Canceling a Catering Order for Shabbat
Question
Hello.
I am organizing a class Shabbat for 30 girls. I booked a venue in a certain community, and as a result I ordered catering from a woman in that same community.
(The total cost of the catering is 4,800 NIS.)
The next day, the owner of the venue spoke with me and canceled the booking because he had not understood that it was a class of girls, and the rabbi of the community does not approve the place for girls.
Since the venue was canceled, I called the caterer to cancel her as well, and this was three weeks before the planned event.
The day after we made the arrangement, she said that she had bought some of the products.
She did not want to take an advance deposit from me and did not say that there would be a cancellation fee. What is the halacha?
Am I obligated to pay compensation for canceling three weeks before the event and one day after making the arrangement? And if so, how much?
I am organizing a class Shabbat for 30 girls. I booked a venue in a certain community, and as a result I ordered catering from a woman in that same community.
(The total cost of the catering is 4,800 NIS.)
The next day, the owner of the venue spoke with me and canceled the booking because he had not understood that it was a class of girls, and the rabbi of the community does not approve the place for girls.
Since the venue was canceled, I called the caterer to cancel her as well, and this was three weeks before the planned event.
The day after we made the arrangement, she said that she had bought some of the products.
She did not want to take an advance deposit from me and did not say that there would be a cancellation fee. What is the halacha?
Am I obligated to pay compensation for canceling three weeks before the event and one day after making the arrangement? And if so, how much?
Answer
Hello and blessings.
You do not need to pay, for several reasons.
[The cancellation was almost immediate; the caterer knows that the rabbi does not approve a group of girls; and other reasons].
Of course, it is not possible to issue a ruling in a monetary matter without hearing both sides. This answer was given only according to the details presented in the question.
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