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Why does the Torah (תורה) forbid charging interest even when the borrower willingly agrees? The pasuk's unusual sequence—forbidding pressing for payment before mentioning interest—reveals that interest itself is a form of pressure. Every day the debt grows creates unbearable stress on the borrower, making him owe more than he received and constantly reminding him of mounting obligations.
The shiur analyzes an unusual formulation in Parshas Mishpatim regarding lending with interest. The Torah (תורה) states: "If you lend money to another Jew, 'lo sihyeh lo k'nosheh' (don't press him for payment), 'lo simun alav neshech' (don't charge him interest)." This sequence appears illogical—the issur d'oraisa of interest applies at the time of the loan, while pressing for payment applies later when payment is due. The Torah should have written first "don't charge interest" and then "don't press for payment," but it reverses the order. Rabbi Zweig poses a fundamental question: Why is charging interest forbidden at all? Often a borrower prefers to pay interest rather than accept a free loan, wanting to compensate the lender for lost bank interest. Many say that the prohibition of interest (ribis) is a chok—a law without rational explanation—rather than a mishpat that we can understand.
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Mishpatim - Laws of Lending and Interest
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
