In Parshas Mishpatim, we learn, “Im kesef talveh es ami – When you lend money to My people, to the poor person who is with you, do not act toward him as a creditor/lender; you shall not impose interest upon him” [Sh’mos 22:24]. There is a positive commandment in the Torah to lend money to anyone who needs it.
Our Sages teach us that the mitzvah to lend money is even greater than the mitzvah to give tz’dakah, because a person is much less embarrassed to receive a loan than to receive tz’dakah. The Torah prohibits a Jew from imposing interest on the borrower because when people help each other, they are uniting through their act of kindness. However, when a person takes interest, he acts in the opposite manner, taking advantage of his fellow Jew’s misfortune in order to enrich himself.
Although we live in a time where many Jews struggle financially, the Jewish people have always risen to their appellation of being merciful people and baalei chesed. Our Sages teach us that Hashem created poverty because He wants people to learn how to give and be kind. The world was created for the purpose of chesed.
Without a Beis HaMikdash we are limited in the ways that we can serve Hashem; however, there is no change from the way we are able to relate to our fellow man. In T’hilim, David HaMelech declared: “The kindnesses of Hashem I shall sing forever (Chasdei Hashem olam ashirah); to generation after generation I shall make known Your faithfulness with my mouth. For I said, ‘Forever will it be built with kindness (olam chesed yibaneh); as the heavens, with which You will establish Your faithfulness.’”
Chazal teach us that chesed was in existence before the Torah and that the act of Creation was in itself Hashem’s ultimate act of kindness. The B’eir Mayim Chaim explains that the authentic sign of g’milus chasadim (lovingkindness) is that one runs after the unfortunate and dispirited [to help them].
Giving tz’dakah is a mitzvah of great importance and carries consequences when a person is thoughtless. The Midrash explains that when a poor person asks for help, Hashem stands to his right side “Ki yaamod liymin evyon” (T’hilim 109:31). If one does not do chesed with the beggar, he should beware: “Ashrei maskil el dal, b’yom ra’ah, yi’malteihu Hashem – Praiseworthy is he who takes the needy into account, on the day of evil, Hashem will deliver him (41:2).” Tz’dakah protects; tz’dakah engenders material success. Tz’dakah saves.
With Hashem’s help, may we pursue lives that represent the highest level of true g’milus chasadim! Amein!
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Yaakov Chaim HaLevi ben Chanom
Menachem ben Adele
Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zisel
Zalik Zalmonchai ben Irna Imashalom
Moshe David ben Yente Gittel
Tinok ben Orly
Shmaryahu ben Raizel Shoshanah Miriam
Yisrael ben Raizel Shoshanah Miriam
Mindel bas Leah
Chayah Neli Nikdam bas Mazal
Odelia bas Mahboobeh Yocheved
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Mitali Naomi bas Gilah Farcha
Chanah Brachah bas Tziporah Chayah
Dinah bas Chanah
Tziporah bas Fruma
Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)
Ben Zion Yitzchak ben Ilanah Malkah
Aharon Simchah ben Meirah Ilanah
David ben Rivkah Zlata
Matnia ben Sarah
Yehudah Chaim ben Mina Chayah
Yehudah ben Baila
Shai ben Baila
Ro’i ben Baila
Asaf ben Tamar
Avitar ben Tamar
Elad ben Tamar
Amit Levy ben Dalit
Menachem ben Aliza Esther
Yehoshua ben Aliza Esther
Binyamin ben Chanah
Yoel Tzvi ben Adinah Shoshanah
Moshe Avraham ben Malkah Rivkah
Yosef Rachamim ben Sarah
Binyamin Moshe ben Sarah
Yosef Elyasaf ben Devorah
Menachem Shlomo ben Miriam Tamara
Omer ben Sigal
Moshe David ben Chavah Leah
Shmuel Yonah ben Leah
Yehoshua Hershel ben Chanah
Alexander Gedalia ben Chayah Basyah
Ezra Yisrael ben Chayah Basyah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.
