In booklet #273 we discussed the prohibition of ribbis devorim, giving interest with words, and we discussed at great length what exactly is forbidden, and what isn’t, for more about this I refer you to the booklet. This week I would like to finish off this topic and discuss a number of other ribbis related questions.
The prohibition of ribbis devorim is very difficult, as on the one hand one needs to show hakoras hatov, and as Yidden, we intuitively wish to express our very real feelings of gratitude, on the other hand one isn’t allowed to say “thank you”. The following story with R’ Shimon Schwab, zt”l, brings out the correct attitude that one should have when faced with this dilemma:
When R’ Shimon Schwab was a bachur he traveled from Frankfurt to learn in Yeshivas Mir. Before returning home for a visit, he borrowed money from the mashgiach, Rav Yerucham Levovitz, to cover his traveling expenses. When he returned to yeshiva, he went to the mashgiach, repaid his debt, and thanked him. Rav Yerucham sternly told him off for this breach of halachah.
A year passed, and once again young Shimon borrowed from and repaid Rav Yerucham. This time, however, he remained quiet. As he walked away, Rav Yerucham admonished him. “Where is your gratitude to someone who helped you?” he asked.
“Well, what I should do?” the bochur replied. “When I thanked you, you told me that it’s forbidden to do that, and now, when I remain quiet, you say that I should thank you?”
“Although it is forbidden to thank your lender verbally, having good middos requires that that you be filled with hakoras hatov within,” Rav Yerucham explained. “But when I looked into your eyes, I did not see this in you.”
Feeling real gratitude within but being careful not to express it verbally is the way one can have hakaras hatov toward his lender and still not violate the prohibition of ribbis.
