Buying baby items prior to birth

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May one buy items for a child before he is born?

It is permitted to purchase items for the future child prior to birth.[1] Nevertheless, some have the custom to abstain from doing so due to Ayin Hara.[2] One who did not receive this tradition, is not required to follow this custom, and may choose to buy items and ignore the Ayin Hara.[3] However, those who received this tradition, are to try to abide by it.[4] Some are accustomed to have another person buy the item for them.[5] Others are accustomed to pick out the item, and only pay for it after the birth.

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[1] There is no source for prohibiting this, and it is not considered an all encompassing practice of world Jewry that has the power of a set custom to obligate all Jewry to follow.

[2] Sheilas Rav 2:57 in reply of Rav Chaim Kanievsky

[3] Rav Eliyahu Landau wrote to me that that one may purchase without any worry, and that on this it states, “One who is not Makpid -Lo Kapdinan”, and that so is the custom that he witnessed.

[4] This follows the famous ruling of the Rashba [See Rashba 1:9; Heishiv Moshe 13; Aryeh Dbei Ilai Y.D. 19] that the Minhag of women is holy and is to be abided.  [Heard from Rav Leibel Groner who is of the opinion that one should guard this custom]

[5] Heard from Rav Leibel Groner

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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