Ribbis: Matters of Interest

Ribbis Haircuts

Two bachurim rotate cutting each other’s hair.
However, one gets a simple haircut (“over the top”), and the other requires a
styled haircut (scissor/tapered cut).

Would repaying the simple haircut with a fancy haircut be
considered a ribbis issue (if there was a significant difference in barbershop
prices)?

As
stated above (see “Cutting the Grass”), there would be no issue cutting each
other’s hair, unless they had formulated the agreement as conditional (“I’ll cut your hair if you cut mine”).
Hence, the simplest way to avoid this shailah is
to clearly specify that it is being done as a favor.

However,
since it is rather easy to
formulate such an agreement as conditional, care should be taken that it be
avoided.

Turns at Carpool

Many families are involved in carpool
arrangements in some form or another. At times the routes are similar, yet at
times the routes differ significantly in length and congestion.

Is there any issue with driving the longer, congested route in
exchange for the other person driving the shorter route?

As
stated in the previous cases, one should avoid formulating these agreements as conditional and binding, rather they should be
formulated in ways which clearly indicate that they are being performed as
favors by all parties involved.

The
same would apply to carpool arrangements in which one driver agrees to do
carpool on more days per week than the
other driver. As long as there was no conditional agreement it would be
permitted.

Driving
similar routes is permitted in any case, even if they are slightly different in
length.