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How can the same pasuk 'v'chei achicha imach' teach both returning ribis and that your own life takes precedence? The prohibition on ribis isn't about protecting borrowers from exploitation but about preserving Jewish brotherhood - lending with interest creates a business relationship rather than the family bond the Torah (תורה) demands. True brotherly support gives someone 'chayim' by preserving their dignity and sense of vitality.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes the Gemara (גמרא)'s derivation of two seemingly contradictory laws from the same pasuk 'v'chei achicha imach' - the obligation to return ribis (interest) and the principle that one's own life takes precedence in a life-threatening situation. He addresses the Marshah's difficulty: how can we reconcile 'v'ahavta l'reicha kamocha' (love your neighbor as yourself) with 'chayecha kodem' (your life comes first)? The shiur explains that v'ahavta l'reicha kamocha doesn't mean treating everyone identically, but rather treating each person according to what you would reasonably expect in that specific relationship. A neighbor, friend, child, spouse, and brother each deserve different treatment based on the nature of the relationship. The mitzvah (מצוה) means fulfilling reasonable expectations within each relationship's boundaries.
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Up Next in this Series
How long must Hashem tolerate the Jewish people's rebellious behavior? A Midrash compares this to the halachic question of carrying a child holding muktze on Shabbos. The analysis reveals that rejecting Eretz Yisrael represents a deeper spiritual corruption than individual acts of avoda zara.
V'chei achicha imach - various Talmudic sources on ribis and desert water case
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What did Dovid mean when he reduced the 613 mitzvos to twelve principles? The Gemara reveals that mitzvos have two dimensions: fulfilling the obligation and achieving personal completion (hashlomah). Dovid identified twelve core principles that encapsulate the essential character development aspect of all mitzvos.
