Pisqa’ 263311H:260;JN2:195-196. 1. “You may, rather, exact from the foreigner [unfair terms]; but you must not exact [unfair terms] from your brother” (Dt.23:21). “Exact from the . . . foreigner”— this is a prescriptive commandment. “But you must not exact from . . . your brother”— this is a proscriptive commandment.
2. Rabban Gamliel says: Why does the Teaching state— “you must not exact [unfair terms] from your brother” (Dt.23:21)? Now hasn’t Scripture already stated: “Do not exact from your brother unfair terms” (Dt.23:20)? Actually, [the redundancy teaches that] there is interest-before-the-fact, and interest-after-the-fact. How does this work? [If] he had in mind to borrow from someone, and sent him a gift, saying: [Accept this gift] so that you’ll lend to me— this is interest-before-the-fact. [I] he borrowed from someone and returned the money, and then he sent some [more money], saying: this is for [your] money that was idle in my possession— this is interest-after-the-fact.312=M. BM. 5:10.
3. “So that HASHEM your God may bless you in all you set your hand to do” (Dt.23:21)— the verse calls a blessing upon whatever his hands do.313Cf. the use of this trope at Pisqa’ 64.2
“On the Land which you are coming to possess” (Dt.23:21)— as reward for coming, you will take possession.314This trope also appears earlier in Sifre at Pisqa’ 55.3.
(דברים כג כא) לַנָּכְרִי תַשִּׁיךְ וּלְאָחִיךָ לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ, לַנָּכְרִי תַשִּׁיךְ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה. וּלְאָחִיךָ לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ, מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
Pisqa’ 263311H:260;JN2:195-196.
1. “You may, rather, exact from the foreigner [unfair terms];
but you must not exact [unfair terms] from your brother” (Dt.23:21).
“Exact from the . . . foreigner”—
this is a prescriptive commandment.
“But you must not exact from . . . your brother”—
this is a proscriptive commandment.
רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וּלְאָחִיךָ לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לֹא תַשִּׁיךְ לְאָחִיךָ, אֶלָּא יֵשׁ רִבִּית מֻקְדֶּמֶת וְיֵשׁ רִבִּית מְאֻחֶרֶת. כֵּיצַד? נָתַן עֵינָיו לִלְווֹת מִמֶּנּוּ וְהָיָה מְשַׁלֵּחַ לוֹ וְאוֹמֵר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיַּלְוֶנּוּ – זֶה הוּא רִבִּית מֻקְדֶּמֶת; לָוָה הֵימֶנּוּ וְהֶחֱזִיר לוֹ מְעוֹתָיו וְהָיָה מְשַׁלֵּחַ לוֹ וְאוֹמֵר בִּשְׁבִיל מָעוֹתָיו שֶׁהָיוּ בְּטֵלוֹת אֶצְלִי – זֶה הוּא רִבִּית מְאֻחֶרֶת.
2. Rabban Gamliel says:
Why does the Teaching state—
“you must not exact [unfair terms] from your brother” (Dt.23:21)?
Now hasn’t Scripture already stated:
“Do not exact from your brother unfair terms” (Dt.23:20)?
Actually, [the redundancy teaches that]
there is interest-before-the-fact,
and interest-after-the-fact.
How does this work?
[If] he had in mind to borrow from someone,
and sent him a gift, saying:
[Accept this gift] so that you’ll lend to me—
this is interest-before-the-fact.
[I] he borrowed from someone and returned the money,
and then he sent some [more money], saying:
this is for [your] money that was idle in my possession—
this is interest-after-the-fact.312=M. BM. 5:10.
לְמַעַן יְבָרֶכְךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ, קָבַע לוֹ הַכָּתוּב בְּרָכָה בִּשְׁלִיחוּת יָד.
3. “So that HASHEM your God may bless you in all you set your hand to do” (Dt.23:21)—
the verse calls a blessing upon whatever his hands do.313Cf. the use of this trope at Pisqa’ 64.2
עַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָא שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ, בִּשְׂכַר שֶׁתָּבֹא תִּירַשׁ.
“On the Land which you are coming to possess” (Dt.23:21)—
as reward for coming, you will take possession.314This trope also appears earlier in Sifre at Pisqa’ 55.3.