Q:
How obligated is a frum Jew to keep the civil laws and statues of the country where he lives?
A:
He is obligated fully.
Now, sometimes there are certain things which the usage of the country permits; it is customary to overstep the bounds in certain things and they themselves will consider it ridiculous if he toes the line meticulously. There are certain things like that.
However, I cannot tell you publicly what all of these things are . But there are certain things that everybody expects you might do even though it oversteps the law. For instance, everybody expects that you might park for a moment in a non-parking area if you intend to be right out. So you’ll say it’s a chet? That you did an aveirah? No. Everybody understands that; even the policeman as he is taking out his notebook, if you come out just in time, he might desist.
So therefore there are certain forms of leeway which have to be Torah shebaal peh; I cannot tell you in a way that it should be publicized but there are certain things that are understood that people have a right to do if nobody is looking.
TAPE # 405
