Behar

Behar - Joel Zeff 

Joel Zeff is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat HaMivtar-Torat Yosef. He holds a BA from UCLA in Hebrew and an MA in Jewish History and Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University. His work is devoted to producing the next generation of Jewish leaders firmly rooted in a broad-minded orthodoxy.

In recent years Islam has become a growing focus of attention. In this regard it is interesting to note a financial aspect of resurgent Islam. The sub-prime financial crisis currently wreaking havoc on the world economy has spared one banking sector. The International Investment Bank recently declared, "indeed, Islamic banking has not only become a mainstream activity in several countries but a global booming industry throughout the world. The confidence in the sector has grown even further lately as Islamic banks were not directly affected by the sub-prime crisis." The relative immunity from the damage wrought by the collapse of the sub-prime loans market, is a product of the limitation on taking interest as prescribed by Islamic law observed by these banks. The avoidance of usury within Islam is, of course, derivative of our Torah portion:
If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner that he may live with you. Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. (Leviticus 25:35-36)

What is the rationale behind this Biblical prohibition? After all, if one may lend a car in return for a rental fee, why can't one lend money in return for a "rental fee," that is, interest? Indeed, the prominent medieval commentator Nachmanides notes that in Deuteronomy the Torah explicitly permits the charging of interest to the non-Jew, while certainly making no such exception with regards to robbery or theft. This fact leads Nachmanides to conclude that taking of interest involves no moral stain whatsoever and is simply an expression of the type of special consideration one gives to "family," perhaps analogous to credit unions formed by various trade guilds which offer special interest rates to its members.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, the founder of German Modern Orthodoxy, goes one step beyond Nachmanides and declares that the permission to charge interest to non-Jews was specifically necessary in order to dramatically demonstrate that lending on interest is not a moral issue. Unlike Nachmanides, Rabbi Hirsch suggests that the underlying reason is to recognize that the earth is the Lord's and all of our "possessions" are on loan, to be used in accordance with the guidelines set by the ultimate "Owner".

In contrast, Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Trunk, a 20th century Eastern European commentator, posits that there is an inherent problem in making a living from taking interest. God desires that we support ourselves through the productive toil of our hands, rather than being idle while our money "works" for us. He cites as a proof-text the verse in Deuteronomy "that the Lord your God bless you in all that you set your hand". The Torah therefore asks us to at least minimize our involvement in interest taking.

Based on a verse in Ezekiel, the Talmudic rabbis go so far as to suggest that one who violates this prohibition will be deprived of eternal life in the "world to come". With this teaching in mind we can appreciate a quite humorous anecdote. A notorious and hated money lender died in Pozen. The local burial society saw fit to charge his family an exorbitant rate for their services. The family brought the case before the Prussian court and the rabbi of the town, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, was summoned to explain the position of the burial society. The clever rabbi explained that Jews believe in an ultimate resurrection of the dead followed by eternal life in the "world to come". As such, graves are only temporarily being used until the time of resurrection. But, the rabbi went on to explain, the prophet Ezekiel has informed us that usurers will be denied resurrection and eternal life. If so, Rabbi Eiger argued, it is only appropriate that this usurer's grave cost much more; after all, its use will be permanent!

Perhaps the self-respect that many Muslims display, leading them to establish banks adhering to Islamic tradition, which is in fact derivative of the wisdom of Judaism, will inspire us to show no less regard for our own wealth of spiritual teachings.