Taamei Hamitzvos - Lending Without Interest (Part Two)
Reasons Behind the Mitzvos
By Rabbi Shmuel Kraines
“Study improves the quality of the act and completes it, and a mitzvah is more beautiful when it emerges from someone who understands its significance.” (Meiri, Bava Kama 17a)
Mitzvah #68; Shemos 22:24 and Vayikra 25:335-38
The Sages observe that lending without interest is the way of the world. For example, the day borrows from the night during the summer and the night borrows from the day during the winter; the earth lends the heavens vapor and the heavens lends the earth rain (see Tanchuma). This Midrash is puzzling: perhaps the night is “willing” to lend the day during the summer only because it “knows” that it will borrow it all back during the winter! However, that is exactly the point, for whoever lends without interest can expect reciprocation when either he or his descendants need such a loan, as the Sages teach: A person should always pray to be spared from poverty because poverty is a natural cycle in the world, and if it does not come upon him, it will come upon one of his descendants (Shabbos 151b; see Maharsha). Hence, lending without interest is a natural part of the society Hashem designed for us (see also Malbim to Sifri, Ki Seitzei §129). Since lending without interest is essential to the Torah-ordained society and the tenet of kindness, it is understandable why the Torah issued prohibitions against all involved parties, including the borrower himself.
When teaching this Mitzvah, the Torah emphasizes that one must not take interest from a Jewish "brother." It means to teach us that just as brothers are willing to do favors for each other and would generally not consider charging each other interest, so too, we must regard our fellow Jews as brothers and treat them with a higher standard of kindness than that which might be acceptable in the rest of the world (Akeidas Yitzchak §69).
Hashem explained that we are required to live according to this standard because, "I am Hashem, your God, Who took you out of Egypt to give you the Land of Canaan, to be your God” (Vayikra 25:38). The Sages infer from this that whoever lends with interest has denied the Exodus. How so? Rav Hirsch explains that Hashem redeemed the Jewish people from slavery and granted them independence, wealth, and Eretz Yisrael only on the condition that they lend their money to each other without interest.
As to the difference between charging rent for the usage of property and charging interest for the usage of money, charging rent may be justified on account of wear and tear, whereas, lending funds does not cause wear and tear (Bava Metzia 69b). Akeidas Yitzchak (ibid.) explains further that money is usually lent to cover expenses. Once it has been spent, the borrower has no means to return the loan, which might therefore remain unpaid for a long time while the venom of interest courses through him. When a person rents a property, on the other hand, he always has an option to return the property and stop paying.
Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains that Hashem gives a person unneeded funds so that he will provide for someone who lacks needed funds, either to punish the needy person or to grant merit to his benefactor (Shemos 22:24). Considering that all of our excess funds were assigned to us for the purpose of helping our fellow Jews, it should not be difficult for us to lend without interest. Should one think that it would be preferable for him to place his money in a [halachically certified] investment, Akeidas Yitzchak writes that when a person lends to the poor, Hashem considers it as if He is the borrower (Bava Basra 10a), and He will repay the loan — with interest. Hashem’s commitment is surer than any investment.
