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Beit Midrash
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- P'ninat Mishpat
Case: The plaintiff (=pl) and the defendant (=def) both wanted to extend their apartments, which were one on top of the other, and decided to do so cooperatively, sharing an architect (=a#1) and preparing and paying for the various elements of obtaining a municipal building permit. In the midst of the process, pl convinced def to discard a#1’s plans and hire a new architect (=a#2). Pl decided to extend his addition with a balcony. Later in the process, def became concerned that this would compromise his apartment’s privacy. When the two sides failed to agree on how to solve the privacy problems, def appealed to the municipality to disallow the extension. Pl is suing def for the expenses, over 24,000 shekels, which are now wasted (especially both architect plans and fees for various stages of applying for a building permit).
Ruling: There is no question that def is not obligated to pay for the money spent on a#1. It was pl who initiated the change from a#1 to a#2 with the loss of money this caused. It can be demonstrated (beyond our scope) that the work done by a#1 did not save time or expenses for a#2 to follow up, and therefore, the expenses of a#1 were lost before def’s decision.
P'ninat Mishpat (832)
Various Rabbis
402 - Backing Out of Joint Building Plans – part I
403 - Backing Out of Joint Building Plans – part II
404 - Who Is Responsible for Municipal Tax When? – part I
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Can we learn from the above halacha regarding a case where two people hire together a third person to do work for them? The Erech Shai (Even Haezer 50) concludes that two families who hire a shadchan are obligated to him like partners because each one gains from the work that the shadchan did even in relation to the other side. In our case, though, while the two hired architects together, the plans of the extension of each apartment are for separate benefits, and so the two are not obligated for each other. Furthermore, a beit din ruling (Piskei Din Rabbaniim XI, pg. 119) makes the following observation about creating a partnership. The sources discuss what makes a partnership binding, but in order for there to be a possibility of a partnership existing, there must be an actual agreement of the sides to have such an interconnected financial relationship.
Therefore, one cannot obligate def due to the possibility of partnership. [Next time we will explore whether there can be an obligation based on causing damage.]
Various Rabbis
Various Rabbis including those of of Yeshivat Bet El, such as Rabbi Chaim Katz, Rabbi Binyamin Bamberger and Rabbi Yitzchak Greenblat and others.
Moreshet Shaul Moreshet Shaul: A Crown and its Scepter – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 294-5
P'ninat Mishpat P'NINAT MISHPAT: A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Agricultural Water Rights – part I
based on ruling 84122 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: A Seller with Questionable Rights to the Property – part II
based on ruling 84062 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
