SmallTalk: Ribbis In The Business World (with Rabbi Chaim Francis)

What you'll learn

• 1 (00:29) **Why a new book on Ribbis exists** - Rabbi Chaim Francis explains the motivation for writing a clear, concise, and practical guide to the complex intersection of Jewish law and modern business.
• 2 (03:27) **The most common modern Ribbis issue: Jewish ownership of lenders** - A deep dive into the central challenge of determining if a lender is Jewish, especially with complex corporate ownership structures.
• 3 (08:23) **The 90-second explanation of Heter Iska** - Rabbi Francis provides a clear, simple breakdown of how a *heter iska* legally transforms a prohibited loan into a permitted investment.
• 4 (10:30) **Everyday benefits that can be Ribbis** - A practical rule of thumb for identifying when a favor or benefit given to a lender crosses the line into prohibited interest.
• 5 (11:32) **The co-signer trap and how to fix it** - A critical warning for anyone co-signing a loan for a family member or friend, and a simple preventative step.
• 6 (13:32) **Non-recourse loans and LLCs: A major leniency** - An explanation of a key ruling that can resolve many after-the-fact Ribbis problems in real estate and business.
• 7 (15:52) **Ribbis in e-commerce and everyday commerce** - How the laws of Ribbis apply not just to loans, but to common sales transactions like pre-payments and credit terms.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app