When taking out a mortgage on a Jewish-owned property, do you first consider the potential return on your investment, or do you research the halachot surrounding the transaction? What about borrowing from a Jewish-owned lending company? Do you first calculate the monetary benefits? Or is your first thought on hilchot ribbis and what there is to say on the issue?
Well, if it’s not, it should be, and Avrom Forman of Greystone Funding feels so passionately about it that he is sponsoring a shiur devoted entirely to the topic of ribbis.
“Ribbis is an issue that affects almost every area of business. It can be related to tenants and landlords, vendors and clients, doctors and patients, partners and even neighbors, family and friends,” explained Forman.
And who better to give this shiur than Rabbi Ari Marburger, dayan, Bais Din Maysharim. A noted lecturer, he is renowned for his astute but practical approach to hilchot ribbis as they relate not just to commercial real estate, but to the world of business in general and any other areas where there could possibly be an issue.
Forman described Rabbi Marburger as “a very practical down-to-earth person that anyone can relate to and would appreciate his advice.” Indeed, Rabbi Marburger is regularly consulted by industry titans and professionals who hail from mutual funds, law firms and many other prestigious business and financial institutions. “We live in a world where there are a lot of complications. Sometimes you have to make agreements that not only have to comply with Halacha but also have to comply with U.S. law, and that expertise is invaluable,” Forman explained.
Some of the many topics Rabbi Marburger will discuss include: The Halachot of Borrowing from Jewish-owned Lenders, Heter Iska basics, Capital Call Provisions and Preferred Returns—Are They Ribbis?
Forman noted that Rabbi Marburger is “a very astute person—very level-headed.” He said that because Rabbi Marburger is extremely knowledgeable in both Halacha and U.S. law, he’s the ultimate go-to person when it comes to shailot on both ribbis and business.
“The issue of ribbis comes up quite a bit and has a tremendous amount of ramifications as it relates to partnerships…and a variety of different things,” said Forman. Although ribbis is quite a broad topic, he said that the world continues to get more and more complicated in terms of how business deals are structured, and everyone who is in real estate should be thinking about it all the time.
But while this shiur has a specific focus on real estate, Forman’s hope is that it will open everyone’s mind to the ideas of ribbis and perhaps get people to start questioning if their actions have a ribbis element to them.
According to Forman, it’s like going into Pesach without learning about the halachot of chametz. There are numerous halachic issues surrounding chametz, from its precise location in our homes and work spaces, to where it’s manufactured and sold. And business professionals, including those in commercial real estate, should approach hilchot ribbis with the same dedication and preparation applied to learning all about the halachot surrounding Pesach.
Recognizing the increasing complexities arising in business transactions, Forman felt it was important to put the spotlight on the topic of hilchot ribbis “and hopefully generate more interest and conversations so that people are mindful of it and also because most of the time there’s a simple solution—much like selling chametz— that can avoid the problems.”
As for the timing of the shiur, Forman explained that while people should be learning about this all year, “that time between Pesach and Shavuot…it’s a good way to go into the holiday.”
The shiur will take place Tuesday May 11, at 8:15 p.m. It is free of charge and open to all.
For Zoom meeting information please visit: https://tinyurl.com/hilchos-ribbis
For more information or to register for this event, call 917-579-7279 or email [email protected]
By Ronit Mershon
