Q: I found an aveidah with no simanim. May I claim the metziah on behalf of another person? If I initially picked it up for him, can I change my mind and keep it for myself?

A: A person can acquire a metziah for another person. Once you pick it up with full intention to acquire for your friend, you cannot recant and take it for yourself, even while it’s still in your hands. However, according to some authorities, if you did not verbalize your intention, you can change your mind before handing it over (See C.M., Sma, Shach, Ketzos and Nesivos 269:1).

If the other person explicitly asked you to “acquire” it for him, once you pick it up without stating otherwise, you cannot say that you picked it up for yourself. If he only said, “Give it to me,” though, before handing it over, you can still say that you took it for yourself (C.M. 269:6).

A worker who picks up a metziah acquires it for himself. However, if he was instructed to collect metzios as part of his job, the employer is entitled to them (C.M. 270:3; see Pischei Choshen, Aveidah 9:[76]).