אם כסף תלוה את עמי את העני עמך לא תהיה לו כנשה לא תשימון עליו נשך. (כב’:כד)
The simple reading this tells us that when someone decides to lend, he can’t be very demanding while collecting, nor charge interest from him. Chazal, however, (Mechilta, cited by Rashi), teach that there is a positive mitzvah to lend money. “אם כסף” – Even though usually אם is optional, the Mechilta says that there are three examples where it is imperative, with this being one of them. One must lend; lending is a mitzvah.
The Chafetz Chaim tells us that lending is an even greater mitzvah than Tzedakah. Sefer Hachinuch explains that someone who accepts Tzedakkah has already experienced the embarrassment of having to take, but someone who is not generally used to that embarrassment, it would be devastated if he were to go down that route. By lending, you have maintained his dignity.
There’s a sister mitzvah, a negative commandment, found in Parshat Re’eh. The Torah tells us that when שמיטה is coming, that a potential lender may be reluctant to lend because he’s afraid he won’t be able to collect his loan once שמיטה comes in. Therefore, the Torah tells us ורעה עינך – don’t have a cheap eye and lend. Rabbeinu Yona adds: Kal v’chomer, if a person is not afraid of losing his loan, but is just too stingy to lend would certainly be חטא.
We may ask, if there is a Mitzvah to lend, why does the Torah use this lashon of אם? This sounds like it’s optional. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that there are different circumstances. There are some mitzvos that are absolute and have to be done the exact same way by every person, such as putting on Tefillin, or taking Lulav & Esrog. However here, there are lots of factors affecting our ability to do this mitzvah. A person may have money, but he needs funds for the future etc.
Maharal explains (גור אריה סוף יתרו) explains that the mitzvah of lending money cannot be performed when done as a גזירת המלך – a slave performing the commandment of his master. It must be done with a generous mind and a generous heart. This manner of performance perhaps for the benefit of the מלוה, the lender, as his giving it with a full heart indicates his awareness that realizing abundance is not something that he should harbor, as it is God given. As for the לווה, he will appreciate it much more if the lender is able to convince him that it’s easy and good for himself to lend money, and that he should not feel bad and accept the loan wholeheartedly.
Shabbat Shalom.
