Behar – Judaism: Connected To Reality

Rabbi Ezra Friedman

A wise man once said, “A religious man is a gullible man”. The modern perspective looks at the piousness of religion as seemingly disconnected from reality. All religions expect a high moral code and view culture in the most positive light possible. This concept seems to contradict what actually happens in the real world. Complete righteousness cannot function in a world where competition and dishonesty prevail.

This view of Judaism is incorrect, as Judaism is well aware of the complexity of society and Judaism accepts that the entire world does not operate on the same moral code. When we look deeply into the laws of the Torah, we can see how the Torah can adapt to change and help the righteous Jew succeed in the big world without resorting to cheating or dishonesty. We can see through different laws that Jews can in fact succeed financially and politically in any arena without bending any of the rules and moral standards set out in the Torah. This perspective can be seen from the laws of interest in this week’s Parsha (Vayikra 25,35-36):

וְכִֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָ֥טָה יָד֖וֹ עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהֶֽחֱזַ֣קְתָּ בּ֔וֹ גֵּ֧ר וְתוֹשָׁ֛ב וָחַ֖י עִמָּֽךְ׃ אַל־תִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ נֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֔ית וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְחֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ עִמָּֽךְ׃

If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority, and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side: Do not exact from him advance or accrued interest, but fear your God. Let him live by your side as your kinsman.

There is biblical prohibition against taking interest from a fellow Jew. This prohibition includes both the lender and the borrower. The intricacies of taking interest are very detailed and complicated. According to our Sages, even when someone pays a supplier a higher sum in order to receive a product faster, it is prohibited because of the prohibition against taking interest from a fellow Jew. The Torah describes interest through the word “Neshech”, which literally means, “to bite”. Our Sages expand that this term comes to teach that interest is similar to suffering from a small snakebite. No matter how minor it seems, it can spread and cause great harm. Charging interest, as well, might seem lucrative at first, however eventually the borrower with be “infected” with debt. After reviewing this perspective that interest seems immoral according to the Torah, it seems odd that later in Sefer Devarim, the Torah claims that it is permitted and according to some, it is even a Mitzvah to take interest from non-Jews:

לַנָּכְרִ֣י תַשִּׁ֔יךְ וּלְאָחִ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַשִּׁ֑יךְ לְמַ֨עַן יְבָרֶכְךָ֜ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בְּכֹל֙ מִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֔ךָ עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

But you may deduct interest from loans to foreigners. Do not deduct interest from loans to your countrymen, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all your undertakings in the land that you are about to enter and possess.

If taking interest is inappropriate, then it should be prohibited to so with both Jews and non-Jews alike. The Torah Temima (Rabbi Baruch Epstein) explains that interest can be something very positive (in the right measure). Interest is an essential part of a successful economy. Interest stimulates business endeavors and allows for both small business and large investors to advance lucrative deals. If Jews were not allowed to obtain loans or take interest, they would not be able to survive financially. In addition, non-Jews have no prohibition against taking interest from Jews. In such a scenario, Jews would be expected to pay interest to non-Jews, but not the reverse.

According to the Torah Temima‘s theory, it would seem that Jews should be allowed to take interest from fellow Jews, as well. There is, however, a difference between the two. The Torah realizes that interest is important part of a successful economy and a key to financial success in the outside world, however there still is a danger. Since the Jewish religion teaches that all Jews are brethren, the Torah promotes the holy bond between all Jews and prohibits interest between Jews. The Torah realizes how important the charging of interest is to connecting to the outside world, yet on the other hand realizes that Jews should have a higher standard and help those in need without the motivation of financial gain. The Torah Temima continues and explains that over the years, the need for loans has become more common in the Jewish world and therefore our Sages have developed a form of interest loans that is permitted between Jews. This format is called Heter Iska.

In modern times, maintaining high moral standards and piousness are difficult. We are warned that the outside world is like a jungle and all who enter must be prepared to pounce like lions in order to succeed. When one learns Torah, it would seem the opposite is true. The Torah expects a Jew to distance himself from anything even related to cheating or conning. Upon looking deeper into our Torah’s teachings and the words of our Sages over the centuries, we can see that the Torah can infuse our hearts with honesty and goodness, while at the same time, insulate us so that we can integrate and succeed in the world around us.