the overcharging answer explained that classic onaah barely applies today because there is no single market price and a buyer can compare sellers in seconds. but what about an emergency, a hurricane or a blackout, where there is no comparing?
can a store triple the price of water, generators, medicine, or hotel rooms during an emergency? is that just supply and demand, or is it exploiting people who have no choice? does halacha draw a line there even where the onaah math does not fit?
and the flip side: if stores cannot raise prices at all, the shelves empty in an hour and the people who come later get nothing. does halacha care about that outcome, or is the question only about the act of charging too much?
bottom line: is emergency price gouging assur, and if so under what din?
Thank you Rabbi, thank you very much.
The laws may not specifically speak about each such scenario, but where we are in power politically, we should certainly curb the price gouging. In the meantime, let’s start with the Pesach prices on food.