EXOD632 A person is obligated to lend his possessions to others and a borrower has an obligation to carefully guard that which he borrows. [Author first lists and explains nine principles regarding the obligation to lend, then five regarding borrower's obligations.]

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EXOD652 We must be especially careful not to vex or cheat a convert to Judaism. This verse contains two prohibitions. It is forbidden to vex a convert to Judaism with words and it is forbidden cheat him in financial matters. Although it is forbidden to vex or cheat anyone, an extra prohibition is violated when the victim is a convert. It is easy to take advantage of defenseless people, and therefore we are especially warned against harming them in anyway. (Chinuch 63, 64). A person might try to take advantage of a convert because he feels that he has no relatives who will come to defend him. The Torah therefore reminds us that we were in Egypt. The Egyptians who oppressed our ancestors also felt that no one would come to their aid. But God severely punished them for their wickedness. Remember that God hears the outcry of the oppressed. (Rambam, on this verse). It is forbidden to remind a convert about his past. Even if you are angry at a convert, you are prohibited from saying, "Just a while ago you were an idol worshiper and ate pork. How dare you speak like that to me." (Mechilta 178). The Rambam writes that when talking to a convert one must be exceedingly careful not to hurt his feelings. Even if he says something that is nonsense, it is forbidden to speak harshly with him. Rather, one should explain to him pleasantly why he is incorrect. Referring to someone who insulted a convert, the Rambam wrote, "Perhaps he was drunk at the time and forgot that the Torah warns us 36 times to honor a convert and not to cause him any anguish (see Bava Metzia 59b)." (Igeres HaRambam cited in Maiam Loaiz, Shmos, vol. 2, p. 869).

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EXOD665 We must be especially careful not to harm a widow or orphan in any way. Rashi sites the Mechilta which states that although the same provision applies to harming any person, the Torah mentions widows and orphans because they are defenseless and this makes them the target of affliction. [The author lists seven basic laws of this prohibition].

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EXOD666 We must prevent others from harming widows and orphans. The words "You shall not afflict" are written in the second person plural (in Hebrew) to teach us that if you witness another person harming a widow or orphan and do not prevent him from committing this transgression, it is considered as if you yourself have harmed a widow or orphan. (Ibn Ezra)

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EXOD700 We are forbidden to take interest from a fellow Jew. When you lend someone money, you are forbidden to take interest for the loan. The laws of this commandment are very complex and detailed. An entire chapter of the Talmud (the fifth chapter of Bava Metzia) and a difficult section in Shulchan Aruch (Yorah Daiah 159-177) deal with this subject. [Author lists thirteen basics of this prohibition].

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EXOD713 We are obligated to lend money. It is an obligatory act, not merely a charitable act, to lend money. The reason the Torah uses the word if is because of the latter part of the verse. Only when you lend money are you are forbidden to be a demanding creditor. A person who borrows money spends it and if he is not able to pay back when asked, you must not press him. If, however, you lend someone an object, that object remains in his possession and you are therefore permitted to demand its return. (Chofetz Chayim in Nesiv Hachesed 1:2). When you lend someone money, you gain more from your act of kindness than the borrower does. The borrower is helped only in this world, while you gain reward in the world to come. (Kli Yokor on this verse). [The author lists and explains thirteen laws regarding the obligation to lend money]. There is an old Jewish custom of establishing gmachs, or free loan societies. People donate money to the society which lends money without interest to anyone requesting a loan. Today in Jerusalem there are hundreds of such institutions. The larger ones are almost like banks, except that they are non-profit organizations and do not charge for their service. They lend out money for various lengths of time, the average being a year. The recipient of the money gives twelve post-dated checks payable the first of each month for the next year, and receives the amount of money he needs in one lump sum. These free loan societies are really lifesavers to many people who need money in a hurry. Every community should form at least one such society.

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EXOD716 If someone asks us for money or information, we should treat him as we would want someone else to treat us. The words "the poor that are with you," teach that you should look upon yourself as though you were the poor one. (Rashi). If you would need to borrow money from someone, you would dislike it if he acted condescendingly toward you. The Torah tells us to put ourselves in the other person's place and act toward him as we would want him to act toward us.. Rabbi Chayim Shmuelevitz frequently says that the same principle applies to all instances when someone needs to consult another person. If you needed to ask someone for information on any matter, whether Torah knowledge or practical advice, you would want him to act kindly toward you. Act the same way toward others. Don't act in a superior manner to someone who asks you for information. Patiently and humbly answer him to the best of your knowledge. Rabbi Chayim Mordechai Katz, the late Rosh Yeshiva of Telz, used to admonish those students who were reluctant to answer the questions of others. They felt that it was a waste of their time to interrupt their own studies to explain a difficult passage to others. But the Rosh Hayeshiva said that this attitude is improper. If you are able to teach others Torah, you are obligated to do so.

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EXOD717 A lender is forbidden to pressure a borrower who is unable to repay a loan. [author lists seven aspects of this prohibition - AJL]. Rabbi Chayim Shmuelevitz, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir in Jerusalem, said: "We find that both a lender and the borrower have their obligations. The lender must not pressure the borrower and the borrower must pay back on time. If each one would do everything possible to fulfill his own obligation, all would be well. Troubles begin when someone forgets about his own obligation and just worries about the other person fulfilling his obligation."

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EXOD736 We are forbidden to curse a judge even if we think that he has erred. Even though you might think that a judge has erred in rendering a decision against you, you are forbidden to curse him. It is very possible that he is correct and you are wrong, but you are unaware of the justice because a person often overlooks his own guilt (Sforno). However, even if the judge has in fact erred, you nonetheless have no right to curse him.

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EXOD745 We are forbidden to listen to loshon hara or to believe it to be true if we have heard it. This is a prohibition against accepting loshon hora (derogatory information about others). (Mechilta cited by Rashi; Pesochim 118a, Rambam, Hilchos Sanhedrin 21:7; see Chofetz Chayim, Prohibition 2.) Laws pertaining to this prohibition are dealt with at length in the book Chofetz Chayim, chapters six and seven and in an English adaptation, Guard Your Tongue. [Author lists eight "essential excerpts."]

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