“אם כסף תלוה את עמי את העני עמך לא תהיה לו כנשה, לא תשימון 22:24עליו נשך”
“When you lend money to My people, to the poor person who is with you, do not act toward him as a creditor, do not lay interest upon him.” The Torah tells us that one is to lend money to his fellow Jew, but is not to treat him as a debtor, and not to charge him interest. The Torah seems to be telling us two distinct rules here: not to treat the one you loaned money to as a debtor, and not to charge him interest. Why are these said in the same posuk?
Moshol: A father asked his wise son a question. There are ten birds that landed on our roof. A hunter came and shot at the birds, killing four of them. The father asked the son – “How many birds remain on the roof?” The son replied, “Four.” The father explained to his son that he calculated incorrectly, for if there were ten birds at the start, and four are dead, that means that six remain. The son responded that he did not err in his calculations, for there was certainly a lot of noise and commotion when the four birds were killed. Without a doubt, the six live birds were frightened from the noise, and flew away. That means that there are only four birds remaining on the roof, the four dead ones. The father responded to his son that in fact his answer had been correct.
The same is with tzedakah, where one gives away from his own money. At first thought, it appears to the person as if that money is “dead,” for it is no longer in his storehouse. He assumes he will never have any benefit from that money, for it is lost from him. Whereas the money he still has left in the bank, he believes to be his, to have use from it and enjoy it. The exact opposite is true. As the young child stated, the person will only have benefit from the four dead birds, for they will not flee and he will be able to eat them, while the other six will fly away, and he will have no benefit from them. “אם כסף תלוה את עמי” – This refers to money which one performs gemilas chessed with it, “את העני עמך” – the person will always have that zechus with him in olam habah that will not flee. (עוד יוסף חי)
While one is allowed to test Hakodosh Boruch Hu on giving ma’aser, and one can expect reward in this world, that is not the goal. One is not to act as a creditor, and one is not to charge interest for that demonstrates that he sees it as his money. The only money that is his, is money used for mitzvos and to further his avodas Hashem. It is that money which he will always be able to count on in olam habah. One is to perform these mitzvos l’shem shomayim. The goal is to reach the ideal – to give tzedakah and perform chessed, for that is the rotzon Hashem. One should continue to perform mitzvos, and ma’asim tovim, all for the sake of Hashem, and not for any ulterior motives. May we be zoche to have the opportunity to perform these mitzvos, and perform them l’shem shomayim.
RABBI YAKOV YOSEF SCHECHTER
