Declined: The Gemara (Chullin 94a) prohibits one to offer a kindness to someone if one knows the offer will be declined. The Gemara cites the following examples. A person should not urge another individual to join him for a meal when he knows that the invitee will not accept the invitation. A person should not offer another individual a gift when he knows that the gift will not be accepted. These offers are prohibited because they are a form of deception (Genaivas Daas) and create a mistaken impression that will evoke undeserved goodwill in return.
Other contemporary examples include offering an acquaintance a ride when one knows that the individual already has a ride, offering a neighbor cleaning help when one knows that the neighbor already has cleaning help and offering a colleague help with a task when one is aware that someone else is already providing the needed assistance.