It is forbidden to increase one’s property at the expense of one’s neighbor. A simple law, which is really common sense. Yet, we find hasogas gvul to be a common malady, whether it is in business or in any other endeavor. For some reason, when one Jew is doing something and doing it well, soon he will have a competitor down the block, doing the same thing. The following story, although it does not condone the inappropriate actions of Jew versus Jew, does offer rationale for the offensive behavior. Horav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor, z.l., the distinguished rav of Kovno, was…
