Halocho #2421 - Repaying a debt is a Mitzva

Yesterday we learnt that it's a Mitzva to lend money to a fellow Jew. 

If you know that the borrower cannot pay back then you are not allowed to ask him to repay the loan. Even walking by him intentionally is forbidden. 

There's a Mitzva to repay a loan; if the borrower already has the ability to pay back then he's forbidden to ask the lender to come back another time. 

A person who does not repay a loan is called a Rasha - a wicked person. 

A borrower may not waste the money he borrowed if that will prevent him from repaying the loan. 

One should not lend money to people who have a reputation of not repaying their debts; since one transgresses every time one nudniks them to repay. 

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 179:4 - 6

אָסוּר לִנְגֹּשׂ אֶת הַלֹּוֶה כְּשֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ לִפְרֹעַ. וַאֲפִלּוּ לַעֲבוֹר לְפָנָיו, אָסוּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא נִכְלָם בִּרְאוֹתוֹ לַמַּלְוֶה וְאֵין יָדוֹ מַשֶׂגֶת לִפְרֹעַ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר, לֹא תִהְיֶה לוֹ כְּנשֶׁה.

וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁאָסוּר לַמַּלְוֶה לִנְגֹּשׂ אֶת הַלֹּוֶה, כָּךְ אָסוּר לַלֹּוֶה לִכְבּוֹשׁ מָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ וְלוֹמַר לוֹ, לֵךְ וָשׁוּב, כְּשֶׁיֵשׁ לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, אַל תֹּאמַר לְרֵעֲךָ לֵךְ וָשׁוּב.

אָסוּר לַלֹּוֶה לִקַּח אֶת הַהַלְוָאָה וּלְהוֹצִיאָהּ שֶׁלֹּא לְצֹרֶךְ עַד שֶׁתּוּכַל לְהֵאָבֵד וְלֹא יִמְצָא הַמַּלְוֵה מִמַּה לִּגְבּוֹת, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הַמַּלְוֵה הוּא עָשִׁיר גָדוֹל. וְהָעוֹשֶׂה כֵּן, נִקְרָא רָשָׁע, שֶׁנֶּאֶמַר, לֹוֶה רָשָׁע וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם. וְצִוּוּ חֲכָמִים, יְהִי מָמוֹן חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָךְ. וּכְשֶׁהַמַּלְוֵה מַכִּיר אֶת הַלֹּוֶה שֶׁהוּא בַּעַל מִדָּה זֹאת שֶׁלֹּא לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ עַל מָמוֹן אֲחֵרִים, מוּטָב שֶׁלֹּא לְהַלְווֹת לוֹ, מִמַּה שֶׁיַלְוֵהוּ וְיִצְטָרֵךְ לְנָגְשׂוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ וְיַעֲבוֹר בְּכָל פַּעַם מִשּׁוּם לֹא תִהְיֶה לוֹ כְנשֶׁה.

- Danny Schoemann

Monday, 26 Iyar 5784 - 41st day of the Omer

Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier:

מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּילָא לרפואה שלמה 

Halocho #2420 - Lending is a Mitzva

It's a Mitzva to lend money to a fellow Jew. 

Included in the Mitzva is providing moral support and giving sage advice. 

Even lending money to wealthy people - if they are short of cash - is a Mitzva. 

One should not lend money without witnesses, unless the borrower provides collateral. Even better is to have the lender sign an IOU - a promissory note. 

One may not demand collateral after the loan has been given to the borrower, except in a Bet Din (Jewish Court). One may not use the collateral, as that would be a form of interest. One may rent out the collateral and deduct the rental from the loan, under certain circumstances. 

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 179:1-3, 7-8.

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהַלְווֹת לַעֲנִיֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי אֶת הֶעָנִי עִמָּךְ וְגוֹ'. וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּכְתִיב אִם, קִבְּלוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, דְּאִם זֶה, אֵינוֹ רְשׁוּת אֶלָּא חוֹבָה. הָכִי אָמְרִינָן בִּמְכִלְתָּא, אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי, חוֹבָה. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר חוֹבָה, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא רְשׁוּת.

אֲפִלּוּ עָשִׁיר, אִם צָרִיךְ לִלְווֹת, מִצְוָה לְהַלְווֹת לוֹ וּלְהַנּוֹתוֹ אַף בִּדְבָרִים וּלְיָעֳצוֹ עֵצָה הַהוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ.

אָסוּר לְהַלְווֹת בְּלֹא עֵדִים וַאֲפִלּוּ לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מַלְוֵהוּ עַל הַמַּשְׁכּוֹן. וְהַמַּלְוֵה בִּשְׁטָר, מְשֻׁבָּח יוֹתֵר.

הַמַּלְוֶה עַל הַמַּשְׁכּוֹן, צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כְּמוֹ רִבִּית. וְאִם הִלְוָה לְעָנִי עַל מָרָא וְקַרְדֹּם וְכַיוֹצֵא בוֹ, שֶׁשְׂכָרוֹ מְרֻבָּה וְאֵינוֹ נִפְחָת אֶלָּא מְעַט, יָכוֹל לְהַשְׂכִּירוֹ אַף בְּלִי נְטִילַת רְשׁוּת מֵהַלֹּוֶה, וּלְנַכּוֹת לוֹ דְמֵי הַשְּׂכִירוּת בְּחוֹבוֹ, דְמִסְּתָמָא נִיחָא לֵהּ לַלֹּוֶה בְּכָךְ. וְיֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר, דְּדַוְקָא לַאֲחֵרִים יָכוֹל לְהַשְׂכִּירוֹ, אֲבָל לֹא לְעַצְמוֹ, שֶלֹּא יַחְשְׁדוּהוּ דְמִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ בְּחִנָם, רַק בִּשְׁבִיל הַהַלְוָאָה.

אִם רוֹצֶה הַמַּלְוֵה לָקַחַת מַשְִׁכּוֹן מִן הַלֹּוֶה שֶׁלֹּא בִּשְׁעַת הַלְוָאָה אֶלָּא אַחַר כָּךְ, לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה כִּי אִם עַל פִּי בֵּית דִין.

- Danny Schoemann 

Sunday, 25 Iyar 5784 - 40th day of the Omer

Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier:

מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּילָא לרפואה שלמה 

Halocho #676 - May you use something you're safeguarding?

If somebody gave you an object to look after, then you may not use it without their explicit permission.

Even if you are certain that the owner does not mind, it's better not to use it.

This is forbidden even if the object will not suffer any wear and tear from being used.

Letting other people use the object is absolutely forbidden.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 188:2

- Danny
Tuesday, 18 Marchesvan 5771

Please daven for the complete recovery of Rivka bat Tirtzel. Tehillim signup at http://tehillim.mamash.com/?signup_id=13

Halocho #675 - Lending out borrowed money

Yesterday we learned that if you borrow or hire something, you are not allowed to let other people use it, without explicit permission from the original owner.

Money is different. You may lend out money that you borrowed, since the lender does not expect you to return the same coins and bills.

However, if you are expected to return those same bills and coins, then you may not lend them to others.

For example, if they are collector's items, or they are tied up and you are safeguarding them - not using them as a loan - them you may not let others use them.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 188:1

- Danny
Monday, 17 Marchesvan 5771

Please daven for
Rachel Rivka bat Aharona Zissel Sara (Lebetkin, 28)
who is missing since last Sunday.
Details at - http://tinyurl.com/Lebetkin  

Halocho #674 - Borrowers can't be lenders

If you borrow or hire something, you are not allowed to let other people use it, without explicit permission from the original owner.

If one knows for a fact that the owner lets this particular person use this item (or similar items) then one can lend or rent the item to that person.

Even though it's a Mitzva to let other people use your Sefarim (Torah related books), if you borrow a Sefer you may not let others use it.

If one borrows a Sefer for others to use, only one person at a time may use it.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 185:1

- Danny
Sunday, 16 Marchesvan 5771

Please daven for the complete recovery of Rivka bat Tirtzel.

Tehillim signup at http://tehillim.mamash.com/?signup_id=13

Halocho #392 - Revenge!

Taking revenge is a Torah prohibition. One may not refuse to lend a person something only because that person refused to lend us something. One may not even say to them: "I'm lending you this, despite the fact that you didn't lend me something." The way to take revenge is to become a better person, your good name and sterling character will upset your enemies more than anything else. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 30:7, 8. - Danny Monday, 27 Av 5769

Halocho #296 - The week of Chol Hamo'ed; Chol or Mo'ed?

The intermediary days of Pessach and Succoth are known as Chol Hamo'ed. Some types of work are permitted, others are forbidden.

In order to ensure that one does the laundry before the Mo'ed (Jewish Holiday), doing laundry is forbidden on Chol Hamo'ed, except in extenuating circumstances:

- If it was impossible to launder before the Mo'ed (e.g. one was locked up in jail) then one may launder on Chol Hamo'ed

- Baby clothes that continuously get soiled and need to be changed many times a day may be laundered on Chol Hamo'ed

When laundering on Chol Hamo'ed one must ensure it's done in private.

All medical procedures are allowed on Chol Hamo'ed.

If one has the opportunity to borrow money and there's reason to believe that after Yom Tov the money will no longer be available, then one may borrow the money on Chol Hamo'ed (even if it means writing an IOU), even if it's for a post Yom Tov business deal.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 104:13, 14, 16

- Danny Tuesday, 28 Adar 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Tamar bat Naama - תמר בת נעמה

Halocho #156 - What's a Prozbul?

In Halocho #154 we learnt that when Shmita ends, so does the ability to request payment of certain loans.

However, if loans are handed over to a Bet Din (Jewish court of law) to collect, they may be collected even after Shmita.

Hillel Hazaken (the founder of Bet Hillel, 2,000 years ago) institutionalized handing over ones debts to a Bet Din, using a document called a Prozbul. (Prozbul is a Greek word.)

With a Prozbul one may collect debts even after Shmita ends.

A Prozbul is written and signed in the presence of 3 Torah-learning Jews. A Prozbul needs to be written before Shmita ends to be affective.

Money (or items) loaned after the Prozbul is written are not covered by the Prozbul.

Make sure to calenderize a Prozbul-writing session with your local Orthodox Rabbinate sometime before Rosh Hashana. The last time to write a Prozbul (for this Shmita cycle) is on September 29, 2008.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 180:15

- Danny Tuesday, 25 Av 5768

Please daven for ESTHER DEVORA bat MINDEL RUTH - אסתר דבורה בת מינדל רות

Halocho #155 - Repaying debts after Shmita

As we learnt yesterday, this year (5768) is a Shmita year. When Shmita ends on Rosh Hashana, so will the ability to request payment of certain loans. During Shmita one may collect ones debts. After Shmita ends one can no longer request the repayment of any loan that came due before the Shmita year ended. If the debtor repays the debt after Shmita, the creditor must say to him "I have forfeited the debt and you no longer owe me anything". If the debtor responds that he nevertheless wants to repay the creditor, then the creditor may accept the payment. If the debtor explicitly states that he wants to repay the loan, then the creditor may not accept the payment. A creditor may ask people to intercede on his behalf to ensure the debtor returns the loan as a gift. This applies to loans of money as well as items. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 180:13, 14 More about this tomorrow, - Danny Monday, 24 Av 5768

Please daven for a little girl - TAMAR bat NAAMA - תמר בת נעמה

Halocho #154 - Loans after Shmita

We already learned in Halocho# 107 that lending money to a Jew, and paying back a loan are both Mitzvot. This year (5768 - ending on Rosh Hashana) is a Shmita year. During Shmita there's a Mitzva to suspend all land-related work. This week's Parsha - Re'eh - teaches us that when Shmita ends, so does the ability to request payment of certain loans. This does not apply to:

• Loans that were given against collateral.
• Loans that are only due after Shmita (until after the following Shmita).
• Loans that were handed over to a Bet Din (Jewish court of law), so that Bet Din become the collection agency.
• Credit extended by a shopkeeper or rent due to a landlord, until they declare it an outstanding debt.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 180:1, 3, 8, 9, 13 More about this tomorrow, - Danny Sunday, 23 Av 5768

Please daven for ESTHER DEVORA bat MINDEL RUTH - אסתר דבורה בת מינדל רות

Halocho #118 - Can one walk under a ladder?

The Torah forbids one to act based on superstitions. (Vayikra 19:26) Saying "Because the bread fell out of my mouth / my walking stick fell / a deer crossed my path, therefore I will/won't do something" is forbidden. Similarly, when being asked for a loan at the beginning of a week / month it's forbidden to answer "please don't make me start the week/month by lending money". Refusing to walk under a ladder for fear of injury is a Mitzva; looking after your wellbeing. Source Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 166:1, 33:13 - Danny Wednesday, 6 Tamuz 5768

Please daven for a little girl - TAMAR bat NAAMA - תמר בת נעמה - who is undergoing chemotherapy

Halocho #112 - 0% interest on loans

The Torah prohibits charging interest and paying interest to fellow Jews. The Torah allows charging interest and paying interest to non-Jews.

• A person who lends money to a Jew and charges interest, has transgressed six Torah commandments and - if he doesn't repent - will not awaken at Techiyat Hameitim - when the dead will be revived at the End of Days.
• The person who borrows the money transgresses three Torah commandments.
• The scribe, witnesses, co-signer and middle-man all transgress one Torah commandment.

In most cases, a person who received interest from a loan needs to return it. Even if the borrower - on his own accord - returns more than he borrowed or adds a gift, it is considered interest on the loan and the lender is not allowed to accept it. Even non-monetary gain from a debtor is forbidden. For example:

• The creditor may not ask the debtor to inform him when somebody has arrived, unless he used to do this before giving him the loan.
• The debtor may not go out of his way to greet the creditor, unless he always used to do so.
• The debtor may not patronize the creditor's business, unless he used to do so before getting the loan.

When doing a business deal with a fellow Jew, one needs to use a Heter Iska - the subject of a future posting.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 65:1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10

I discovered the following two useful sites:

• Online Kitzur Shulchan Aruch with vowels:
• Online Kitzur with English translation - a work in progress

Halocho #108 - Repaying a debt is a Mitzva

Yesterday we learnt that it's a Mitzva to lend money to a fellow Jew. If you know that the borrower cannot pay back then you are not allowed to ask him to repay the loan. Even walking by him intentionally is forbidden. There's a Mitzva to repay a loan; if the borrower already has the ability to pay back then he's forbidden to ask the lender to come back another time. A person who does not repay a loan is called a Rasha - a wicked person. A borrower may not waste the money he borrowed if that will prevent him from repaying the loan. One should not lend money to people who have a reputation of not repaying their debts; since one transgresses every time one nudniks them to repay. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 179:4 - 6 - Danny

Help me answer Judaism-related questions on WikiAnswers

Halocho #107 - Lending is a Mitzva

It's a Mitzva to lend money to a fellow Jew. Included in the Mitzva is providing moral support and giving sage advice. Even lending money to wealthy people - if they are short of cash - is a Mitzva. One should not lend money without witnesses, unless the borrower provides collateral. Even better is to have the lender sign an IOU - a promissory note. One may not demand collateral after the loan has been given to the borrower, except in a Bet Din (Jewish Court). One may not use the collateral, as that would be a form of interest. One may rent out the collateral and deduct the rental from the loan, under certain circumstances. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 179:1-3, 7-8. - Danny Please daven for a little girl - TAMAR bat NAAMA - תמר בת נעמה - who is undergoing chemotherapy