No community start suggestion yet.
Why does the Torah (תורה) prohibit charging interest when most borrowers would actually prefer to pay it? Unlike renting physical objects, lending money forces borrowers to use their creativity and labor to repay more than they received, creating partial servitude. The Torah frames these laws in terms of brotherhood - family members should help develop each other's potential, not profit from their struggles.
This shiur provides a comprehensive examination of the Torah (תורה)'s laws regarding interest (ribbis), addressing three fundamental questions that challenge our modern understanding. The speaker begins by questioning why the Torah prohibits charging interest when most borrowers would actually prefer to pay it, especially when lenders are sacrificing secured returns from banks for unsecured personal loans. The core analysis distinguishes between renting tangible items (cars, houses, furniture) and lending money. Unlike physical objects that have intrinsic use value, money itself has no inherent utility. When someone borrows money and must pay back more than they received, they must use their creativity, ingenuity, and labor to generate the additional amount. Therefore, charging interest effectively means taking ownership of the borrower's abilities and productivity, creating a form of partial servitude.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Vayikra 25:35-38
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
