When you lend money to My people, to the poor person with you, do not act toward them as a creditor or lender; exact no interest from them. If you take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you must return it before the sun sets;
(22:24-25) The Torah is teaching the laws of how to lend money to a fellow Jew. First is not to act as a creditor or lender. Secondly, do not take interest or Ribis on the loan. The third thing is to return an item when it is needed by the borrower.
The Gaon Rav Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer - son of the heilge Chasam Sofer - brings in his Sefer Ksav Sofer a powerful insight in how to act when one lends money. What is the meaning you shall not behave toward him as a creditor or lender? The Ksav Sofer answers: That one can lend money to a needy person and do it while respecting the poor man's dignity, or he can lend it in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way that it causes the borrower much shame. The Torah is obligating the lender that when lending money to a fellow Jew "one entitled to be considered K ½ ̈O ¦r" one must make sure the needy person can look you in the face without feeling shame.
We can extend this insight to explain the intention of the verse in Tehilim 11:7: For Hashem is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright shall behold His face. The face of a person is also connected with righteousness. How? Hashem loves when tzedaka is given when the recipient can look the donor straight in the face, without shame or embarrassment.
After all one must make a reflection that the reason that a person is poor, is not at all their fault. They have surely tried many avenues, and not succeeded. Hashem wants it that way. Now reflect and think of yourself who does have money and is successful, that it is not your doings that brought you success. It is also the wishes of Hashem. The Meforshim ask why does the Torah have to say the words "the poor person with you," which doesn’t add to the Posuk in relation to the laws of lending. The verse could have simply said, "When you lend money to My people, you shall not behave toward him as a lender?" Therefore, when Hashem commands you to lend money to a poor person, consider that the poor person is with you. Both of you are the results of Hashem’s wishes. The tide can turn against you too. Therefore, lend with dignity, and not as a creditor. Return the garment at night, and don’t exact interest. (Rabbi Yechezkeil of Kuzmir, Likutei Oros)
Another insight can be said. The Navi Daniel tells the king: "Redeem your sins by beneficence and your iniquities by generosity to the poor; then your serenity may be extended.” (Daniel 4:24) Here we see that being generous to another is similar to a Korban or sacrifice that atones sins. When bringing a Korban, one must act as if he was to be a sacrifice, yet Hashem has pity and allows the sins atoned through a Korban. The same idea is by Tzedakah of doing a chesed with a poor person, Hashem wants that the poor person is with you, which can mean he is part of you. This means that the poor person is atoning your sins, and actually doing you a favor by accepting the chesed. Therefore, do not act as a creditor or lender, rather he is doing you a favor. Lend him with dignity. Do not exact interest either. Consider the favor you are benefiting!
Shlomo Hamelech states in Mishlei 21:14: "A gift in secret pacifies anger, the wrath of Hashem." Do not make a fanfare when giving tzedakah, just as when the person who brought a Korban was made to repent and feel regret on his sins, so too by doing chesed. Do it in a quiet and dignified way. As Daniel said, then your peacefulness may be extended. You will gain tranquility and atonement by giving. Therefore, we find in the Torah another command: "Give readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return Hashem will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings."
There are only a few times in the Torah the blessing a Hashem. Tzedakah and chesed is one of them. Shlomo Hamelech says in Mishlei 10:22: "It is the blessing of the LORD that enriches, And no toil can increase it." Let us do our part of chesed and tzedakah the right way in order to receive the blessing, Birkas Hashem, and this will bring you riches and prosperity.
(Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
