The Mitzvah
I. The Positive Mitzvah: We Are Commanded to Lend
1. "When you lend money…" (Shemot 22:24)
אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי אֶת הֶעָנִי עִמָּךְ
"When you lend money to My people, to the poor person among you…"
The Chofetz Chaim explains that this "if" does not make lending optional:
וקבלו חז"ל (מכילתא משפטים פרשה י"ט), דהאי "אם" אינו רשות אלא חובה, שנצטוינו בזה להלוות לאחינו בעת דחקם.
"Chazal received (Mechilta) that this 'if' is not optional but obligatory. We are commanded to lend to our brethren in their time of need."
Ahavat Chesed, Petichah, Positive Commandments
Client StoryYehudisAfter the events of October 7, Yehudis pursued a Master of Social Work degree to build a career supporting at-risk teens in Israel, made possible by support from JFLA.2. "You shall surely lend him" (Devarim 15:8)
כִּי פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ וְהַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ דֵּי מַחְסֹרוֹ אֲשֶׁר יֶחְסַר לוֹ
"Rather, you shall surely open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for whatever he lacks."
The Chofetz Chaim notes that the Torah repeats the command here, and that וְהַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ refers specifically to lending.
Ahavat Chesed, Petichah, Positive Commandments
Client StoryMesivta of Greater Los AngelesThe Yeshiva was able to meet the spending requirements of a critical Security Grant, ensuring they could fully benefit from the funds and continue serving students.3. "Strengthen him" before he falls (Vayikra 25:35)
וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָטָה יָדוֹ עִמָּךְ וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ
"If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter beside you, you shall strengthen him."
The Chofetz Chaim writes:
שנצטווינו במצות עשה הזו להחזיק ביד אחינו שמך ולתן לו מתנה, או הלוואה, או לעשות עמו שותפות, או להמציא לו מלאכה, כדי שיתחזק בזה, ולא יפול ויצטרך לבריות.
"We are commanded to take hold of the hand of our brother whose means have declined, by giving him a gift or a loan, entering into a partnership with him, or finding him work, so that he is strengthened and does not fall and become dependent on others."
Ahavat Chesed, Petichah, Positive Commandments; see also Part II, ch. 21
Client StoryYeshiva KetanaWhen a National Security Grant was delayed, a swift $100,000 loan from JFLA helped this school act without hesitation.4. Greater than tzedakah
גָּדוֹל הַמַּלְוֶה יוֹתֵר מִן הָעוֹשֶׂה צְדָקָה
"One who lends is greater than one who gives charity."
Shabbat 63a
The Chofetz Chaim rules that lending surpasses tzedakah because the borrower is spared the embarrassment of receiving charity.
Ahavat Chesed, Part I, Laws of Loans 1:1
Client StoryYonahCEO of Sukkah Store shares how JFLA loan was a game changer.5. From an individual mitzvah to a communal responsibility
The Chofetz Chaim devotes a chapter of Ahavat Chesed to:
החיוב, שיהיה גמ"ח קבוע בכל עיר ועיר
"The obligation that there be a permanent gemach in every city."
Not everyone can maintain a loan fund of his own, so:
שאלו האנשים, שאין ביכלתם לעשות כל אחד גמ"ח קבוע לעצמו, יתקבצו על כל פנים ביחד, ויעשו חברת גמ"ח להלות לאדם בעת צרכו.
"Those who cannot each maintain a permanent gemach should at least join together and form a gemach society to lend to a person in his time of need."
He writes that one should not rest until there is גמ"ח קבוע בעיר להלות להצריכים לזה, "a permanent gemach in the city to lend to those who need it."
Each contributor receives the full mitzvah:
שהקדוש ברוך הוא יחשב לכל אחד כאלו הוא לבדו היה הגומל חסד, כיון שבלאו מעוט המעות שלו, לא היה העני יכול להשיג המבקש שלו.
"Hashem counts each one as if he alone had done the chesed, since without his small share the poor person could not have obtained what he needed."
And the mitzvah continues אפילו בעת שהוא עוסק בעסקיו, או שהוא ישן, "even while he is busy with his affairs, or asleep."
Ahavat Chesed, Part II, ch. 16
Client StoryDanDiscover Dan's journey with JFLA's zero-interest loans. See how interest-free business funding helped launch his entrepreneurial dreams without debt burden.II. The Negative Mitzvot: Do Not Profit From the Loan
6. The Torah forbids ribbit three times
לֹא תְשִׂימוּן עָלָיו נֶשֶׁךְ
"Do not impose interest upon him." (Shemot 22:24)
אַל תִּקַּח מֵאִתּוֹ נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלֹקֶיךָ וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ
"Do not take from him interest or increase; fear your God, and let your brother live with you." (Vayikra 25:36)
לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ לְאָחִיךָ נֶשֶׁךְ כֶּסֶף נֶשֶׁךְ אֹכֶל נֶשֶׁךְ כָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁךְ
"Do not charge interest to your brother, whether on money, food, or anything that may be lent at interest." (Devarim 23:20)
The Sefer HaChinuch explains that the Torah repeats this prohibition to show how severe it is. (Sefer HaChinuch 343)
Client StoryKiraKira was encouraged to attend an Israel summer educational program at the Hebrew University7. Everyone involved is implicated
וְאֵלּוּ עוֹבְרִין בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה: הַמַּלְוֶה, וְהַלֹּוֶה, וְהֶעָרֵב, וְהָעֵדִים. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אַף הַסּוֹפֵר.
"These violate a prohibition: the lender, the borrower, the guarantor, and the witnesses. The Sages say: even the scribe."
Mishnah Bava Metzia 75b
The Rambam rules that the lender violates six prohibitions, the borrower two, and the guarantor and witnesses one each.
Rambam, Hilchot Malveh v'Loveh 4:2
Client StoryHillelNo other loan exists like this! Finding an affordable way to get started was truly exciting.8. Forbidden even with consent
The prohibition applies even when the borrower willingly agrees to pay, and even when he is wealthy. (Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 160)
The Ramban explains why:
אבל הרבית, שהוא נעשה לדעת שניהם וברצונם, לא נאסר אלא מצד האחוה והחסד... כי חסד ורחמים יעשה עם אחיו כאשר ילונו בלא רבית, ויחשב לו לצדקה.
"Ribbit, which is done with the knowledge and consent of both parties, was forbidden only because of brotherhood and chesed… for he does chesed and mercy with his brother when he lends to him without interest, and it is counted to him as tzedakah."
Ramban, Devarim 23:20
III. Putting It Together
The Torah places the mitzvah and the prohibition side by side, in the same verse.
Shemot 22:24 opens with אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת עַמִּי, "When you lend money to My people," and closes with לֹא תְשִׂימוּן עָלָיו נֶשֶׁךְ, "Do not impose interest upon him."
Vayikra 25 does the same. וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ, "strengthen him," is followed at once by אַל תִּקַּח מֵאִתּוֹ נֶשֶׁךְ, "take no interest," and ends with וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ, "let your brother live with you."
These are two sides of one Torah ideal. The mitzvah tells us to make resources available to someone in need, and to strengthen him before difficulty becomes dependency. The prohibition ensures that his need never becomes an opportunity for profit.
The Chofetz Chaim then carries the principle from the individual to the community. Those who cannot do this alone should join together and build a permanent fund, and each one who gives is credited with the whole mitzvah.
Lend to help. Lend with dignity. Lend without interest.
An interest-free loan lets a person meet a need today and keep the dignity of repaying tomorrow. By supporting a communal free loan fund, Jewish Free Loan Association, we join together in one of the Torah's most enduring expressions of chesed.