THE TWIN BRIEF
Why “I’ll give it back” isn’t the same as asking, Israel’s election lands in a deadlock, Apple shows off its first touchscreen Mac today, the Fed decides on rates, the Rays refuse to get swept, and the Oilers open the Battle of Alberta tonight.
Dvar Torah
Ask before you borrow
You forgot your tefillin. Your friend’s pair is sitting right there in his bag. He wouldn’t mind… right? The Ben Ish Chai says slow down. Borrowed tefillin are totally fine, and you can make the beracha on them, because you fulfill the mitzvah with a friend’s pair. But tefillin taken without permission count as stolen, and a mitzvah done through a sin doesn’t work. He quotes Tehillim (10:3): someone who makes a beracha on stolen goods isn’t blessing Hashem, he’s insulting Him.
The key line: “sho’el shelo mi’da’at gazlan hu.” Borrowing without asking is basically stealing. Good intentions don’t change that.
He does give a real-life exception. If the owner isn’t around and you’ll miss the time for tefillin by waiting, you can rely on the fact that Jews are happy to have a mitzvah done with their stuff. But then, if you can find him, tell him afterward and make sure he’s okay with it.
Teen takeaway: In this week’s parasha, Avraham argues with Avimelech over a well his servants dug, and he makes Avimelech take seven sheep as proof that the well is really his (Bereshit 21:25–30). Avraham was careful that nobody could ever say he took what wasn’t his. Same rule for your friend’s charger, hoodie, or AirPods: ask first. It takes five seconds and keeps the mitzvah (and the friendship) clean.
Source: Ben Ish Chai, Halachot 1st Year, Parashat Vayera #14 (borrowed vs. stolen tefillin, Tehillim 10:3, borrowing without permission, the pressing-time exception and telling the owner afterward); Bereshit 21:25–30. Hebrew text checked on Sefaria. Teen reference, not a personal ruling. Ask your rav for your own practice.
World
Israel’s election: no clear winner · Iran deal talk
- Israel: Election night ended in a deadlock. Exit polls had Prime Minister Netanyahu’s bloc and Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition roughly tied around 51 seats each, and Eisenkot declared victory. But as the count went on, Netanyahu’s bloc pulled ahead: with more than 4 million votes counted, it’s at about 54 seats to the opposition’s 47–49. That’s still short of the 61 needed to govern. Arab-led parties are on track for a record 16–19 seats. Turnout was 77.7%, the highest in 27 years. A long stalemate, or even another election, is possible (AP, Axios, Jerusalem Post, Ynet, CNBC).
- Iran: Reuters reported that Qatar handed Iran a new draft deal to end the war, but a senior Iranian official called the ideas “unacceptable.” Gulf states are working on a bigger plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, President Trump said at a rally the war will end “whenever I want it to,” and a Pentagon estimate puts its cost at about $47 billion so far (CBS News, Reuters, The Guardian, CNBC).
Tech
Apple’s first touchscreen Mac drops today
- Apple: Apple’s event in Los Angeles today is expected to bring the first touchscreen MacBook Pro, with an OLED screen, M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a stronger hinge (so the screen doesn’t wobble when you tap it) and a higher price. Leaks say preorders could open today, with shipping around Nov. 6 (MacRumors, 9to5Mac, The Verge).
- Big Tech report card: Microsoft and Alphabet (Google) post earnings after the bell today. Investors want to know whether all the money they’re pouring into AI is paying off (Bloomberg, Reuters).
Money
Chips keep rallying · Fed day
- Tuesday’s close: The S&P 500 rose 0.6% to 7,722.60 and the Nasdaq jumped 1.2%, led by AI and chip stocks. The Dow barely moved (+16 points) to 52,377 (CNBC, AP).
- The Fed decides at 2 PM ET: It’s widely expected to hold rates at 3.75%–4.00%. The real question is whether it hints at a hike in December (Reuters, CNBC).
- Oil: Brent is back up around $115–116 after Houthi claims of a strike on a Saudi refinery. Israeli markets dipped on the election deadlock, with the shekel down about 1% (FinanceFeeds, CNBC).
Sports
Battle of Alberta tonight · Rays walk it off · Knicks finally win
- Oilers: Edmonton (8-2-2, first in the Pacific) hosts Calgary tonight in the first Battle of Alberta of the season. The Oilers have dropped two straight at home, and the Flames have won three in a row. Bad news: Zach Hyman is in concussion protocol after hitting his head on the glass Monday, and a local report says he’ll likely miss at least a week. Good news: Jason Dickinson is expected back. Next up is a New York trip: Islanders Sat Oct 31, Rangers Sun Nov 1 (NHL.com, ESPN, TSN).
- World Series: The Rays are still alive. Down 3–2 after Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt homered in the top of the 12th, Tampa Bay rallied, and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson hit a walk-off single to win 4–3. It was the first walk-off win by a team facing World Series elimination since 2011. Milwaukee still leads 3–1, and Game 5 is tonight at 8 PM ET (MLB.com, Yahoo Sports).
- NBA: The Knicks got their first win, beating the previously undefeated Pistons 111–97 (AP, ESPN).
← All Daily Wires · Last wire (Oct 27) · Monday Full Brief · Issue 012 · Shabbat Lech Lecha edition