In the morning, after he returned from Shacharit prayers and before Sara-Barechah left for work at the accounting firm Yaakov et Yaakov, she turned to Srulik: "Don't forget to buy the diapers I asked for. They shouldn't cost more than 35 NIS per package. That's the price on sale, and if Shmuel doesn't have a sale, don't buy there, but go to Rami and check with him. Buy where it's cheapest.".
And Srulik replied: "Well, what do you think? I was born yesterday. I always check and don't buy without checking that what they sell me is the best and also the cheapest. It's hard for me to work.".
While returning from the kollel, Srulik went to three stores, checked and compared prices, and bought two packs of diapers, each for 34.99 NIS. To Sara-Baraka's satisfaction.
•
Aaron Yosef was known as someone who was well-versed in the laws of this world, bringing and taking, having a hand in everything, and a rumor spread that he was connected to all the contractors of Jerusalem. From his youth he was known as an energetic worker, involved in everything that had a hint of public interest.
A rumor has spread in the Kollel that Aharon Yosef is about to purchase land in Jerusalem, near Shaarei Yirae Street, near the Givat Nof neighborhood, on which a large building has been built, which is currently used as a public building. Aharon Yosef, so they know, plans to change the land's zoning plan, demolish the existing building and erect three residential buildings, each eight stories high, in its place, and this is even before the Shevas plan and all sorts of special connections, which will raise the viability of the deal to the highest levels.
Rumor has it that the price of the land is about $7 million. Since Aharon Yosef lacks some of the money to complete the purchase from his partner, after a dispute between them led to the arbitrator, Rabbi Aryeh Leish, ruling that Aharon has the right to buy his partner's share, he is raising the remaining amount - about 3.5 million NIS - from several "serious companies.".
After the meal, Benjamin turned to Srulik. "Did you hear?" he said to him.
"I heard, what?" Srulik replied with a question.
"On the structure of Aaron Yosef.".
""Is there anyone who hasn't heard?" said Srulik.
""A golden opportunity. It literally fell on us from the sky. A group of young men from the kollel are organizing, each one will deposit a small amount, 150,000 NIS now, in order to complete the amount missing for Aharon Yosef to make the purchase, and when construction begins, each one will add another 600,000 NIS, when it will be possible to receive a full mortgage from the bank for this amount.".
""Each apartment will be worth over a million and a half NIS. A real bargain and everything comes with a business permit.".
"And how do you join?" Srulik asked.
"Very simple," replied Benjamin. "You probably have some money, and the rest can be obtained from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and that's it.".
"And by when do I have to bring the money?" Srulik asked.
"That's the thing. If we're not quick - others will snatch the deal. This is a very profitable and sought-after deal and we have to be quick, because quick is ahead of the commandments. And the best thing I forgot to tell you: Until the demolition, Aharon Yosef will turn the building into temporary apartments, which can be rented out. Everyone will receive the rent according to their proportional share.".
"Listen," said Srulik. "Give me a day or two to see where I can get the money. With God's help, I'm in business too.".
"Just so you know," added Benjamin, "there should also be rabbinical supervision over the matter, so that you don't think it's some kind of sting. I personally have already heard that there are some who want to take this deal and I want to quickly form some serious companies, so that we can have a say there and not just each one separately.".
•
On his way home, while he was calculating the amount he would need to get as a loan, and while he was going over in his head the names of all the mortgage brokers he knew, the whole picture became clear to him. He has, thank God, about 60,000 shekels of his own, which he saved from his wife's salary, precisely for the purpose of buying an apartment.
His father has already promised him more than once that he will help when needed, and he can certainly get another 40,000 NIS from him, and an additional 50,000 will have no problem getting a pension, with convenient repayments. After all, his wife works regularly, and any pensioner would agree to give him such a small amount.
And indeed, that was the case. Srulik raised a sum of 150,000 NIS, transferred it to Binyamin, the transaction permit was signed, Srulik received a receipt from Binyamin, which Aharon Yosef signed - and returned home happy and in a good mood.
In the evening, he told his wife, Sarah-Baraka, that, thank God, a golden opportunity had fallen upon them - and he recounted the story to her from beginning to end.
"Are you crazy?!" said Sarah-Baraka, "Haven't you heard how many stories like this have been circulating lately? You risked all our savings? And you've put us in debt? And what about the upcoming Bar Mitzvah? And Rebecca is already 18 and how are we going to help her with the wedding?"
"Don't worry," said Srulik. "You're always so worried. Everyone in the kollel says this is an excellent deal. On the contrary, we can do Yitzhak's bar mitzvah with just the rent, and with the apartment we can buy not only an apartment for Rivka, but also for the animal.".
The end of every dream is waking up from it. Reality and opportunities, the more fantastic they are, the more one must guard against them.
•
The story is not fictional. It is based on a collection of cases in which our firm represented those burned by the shattering of illusion. The ending of the story is also not fictional and is based on a number of true cases.
The same Aaron Yosef used some of the money he raised to make changes to the building to make it suitable for residential apartments, brought in tenants and collected rent from them, but was unable to raise enough money to complete the purchase of his partner's share, in accordance with the arbitration ruling of Rabbi Aryeh Leish. And this - his partner - received an arbitration ruling that the same Aaron Yosef lost his share of the property and he - his partner - sold it to a third party.
An eviction order was issued by the court against the tenants of the building, on behalf of Aharon Yosef, and now all those who gave the money, as well as the tenants who paid a reduced price on the rent, in exchange for payment in advance - are fighting in courts and arbitration, while spending an additional and not insignificant amount, with all those involved, in order to try to get at least their money back.
Say from now on: "The law of diapers is the law of an apartment.".
Just as we carefully examine every purchase we make, even those in small amounts, we must examine even more intensely and with extreme care, and even more so, and all the more so, any transaction that "falls from the sky.".
The greater the return and the fantastic the promise - it is worthwhile and appropriate to doubt. It is worthwhile and appropriate to examine in depth what is being offered, and if you are not familiar with the "laws of the offer", invest the money for the diapers in a proper examination with liability - for professional negligence - with professionals.
And another piece of advice: It's always a good idea to listen to the woman.
• The writer is a managing partner at the law firm Wolfson Weinstein & Co. www.ww-law.co.il
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