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City Power says is responding to a major network failure at the Orlando Switching Station, leaving thousands of customers across southern and western Johannesburg without electricity. The power utility says the outage was triggered by a burnt pole-mounted transformer at Eikenhof, followed by a secondary fault on a breaker supplying the switching station. Areas served by the Reuven, Lenasia and Hursthill service centres are affected. City Power says restoration teams are assessing the damage, with no estimated restoration time available yet. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to City power spokesperson Isaac Mangena
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Dovid JosilowskyQuestion: Reuven asks his associate, Shimon, for a loan of $100k. Shimon only agrees to give the loan if Reuven signs over to him the deed of a property worth $500k that will serve as collateral until the loan is repaid. Reuven agrees to these terms.After a while, Shimon decides that he wants to purchase this property. He tells Reuven that he has two choices – either he legitimately sells him the property for its value, or he will keep it for himself without paying, as the deed has already been signed over to him in any case. Left with no other option, Reuven agrees to sell the property to Shimon.Sometime later, Reuven finds a shtar in which Shimon acknowledges that the property was originally given to him as a mashkon. Can he now use this proof to invalidate the sale?Answer: All of the Rishonim agree that if someone simply takes something and pays for it without doing anything else to force the sale, that is not considered the type of sale under duress that is valid in halacha. On the other hand, if there is a clear duress placed upon the owner until he agrees to sell, it would be valid. But in this case, it is not clear whether it would be the type of forced sale that is valid or not. The reason is that perhaps a forced sale is only considered valid when there is an “outside” duress at play, such as bodily harm. If there is no duress besides the forced sale itself, it could be argued that it is not a valid sale because we have no reason to assume the seller has consented. There appears to be an argument between the Rambam and the Ramban on this point, and consequently, it will be difficult to prove that the sale is invalid unless he declared a Modaah.
Sicha 270: Matos Maasei Thu. Jul. 9, 2026 | Tammuz 24, 5786 Chelek chof ches page 210This week's Sicha learning is in honor of:The Sirota family, celebrating the birth of Esther Sirota on 24 Tammuz, with wishes of L'Torah, L'Chuppah, U'Maasim Tovim and many continued simchos.An anonymous sponsor in honor of her birthday.Chana Miriam Huebner, in honor of her son Nosson's birthday on 24 Tammuz.Shaina Zirkind, l'ilui nishmas Harav HaChassid R. Simcha Yerachmiel ben R. Mordechai Shachneh Zirkind, on his 11th yahrtzeit, 24 Tammuz.The upcoming yahrtzeit of Rabbi Vichnin, a beloved and inspiring mechanech, on 26 Tammuz.The Rebbe teaches that the territory east of the Jordan can represent either a compromise with exile or the beginning of redemption. Gad and Reuven chose it for material reasons, but Menashe received it from Moshe as part of Hashem's plan to extend the holiness of Eretz Yisrael and prepare for the ultimate expansion of its borders in the era of Moshiach. The key is attitude: a Jew may be sent beyond familiar boundaries on a holy mission, yet must never lose the deep love for Eretz Yisrael or become settled in golus. Like Menashe, we are called to remember our true home, reject the mentality of exile, and use every place we find ourselves to advance Moshe's vision and bring the Geulah closer.
One of the most surprising details in this week's Parsha is easy to miss. Moshe doesn't simply tell the tribes of Gad and Reuven to fight alongside the rest of the Jewish people before returning to their own land. He tells them to go as Chalutzim - pioneers at the front of the army, leading the charge and strengthening everyone else's resolve. Why? Because serving the Jewish people means thinking not only about what is best for you, but also about the effect you have on those around you. Through this Torah insight, together with a story about Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook and an unforgettable encounter at a bank, I explore a lesson that reaches far beyond the battlefield. Our responsibility includes more than our actions and words. It includes our attitude, our presence, our body language, and the atmosphere we create for others. Sometimes the greatest act of leadership is simply helping the people around us become stronger. Most of us think responsibility ends with doing the right thing. The Torah says responsibility also includes the spirit in which we do it. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman (michael@adath.ca) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.
When considering if a breakaway is appropriate or not, one could look at the story of b'nei Reuven v'Gad for a historical lesson.
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Yosef GreenwaldQuestion: Reuven asks Shimon, a business professional, to join him for lunch in a restaurant in order to ask him some business-related questions. When the bill comes, Shimon expects Reuven to pay for his meal; however, it soon became clear that Shimon was not planning on doing so. Can Shimon tell Reuven that he should pay?Answer: The Poskim discuss a case where someone tells his friend to come eat a meal with him. Most Poskim say that if he doesn't expressly tell his friend that he will be sponsoring, it cannot be assumed that the meal is free.The exception to this rule would be if it is standard industry practice that someone seeking information pays for the entire meal of the other party. If that were the case, it can be assumed that he is paying for the meal. Otherwise, this assumption cannot be made.There are some Poskim who disagree and say that if someone invites his friend for a meal, even if he doesn't expressly say that it is free, it can be assumed that he won't charge for it. Since this a machlokes haposkim, the muchzik will have the upper hand. Still, as long as the meal isn't paid for yet, the one who invited his friend to the restaurant cannot be forced to pay on behalf of the invitee.Question: Can Shimon then say that if his meal is not being paid for, he will consider this a business meeting and will charge for the advice he is giving?Answer: If it is the norm in the industry to charge for this type of advice, then he could make that claim.
The tribes of Reuven and Gad asked Moshe for permission to settle east of the Jordan River rather than enter the Land of Israel with the rest of the Jewish people. Moshe reluctantly agreed, but only after insisting on conditions designed to preserve their connection to the nation and to the Land. History tells a sobering story. Those tribes were the first Israelites exiled by Assyria, disappearing from Jewish history long before the others. Their downfall was not simply geography, but their separation reminds us that distance from the spiritual center of Jewish life carries real risks. Most of us live outside Israel for good and legitimate reasons. This week's parashah challenges us with a timeless question: if we live far from Israel, what are we doing to keep our connection to the Land, the Jewish people, and our spiritual identity alive? That question mattered in Moshe's day. It matters no less in ours. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman (michael@adath.ca) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.
Moshe Rabbeinu initially objected when Reuven and Gad chose to settle on the eastern side of the Yarden because their decision was motivated by material wealth rather than the holiness of Eretz Yisrael. Yet later, Moshe himself gave half of Shevet Menashe a portion there. The difference was not the land—it was the motivation. Reuven and Gad sought it for financial reasons, while Menashe, as demonstrated by the daughters of Tzelofchad and their deep love for Eretz Yisrael, never asked for it. Their burning desire for the Land made them worthy of receiving a portion connected to the future expansion of Eretz Yisrael in the days of Moshiach.The name Menashe itself reflects this longing. Although Yosef said, “Ki nashani Elokim kol beis avi,” Chassidus explains that distance from his father's home awakened an even deeper yearning to return. During the Three Weeks, we are called to feel that same longing. Our mourning for the Beis HaMikdash should not remain sadness alone—it should ignite within us a passionate desire for Eretz Yisrael, the complete Geulah, and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, speedily in our days.לקו״ש כח
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Yosef GreenwaldQuestion: Reuven pays a lot of money to fly in a famous singer to perform at his simcha. Shimon hears that this singer is coming to town and hires him to sing at his simcha as well. Reuven says that Shimon should pay for half of the plane ticket and related expenses because he is benefiting from having the singer in town. Is he correct? Answer: The Poskim discuss a case where Reuven invests money in a property that he believes to be his. Later, he discovers that he made a mistake and the property actually belongs to Shimon.The Nesivos Hamishpat says that Reuven cannot charge Shimon for his work because he did it for himself, not for Shimon. The Ketzos Hachoshen argues and says that since, at the end of the day, he improved Shimon's property, he can demand payment for his work.It would seem that our case is similar, as Reuven paid for the ticket for himself and Shimon derived benefit from that. It could thus be argued that the halacha would hinge on the machlokes between the Ketozs and Nesivos.However, I believe that in this case, everyone would agree that Shimon does not have to pay for any of the traveling expenses. In the Poskim's case, Reuven did work on Shimon's property and upgraded the property. In our case, Reuven didn't do any work “on Shimon's property.” He only did work for himself and Shimon happened to benefit from that. I believe that even the Ketzos would agree that Shimon does not have to pay for the travel expenses in this case.
Bamidbar Rabba (Matot) 22:7,8- within the storyline of b'nei Reuven v'Gad there is an issue of perspective about money, and a great lesson in usage of our "gifts".
In one of the most unique conversations in Beyond the Code history, Yitzy sits down with Reuven "Ruby" Rivlin — the 10th President of the State of Israel — to talk about why, at 86 years old, he's betting on crypto.Rivlin is now Honorary President of Bitcore Capital, a publicly traded Israeli company building regulated digital financial infrastructure — including a shekel-pegged stablecoin, Bitcoin-backed lending, and what could become Israel's first crypto-native digital bank and have recently entered into a very significant partnership with Lava Network. The company has assembled a team of former senior government officials, regulators, and law enforcement leaders specifically to earn the trust of the Israeli public and regulators alike.But before all of that, Rivlin was a trial lawyer, a Jerusalem city councilor under Mayor Teddy Kollek, president of Beitar Jerusalem football club, a 30-year Knesset member, Speaker of the Knesset twice, Israel's Communications Minister, and finally — the President of Israel from 2014 to 2021.In this episode:Why Rivlin joined Bitcore Capital and what they're actually buildingThe regulatory challenges facing crypto adoption in IsraelHow assembling former chiefs of police, ministers, and regulators is a trust-building strategy — not just opticsHis vision for Israel as a leader in the digital financial revolutionStories from his legal career, the Knesset, Beitar Jerusalem, and his relationships with world leadersThis episode is brought to you by FirstRead — your go-to source for crypto legal and regulatory intelligence. Get 10% off with code BYNDTHECODE10 at https://first-read.com/signup?ref=BEYOND2026
התוכן עמ"ש [בשני דפ' פינחס] "משפחת החנכי" פרש"י "לפי שהיו האומות מבזין אותם ואומרים מה אלו מתייחסין על שבטיהם סבורין הן שלא שלטו המצריים באמותיהן .. לפיכך הטיל הקב"ה שמו עליהם ה"א מצד זה ויו"ד מצד זה לומר מעיד אני עליהם שהם בני אבותיהם וכו'". שהקב"ה בעצמו העיד (ע"י הוספת ב' אותיות הראשונות של שמו) שכל ה-210 שנה שבנ"י היו בגלות קשה של מצרים בתור עבדים והיו שם המיעוט, ומ"מ שמרו על צניעות ו"לא שינו את לבושם" ולא הסתכלו על האופי של המצריים שמסביב וכו' אלא התנהגו כמו שלימדו אותן שרה רבקה רחל ולאה!, וההוראה לנשי ישראל, ובמיוחד בהתחלת ימי הקיץ: על כל אחת החיוב באופן שווה (כמו חומש הפקודים – כ"א נמנה בשווה) לא לשנות כלל את הלבושים ואת ההנהגה בכלל, אע"פ שנמצאים בגלות וכו', כדי שגם לפני כניסתנו לא"י בגאולה האמיתית והשלימה בדורנו זה יוכל הקב"ה להחתים שמו על ההנהגה הרצוי' של נשי ישראל!משיחת יום א' פ' במדבר, כ"ח אייר ה'תשכ"ח ל"נשי חב"ד" ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=29-06-2026 Synopsis On the verse (in sheini of parashas Pinchas), “…The descendants of Reuven…the family of Chanoch (משפחת החנכי)...,” Rashi explains: “Since the nations were denigrating them and saying: Why are these people tracing their lineage to their tribes? Do they think that the Egyptians did not have control over their mothers…Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, affixed His name to them – a hei on one side and a yud on the other to say – to say: I attest to the fact that they are the sons of their fathers….” That is, Hashem Himself attests (using the first two letters of His Name) that throughout all 210 years of exile in Egypt, where they were the minority and where they were slaves, they nevertheless preserved their modesty; instead of changing their clothing and trying to imitate the Egyptians around them, they conducted themselves as Sarah, Rivkah, Rochel, and Leah had taught them. The lesson for Jewish women, especially at the beginning of the summer, is that there is an equal obligation upon every woman (just as when the Jewish people were counted, each person counted as one) not to alter their mode of dress or their conduct at all, despite being in exile etc., and this way, even before the Redemption, Hashem will attest by His Name to the proper conduct of Jewish women.Excerpt from sichah of Sunday, parashas Bamidbar, 28 Iyar 5728, to N'shei U'bnos Chabad For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=29-06-2026 לזכות מרדכי בן חי'ה ריסא שי' ונגר ליום ההולדת שלו י"ד תמוז - לשנת ברכה והצלחה, ואריכות ימים ושנים טובות.נדבת אביו ר' שמואל שי' ונגר
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Yosef GreenwaldQuestion: Reuven pays for two seats in his shul. He uses one for himself and the other one is meant for his son. However, his son prefers to daven elsewhere and rarely sits in his seat. Shimon notices the empty seat and begins to sit there every week. Eventually, Reuven tells him that since he is using the seat, he should pay for it. Is Reuven correct? Answer: This would seem like a case of zeh neheneh v'zeh lo chaseir. Since Shimon is not causing Reuven a loss, it would seem that he should be patur.The Gemara says that two conditions must be met in order to make someone pay for a hana'ah that he receives. 1. The owner must be having a loss in the sense that he could rent out the property being used if the other person wasn't there. In this case, since Reuven cannot sell the other seat, he would not be able to charge for its use. 2. The person having hana'ah can only be obligated to pay for something that would otherwise pay for. In this case, that would mean that Shimon would have to be the type of person who would pay for another seat if this one wasn't available. Whereas, if he is the type of person who wouldn't pay for a seat and would just stand in the back if there was no free seat available, the Gemara implies that he could not be obligated to pay. Going forward, if Reuven continues to pay for the seat and he wants to use it to put down his talis bag or his coat and hat, he may prevent Shimon from sitting there in the future because he needs the seat for himself. Still, because Shimon is not considered a nehene because he wouldn't pay for a seat in any case, he may not be able to charge him for sitting there.However, practically speaking, although the Gemara implies to say that one can only charge the person having hana'ah if he is the type of person who would pay for such a benefit, the Poskim rule like the opinion of the Rif that this condition does not need to be met and one can charge someone for using something that is theirs and causing them a loss even if the person would not have been willing to pay for such hana'ah.
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Yosef Greenwald, Rav of K'hal Dexter ParkQuestion: Reuven and Shimon are business partners. Due to a clerical error on behalf of the IRS, Reuven's personal taxes were charged to the partnership. Can Shimon demand that Reuven reimburse the business for the money that he should have paid individually? Answer: The Gemara talks about a case where the king's tax collectors take taxes from from grain that was not yet tithed, in lieu of money that was the owner was really supposed to pay. The Gemara says that even though the owner didn't really gain anything new – as he merely didn't have to give away some of his money – and he didn't actually take anything from maaser – as the tax collectors took the money, not him – he still is liable to reimburse the amount of the maaser. This chiyuv is called “mishtarshi”. The Ketzos Hachoshen explains that mishtarshi means that because one person's bottom line is bigger than it otherwise would have been because of his friend's expenditure or loss, it is considered as if the friend now owns part of his assets; therefore, the beneficiary will have to reimburse him the full amount that he lost because of him. Based on this rule, Reuven would be liable to reimburse the partnership for the money he gained by not paying his personal taxes.
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Shmuel HonigwachsQuestion: In the last segment, we discussed a case where one neighbor purchases a home from a non-Jew. What if both neighbors bought their houses from non-Jews? How would that impact issues of hezek riya?Answer: If both neighbors originally purchased their homes from non-Jews, as long as the window existed beforehand, the halacha is that Reuven doesn't have any rights to force Feivel to do anything that he couldn't force John to do.This is actually the most common scenario with pools, as most neighborhoods that are built for Jews do not contain pools. Thus, in the common case where two neighbors purchased their homes from non-Jews, neither would be able to force their neighbor to close off a window. The laws of hezek riya would only apply if one of them wants to make a new window. Any window that existed before the homes were purchased from the non-Jews is permitted to remain. Of course, to stand and view the private affairs of a neighbor is always forbidden.
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Shmuel HonigwachsQuestion: Reuven has a pool in his backyard. His neighbor, John, is a non-Jew, who obviously has no reservations about being the cause of hezek riya. John is now selling his house to a Jew. The new neighbor, Feivel, moves in and Reuven tells him that because his window faces Reuven's pool, there is a problem of hezek riya and Feivel has to either close off the window or pay to build a fence. Is Reuven correct?Answer: The Gemara says that a Jew who buys a house from a non-Jew has the same rules as the non-Jew he bought the house from. The Poskim debate whether this means that he gets the same halachic disadvantages of the non-Jew, or if he also gets the potential advantages as well. According to the opinion that he gets the advantages of the non-Jew, Feivel would not have to close off his window, just like the non-Jew could not be required to do that. According to the opinion that the Jew only gets the disadvantages of the non-Jew, however, he would be required to close off the window.The Rema rules that the Jew gets the advantages of the non-Jew, but the Shulchan Aruch disagrees and rules that he does not. Practically speaking, Reuven probably would not be able to force Feivel to close off his window.
Questions? Comments? We love feedback! Email us at info@baishavaad.org Rav Shmuel HonigwachsQuestion: Reuven needed a variance for a construction project. His neighbor, Shimon, claimed that he would be negatively impacted by that variance. He went to the zoning board and tried to stop it but the board ruled in favor of Reuven and granted the variance. Shimon still has one more venue to stop the variance from being adopted, which is to litigate. Is he permitted to go to court and assert his right to have the variance's approval revoked? Answer: We previously explained that the Maharik says that one has a right to oppose a neighbor's request for a variance before a zoning board because the neighbor has not obtained what he wants yet. He compares this to a “metziah” and says that everyone has the right to stop someone from getting a metziah. That reasoning would only apply to something that the neighbor doesn't have yet. If he already received the variance and a neighbor now wants to sue in court to get it revoked, there would be a strong argument to say that the Maharik's ruling does not apply in that situation; therefore, I would posit that it would not be permitted.
What does it take to build a serious Torah legacy while running a thriving dental practice in Manhattan? Reuven Mohl has spent the last decade doing exactly that — and the results are five published books, a growing body of scholarship, and a model for what it looks like to take your Torah life seriously without stepping away from the working world.In this episode, Reuven walks us through his upbringing in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, where his father Rabbi Oscar Mohl — a philosophy professor, Holocaust survivor, and talmid of the Baba Vredi — set the tone for a home where Torah and ideas were always on the table. From Yeshiva Flatbush to Yeshiva HaKotel to YU, Reuven shares how his years of learning shaped both his character and his career path into dentistry.We talk about the discipline behind building a successful practice, how he carved out time for serious learning between patients, and what led him to compile commentaries on the Haggadah, Megillas Rus, and Tehillim using the writings of Rabbi Eliezer Berkovitz and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik.And in honor of Shavuos, we learn together. Reuven shares a beautiful lesson from Megillas Rus on the difference between din and lifnim mishurat hadin — and what Boaz's generosity in the field teaches us about how to show up at work, at home, and in life.Topics covered:Growing up with a philosophy professor father and a Holocaust survivor in the homeThe work-life balance reality of a dental careerHow to pursue serious Torah scholarship while running a businessBuilding commentaries using the Rav and Rabbi BerkovitzMegillas Rus and the obligation to do more than the minimumThe story of calling before Shabbos
Answer the Polls Here: https://thisorthatpolls.com/events/pesach In this special live episode of the Meaningful People Podcast, the conversation goes beyond theory and straight into reality, marriage, connection, and what actually happens behind closed doors. Through live polling and raw discussion, we uncover surprising truths: nearly 70% of people didn't feel prepared for marriage, and almost half admitted they questioned their decision within the first year. But what does that really mean? Is struggle a red flag, or part of the process? This episode breaks down what's really at the core of relationship tension. It's not communication, it's connection. From navigating conflict the right way to understanding why "I want a divorce" is often just a cry for help, this conversation offers a refreshing and deeply practical perspective on building a strong marriage. If you've ever wondered what separates couples who thrive from those who fall apart, this is a conversation you don't want to miss. This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ► PZ Deals Download the app and never pay full price again! https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp _________________ ► Colel Chabad Pushka App The easiest way to give Tzedaka https://pushkapp.cc/meaningful _________________ ► Ness Vacation Homes EDEN GARDENS' LARGEST LUXURY HOME COLLECTION Handpicked, high-end homes available exclusively through Ness. OPTIONAL PROGRAM-LEVEL PESACH EXPERIENCE Upgrade your stay with a complete A–Z Pesach setup, including kitchen preparation, catered meals, and fully arranged details by Glatt Gourmet. https://nessvacationhomes.com/ _________________ ►Rothenberg Law Firm Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years! Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation https://shorturl.at/JFKHH _________________ ► Town Appliance Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp https://www.townappliance.com https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp _________________ ► The Village 80% of people who get addicted relapse again and again. The Village stops the cycle, creating a world of healthy connection around people in recovery so they can finally move forward to lasting sobriety and beautiful lives. https://www.charidy.com/thevillage?utm_source=MeaningfulMinute&utm_medium=sm&utm_campaign=village