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The board members sat around the table, fidgeting in their seats, uncomfortably aware that the yeshiva was somehow depending on them to address its financial woes, despite the fact that the board had tried every viable option, and hadn’t come up with any real solutions.
The president sat upright in his chair, and cleared his throat. "Let’s face the facts. We don’t have much of a solid donor base. Despite the publicity and extensive planning, the Chinese auction didn’t draw much of a crowd, the promotional CD almost brought in enough to cover the production costs, and the attempt at a lemonade stand proved that sometimes it’s better not to make anything out of lemons. We have to try a new tactic."
The audible grumbling heard around the table gave the president just enough time to fish in his pocket and withdraw a business card. "You see this" the president pointed to the elegant card in his hand. "It seems this is our only answer. His name is Shlomo. He’s a big name in the fundraising business. He has great leads, and he draws in money wherever he goes. There’s just one catch. He takes a 51% cut."
The board members would have liked to protest, but they knew it was useless. 51% sounded more like extortion than a commission, but it was painfully obvious that it was that or send the students packing. Within minutes, the president had Shlomo on the phone.
The board members went to sleep that night a little more easily, anticipating the sack of money that Shlomo would bring back after he had concluded his travels. Finally, the day came. As the president sat with Shlomo, debriefing him about his successful fundraising outing, a smile began to spread over the president’s face. Until he got to the price tag.
"51% plus travel expenses! Who ever heard of such a thing? How could you possibly charge that?!" the president thundered.
"What do you mean?" Shlomo responded evenly. "I said that I charge 51%. We agreed on that. I don’t derive any personal benefit from the travel expenses. Why should that have to come out of my pocket?"
Who is right? Is Shlomo allowed to charge travel expenses in addition to a 51% commission?
Answer of former Rishon Letzion, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, zt"l:
It is shocking that people are not embarrassed to charge such a high commission, and demand travel expenses on top of that! It is clear that, had the donors known that such an amount was being reduced from their donations, they wouldn’t have donated at all to this yeshiva.
It is very important to be careful with the money belonging to a yeshiva! A person who exemplified this behavior was my father in law Rabbi Nissim David Azran, zt"l, founder and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Beit Shmuel. Rabbi Azran was so careful with the yeshiva’s money that he would always travel by bus, so that he would never have take a taxi on the yeshiva’s account. Similarly, he would never make a personal call at the expense of the yeshiva.
In summary:
The yeshiva should not pay Shlomo for his travel expenses.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor Fee Despite the Buyer’s Refusal?
based on ruling 83117 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
