Interest Intrigue
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
Parshat Behar includes the prohibition against charging a fellow Jew or paying interest on a loan to a fellow Jew. One would think that it is illogical to expect someone to forgo earning interest when one could make a profit by investing that same money in other ways. Yet we are commanded against this practice and, as if to emphasize this point, the verse concludes with “I am Hashem.”
Understanding the difficulty that may be posed in observing this mitzvah, (especially if substantial sums are involved), the Ner Uziel points out that the Torah does allow for circumstances that would permit charging interest. First, if the loan in any way helps start or support a person’s business, one may construct the loan as a business investment, becoming a partner and sharing in the profits. [Rav S. R. Hirsch makes a wonderful observation in Exodus 22:24 where the prohibition is first introduced. He writes that with this law, a partnership between labor and capital is introduced wherein both the lender and the borrower can both prosper from otherwise idle money, and where labor is valued as highly as capital, creating a more equal and harmonious society. CKS] Another option a lender might employ is using a non Jew as a middleman. The Jew would lend his money to the gentile from whom he is permitted to charge interest and who in turn may charge a Jew interest on the forwarded loan. Nevertheless, when one encounters a truly impoverished Jew, one should not seek out loopholes, but should lend his brother whatever he can to support him.
While a superficial reading of this law seems to imply that it is more relevant to men, it is extremely applicable to everyone, women and teenagers as well, and the intricacies can be extremely complex. When a woman “borrows” some eggs to complete her recipe, for example, is she returning the same grade and size eggs, not just the number of eggs? When one pays his babysitter late, may he round up the charges as a late payment? The list goes on and on. Therefore, Rav Pam explains that the first question we will be asked in heaven is, “Did you conduct all your dealings faithfully,” followed by, “Did you schedule time for Torah study?” Because one can observe these laws correctly only by studying them with appropriate sources.
Interestingly, we will not be asked if we conducted our business honestly, but if we conducted our business faithfully. With this, Rav Dovid Hofstedter connects our business dealings to our faith in Hakodosh Boruch Hu, for if we have full faith in Hashem, we would base our dealings on the knowledge that our success or failure depends on Him, not on the cleverness of our own business acumen. In fact, dealing dishonestly, with false and inaccurate weights and measures for example, is such an abomination that it is even compared to avodah zarah/worship of false gods. In fact, Rav Hofstedter continues, the source for both dishonesty and avodah zarah is the same, a belief that God is no longer involved in the world and therefore I, the individual, must take all necessary action. Instead, you must understand that you are the trustee of any wealth Hashem has bestowed upon you, and you must be a faithful trustee.
The connection between charging interest on a loan and the passages that precedes it about shemitahand yovel, those times we are not permitted to work the land, then becomes very clear. Only with full faith that Hashem will provide can a farmer refrain from working his field not only one year, as inshemitah, but two consecutive years, as in yovel. Faith will also give a businessman the support he needs to help a fellow Jew earn a livelihood even it it means his friend’s business will compete with his own. As we practice these laws prohibiting interest, our faith in Hashem is strengthened and we train ourselves in honesty.
Conversely, writes Rabbi Kofman z”l in Mishchat Hashemen, citing the Kli Yakar, charging our fellow Jew interest erodes our faith in Hakodosh Boruch Hu. We are relying on another person to give us a profit on our money and we also anticipate the profit as already in our hands. That the Torah then links this mitzvah to Hashem Who took us out of Egypt emphasizes the point that Hashem can provide for us in supernatural ways just as our redemption from Egypt was supernatural.
Rabbi Kofman z”lcites the Baal Haturim that Neshech/charging interest on a loan is equal numerically to zeh nachash/this is [like a] snake who gets its power from its neshech/bite. The snake sinned by turning Adam and Chavah away from Hashem, and so the snake would be punished by biting the ubiquitous dust for food so that he would never have to turn to Hashem, and Hashem would never hear from him.
Not charging our fellow Jew interest is a demonstration of our belief of Hashem’s hashgachah protis/personal guidance over each of us. It is this concept that the Men of the Great Assembly emphasized by writing only one of the morning blessings in the singular, “Blessed are You Hashem… Who has provided me my every need.” Charging interest undermines this belief and our relationship with Hakodosh Boruch Hu. The idea that Hashem is always with us and guarding us and that we can rely on Him should be a constant thought in our minds.
But, cautions Rabbi Druck z”l, do not use this idea to lecture someone coming to you for help. As a matter of fact, Rabbi Pam z”l suggests that Hashem may have given the poor man his achy bones or his lazy nature as part of His plan to keep this man poor as part of this man’s mission. Your first obligation is to help him.
The verses state, “If your brother becomes impoverished… strengthen him so he can live with you. Do not take from him interest… and let your brother live with you.” There is an emphasis here on your brother and on his living with you. Rav Reiss in Meirosh Tzurim sees in this a partnership that Hashem has created between the rich and the poor. Hashem has sent the poor man to you because Hashem has given you the means to help him. The fortunes may change at any time. And the ability to help another applies not only with money, but also with advice, emotional support, or any other way that helps another.
We live in a post-prophecy era, a time when Hashem’s “face” is hidden from us. Yet, although He is hidden, He is still present, and sometimes we can actually sense the Divine hand orchestrating events in our lives, writes the Tolna Rebbe, citing the Chazon Ish z”l. Our job is to respond appropriately as witnesses to His presence, and not ascribe events to coincidence. We may not recognize Hashem’s guidance until years later, when more pieces of the puzzle are in place. For example, Rebbetzin Smiles spent her first few years with her family in Dayton, Ohio. At that time, Dayton’s Orthodox Jewish community was very small with very few opportunities for a proper Jewish education. Shira’s parents made the decision to move to the New York area where the children would receive a more intense Jewish education. Rebbetzin Smiles credits that move about fifty years ago with her current ability to impact so many other lives with her Torah teaching and shiurim. [May Hashem give Rebbetzin Smiles many more years of health to continue this work, and may the Torah she teaches be a credit and joy to her parents. CKS]
We may not understand why we may not charge interest, writes the Sifsei Chaim citing the Maharal, but this too is part of our accepting “the yoke of Heaven”. After all, we were redeemed from the yoke of the Egyptians so that we would be free to serve Hashem.
Rav Reiss gives an interesting psychological perspective to this prohibition. We as human beings have a tendency to be egocentric, to ask ourselves, “What’s in it for me?” This prohibition trains us to take our attention off ourselves and think of others. This may be easier if we think of the other as our brother rather than as our friend, as the Torah writes it, writes Rabbi Wolbe zt”l. Hashem knows our intention. Are we giving selflessly, or are we giving for profit, for rewards of recognition or other benefit? This too may be a form of interest.
We’ve already noted some often overlooked ways we may transgress the prohibition of charging or receiving interest, such as how we ask for a cup of sugar or an onion from a neighbor, and how we pay our employees. Rabbi Reissman’s manual on this topic exemplifies how complex these laws are. Even overstating a thank you may be construed as giving interest beyond the normal “rate”. So what about refilling the gas in a car you’ve borrowed? Interestingly, you’ve borrowed (or rented) the car, not the gas from a friend. The law may be different if renting a car from a Jewish company who monitors the gas when you return it.
These laws, as intricate as they are, help us be careful in all our relationships, in our trust and faith in Hakodosh Boruch Hu, in our interactions with others, and in keeping our own egos in check so that we may continue to grow spiritually.