Due to the eighth day of Pesach falling out on Shabbos, Eretz Yisrael and CHU"L will be one parsha off for the next few weeks. Since we are based in Eretz Yisrael, we will be following their schedule. Please click here for a Dvar Torah and Podcast for this week's CHU"L parsha (Emor).
While the mitzvos written in Parshas
Behar seem to be strictly technical and ordinary, there are underlying societal
and cultural reasons to each of them. While some are more obviously spiritual,
like Shemittah for example, others are harder to understand, like property
buy-back laws. Another example is the issur of Ribbis, the prohibition against
lending Jews money with interest.
At first glance it seems simple
why you shouldn’t lend with interest; the money we are given is a gift from Hashem,
he could just as easily given it to someone else. Therefore, it’s a
responsibility to help those in need, and of course you can’t charge interest
for that. However, at the same time, there are many other instances where a
person uses their money and is not allowed to charge interest. A person is
allowed to do business with their money, and charging interest is a form of
business. So why is it completely forbidden to operate with interest in all
dealings concerning fellow Jews?
The Kli Yakar gives a beautiful explanation
to answer this question. Some people have jobs which pay a set salary at a
certain time. However, many people’s income depends on the success of their various
projects. These people are in reality being completely reliant on Hashem helping
them be successful. Even if a person doesn’t choose to live this way, this
circumstance provides him the opportunity to put a tremendous amount of faith
in Hashem and raise his level of emunah and bitachon. Essentially, his job is
helping further his relationship with Hashem.
Once you lend with interest, you lose
this reliance on Hashem. It’s one thing to lend money while only getting the
same amount in return; in that manner, you haven’t made any money. But lending
with interest guarantees you a return, it’s the same as having a guaranteed
salary. In which case, you lose that special connection with Hashem. While the
Torah knew that some people would make money in a guaranteed fashion, it wasn’t
going to set up a system where there was a mitzvah (to lend money) that would eventually
end up lessening your connection to Hashem. By prohibiting Ribbis, all aspects
of our lives continue to be opportunities to come closer to Hashem.
Shabbat Shalom!
Click here for previous year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Behar
Click here to listen this this week's Podcast (Also available on Apple Podcasts)
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