A Matter of Interest

Question

Dear Rabbi,
Why are we not allowed to lend money to somebody else and charge interest?
Thanks

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The Torah prohibits lending with interest. One would have thought that there is nothing wrong with charging for “renting out” one’s hard-earned money. Doing so would seem to be a great act of kindness when the borrower needs the loan and fully consents to the terms of repayment. The Torah enlightens our eyes and raises our standard of ethics by issuing no less than six prohibitions against lending with interest. There is one prohibition against participating in the loan as a witness, guarantor, or scribe, and there are two prohibitions against borrowing with interest.

    So, why does the Torah forbid lending money with interest? God created the world for the sake of kindness, meaning so that He could perform kindness and so that people could perform kindness. Therefore, our Sages teach that anyone who denies that one is meant to perform kindness has denied a principal tenet of our faith. They say, “Anyone who lends with interest has denied a principal tenet of our faith.”

    Since lending without interest is an essential kindness that is expected of every Jew, lending with interest is tantamount to the heretical denial of the tenet of kindness. Therefore, although the mitzvah to lend without interest applies to any borrower, the Torah speaks about it in the context of a poor person, for whom it is an essential act of kindness. It says that we must lend to him so that he can establish himself financially “and live.” Establishing someone financially is considered the greatest form of charity.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team