LEV1061 See [[LEV1074]] Leviticus 25:37 usury CCCBM 147

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LEV1068 See [[DEUT745]] Deuteronomy 15:8 open CCCBM 51

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LEV1074 It is a negative commandment to lend nothing to a member of Jewry at interest, be it money or something to eat or anything else for Scripture says, You shall not give him your money at interest, nor give him your provisions of food in usury [this verse]. The terms neshech ("interest") and marbith ("usury") are one thing; but Scripture divided it into two terms to make [the lender] the transgressor of two prohibitions. The lender also violates the prohibition, neither shall you put interest upon him (Sh'moth 22:24), as well as the injunction, Do not take interest or increase from him [this verse].

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NUM13 It is a positive commandment that a sinner should turn back from his sin, and should confess his mistakes before the blessed God as Scripture says, When a man or a woman commit any sin… then they shall confess their sin [this and preceding verse]. This means an avowal in words before the blessed God. He is to say, from the depths of his heart, "I beseech You Hashem: I have sinned, done wrong, and acted criminally before You. This-and-this I did (and he has to describe the scene in detail); and here I have regretted my deed and become ashamed of it. Never will I go back and do this thing again." The main element [of repentance] is remorse in the heart, in truth, over the past; and one must take it upon himself not to do such a thing ever again. This [confession] is the essential part of repentance; but the more one confesses, the more praiseworthy he is. Even death and the confession on Yom Kippur, however, bring no atonement [and forgiveness] unless they are with repentance.

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NUM198 It is a negative commandment not to go straying after the thought of the heart and the sight of the eyes as Scripture says, that you shall not follow after your own heart in your own eyes [this verse]. This means that we should not entertain in our heart any thought that can cause any one of the main principles of our faith to be uprooted; for Satan will incite us to heresy, Heaven forbid. And "after the sight of the eyes" means immorality. So the Sages of blessed memory taught (Talmud Bavli, B'rachoth 12b): "after your own heart" denotes heresy; "and after your own eyes," harlotry. Included in this prohibition is the rule not to plan and pursue other delights and cravings of this world. It is very, very necessary to be aware of reprehensible thoughts: for that is the foundation on which everything depends. For a man must hallow and purify his thoughts with all his might; and if some pleasure comes to him, let him have the intention that through it he should have the strength to stand in the palace of the Divine King, the Sovereign of the world, blessed is He; and that his body should not grow weak in the service of the Creator. If a person transgressed this and brought to mind reprehensible thoughts on matters of faith (Heaven forbid) or a fantasy of immorality, or [some plan] to pursue after material desires--it is a great sin that drives him out of the world-to-come since it defiles all the 248 limbs and parts, and the 365 sinews, of both the physical and the spiritual self. Therefore let a person greatly be aware of this.

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NUM359 It is a positive commandment to deal with cases of nullifying vows and oaths as Scripture says, When a man vows a vow to Hashem, etc. [this verse]. This means that if one who made the vow regrets it and is sorry for what has happened, he is to come to an expert scholar, or to three ordinary persons if there is no learned expert there; and he says, "I swore, or vowed, about this-and-that, and I have come to regret it. Had I known that I would suffer about the matter to such an extent, or that this would happen to me, I would not have taken the vow, or the oath." Then the scholar or the three ordinary man tell him, "Have you already been sorry for it?" Whereupon he answers, "Yes." At that they may say to him, "It is allowed for you," or "It is forgiven you," or "It is permissible for you.

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DEUT18 It is a negative commandment that the judge should have no fear of a party to a lawsuit as Scripture says, you should not be afraid of the presence of any man [this verse]. Even if a man on trial is powerful, he should not be afraid of him that he may harm him. Now, as long as the judge does not know in which direction justice tends in the case, he can remove himself from the judgment, saying, "I am not bound to you [to have to try your case]." But from the time he hears their statements and knows which way the justice tends to lie in a case, he has no right to remove himself because he fears one of them, that he may injure him. Included in this is the rule that if a disciple is sitting before his master [when the instructor is trying a case] and he sees a point in favor of a poor man and to the disadvantage of a rich man, and he remain silent, he violates this probation.

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DEUT31 It is a negative commandment not to appoint a judge who is unsuitable for Scripture states, You shall not respect persons in judgment [this verse]; and it was explained in the Midrash Sifre that this is addressed to the man assigned to appoint judges, so he should not respect persons: He should not say, "So-and-so is strong," or handsome, or wise in other fields of knowledge or other areas of excellence, which are not related to the Torah and the reverent fear of Heaven [God]. For a judge needs to be wise in the Torah, reverent toward Heaven, with a hatred of bribery, who subdues his evil impulse; and he should have a strong, fearless heart to rescue an exploited or victimized person from the one who oppresses him. These are the notable qualities that a judge needs to have. If, however, someone appointed judges on account of other qualities, he violates the prohibition.

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DEUT74 See [[DEUT271]] Deuteronomy 6:7 teach CCCBM 27-9

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DEUT186 It is a negative commandment not to crave in one’s heart something that belongs to his fellow-man as Scripture says, Neither shall you crave, etc. (D’varim 5:18). This prohibition is apart from the injunction, You shall not covet (Sh’moth 20:14). For a person transgresses the prohibition against craving once he thinks in his heart how he can acquire that object, and his heart is persuaded in the matter [to follow his plan]. Then he violates the injunction, Neither shall you crave, since craving is but in the heart alone. If he then acquires that object, having importuned its owner and sent many friends to him, until he gets it, he violates also the injunction, You shall not covet.

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