8. True kinyan. The poskim discuss and qualify the validity of the kinyan on the sale of mitzvos. Some want to say it has the force of a true kinyan with the halachos of kinyanim. However, the poskim struggle to understand how this fits with several rules of kinyanim. A kinyan requires an action (שו''ע חו''מ הל' מקח וממכר סי' קפ''ט ), while an aliya is sold verbally with no action, sometimes with just a signal of the finger or head. Also, an aliya is something intangible [אין בן ממש ], for which kinyanim do not work (שו''ע חו''מ סי' רי''ב ס''א ). It is also something not yet in existence [לא בא לעולם ], for which kinyanim do not work (שו''ע חו''מ סי' ר''ט ס''ה ), as when it is sold, the time for the mitzva has not yet come. Also, in a regular transaction, a seller sells something he owns to a buyer – who owns the mitzvos that are sold for a transfer of ownership from seller to buyer to take place?
9. Kinyan situmta. We will discuss multiple approaches given for this kinyan. Some poskim hold that sale of aliyos works with a kinyan “situmta.” This means any action people customarily view as a kinyan action that obliges the parties is a full-fledged kinyan even if it lacks details of kinyanim determined by Chazal (גמ' ב''מ דף ע''ד ע''א ). An example is saying “Mazel u’bracha” when selling diamonds. Based on this, the poskim write that since a tzibbur has an accepted practice of buying aliyos verbally, doing so has the full force of a kinyan (יש''ש ב''ק פ''ח סי' ס', ערך ש''י יו''ד סי' ר''ג ס''ה, שו''ת ארץ צבי ח''א סי' ל''ט, בית מאיר או''ח סי' קנ''ד, שו''ת מהרש''ג ח''ב סי' ע''ז ).
10. However, this does not totally resolve the kinyan status, as there is a machlokes if a kinyan situmta works for something not yet in existence (יש''ש ב''ק פ''ח ס''כ, חת''ס חו''מ סי' סו ) or something intangible (עי' נתה''מ סי' ר''א סק''א, שו''ת דברי יציב חו''מ סי' נ''ב ), or if it works verbally without an action (שו''ת הרא''ש כלל י''ב ס''ג, מהרש''ם במשפט שלום חו''מ סי' ר''א משמר''ש אות ג', רדב''ז ח''א סי' רע''ח, וע''ע בקו ' מכירת המצוות בהלכה ).
11. Neder. Some poskim hold the force of a sale of mitzvos stems from the halacha of a tzedaka neder, as the money goes to the poor or for the shul’s needs. Thus, it takes effect verbally and works for things that are intangible or not yet in existence (שו''ת המבי''ט ח''ג סי' ס', שו''ת צמח צדק הקדמון סי' ע''ב, שו''ת משנת הלכות חט''ו סי' ק''ד -ק''ה ).
12. Some question this too, as sometimes aliyos are sold through a wordless gesture, e.g., by nodding the head or pointing the finger – how can this effect a neder? (בית מאיר או''ח סי' קנ''ד )
13. Communal matters don’t require a kinyan. Since it is difficult to precisely classify the validity of a kinyan for mitzvos, some poskim hold it works based on the rule that all communal matters and needs do not require kinyanim (רמ''א חו''מ סי' קס''ג ס''ו ). Thus, when the gabbai sells mitzvos in an accepted manner and as a shliach of the community, it produces an effective sale even without the rules of kinyanim.
