Whose Food is Whose?
Question
I earn all the money for the household at the present time, but my wife does most of the food shopping. Very often, my wife buys food that she considers to have bought for herself. She charges it on a credit card account that we share jointly, then I pay the bills. She then complains when I eat any of ‘her’ food that she considers that she has bought for herself, even though the money I earned is paying for 100% of it.
Is it considered stealing if I eat food that she considers hers, even as I am the one paying?
Answers
No, it is not stealing and the food belongs to both of you. This is so despite the fact that you are sole breadwinner in the home at present. When you married your wife, you obligated yourself to support your wife, which includes food and clothing. However, having said that, it would seem to me that the simplest way to deal with the situation would be to ask your wife to buy extra of whatever it is that you like, and in that way you can both enjoy it without it becoming a source of friction between you.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team