An important reminder TB Baba Metzia 75

Today we finish the fifth chapter of our massekht and usury has been the main topic. Not only actual interest on a loan is forbidden, the rabbis forbade anything that looked like or smelled like interest. Today’s daf TB Baba Metzia concludes with some words of musar. We have to be careful what we do and what we say not to embarrass the borrower.

“It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: From where is it derived with regard to one who is owed one hundred dinars by another, and the borrower is not accustomed to greeting that lender, that it is prohibited to start greeting him after being granted the loan? The verse states: “Interest of any matter [davar] that is lent with interest” (Deuteronomy 23:20), which can also be read as indicating that even speech [dibbur] can be prohibited as interest…When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael, he said: From where is it derived that with regard to one who is owed one hundred dinars by another and knows that the borrower does not have the funds to repay him, that it is prohibited for him to pass before the borrower, so as not to embarrass the borrower and cause him discomfort? The verse states: “Do not be to him as a creditor” (Exodus 22:24). Even if he does not claim the debt from the borrower, his presence reminds the latter of the debt, which distresses him…Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi both say that if one upsets another in this way, it is as though he sentences him to two types of punishments, as it is stated: “You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water” (Psalms 66:12). As the one in control, a creditor is regarded as though he had brought the debtor through fire and water.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Money does strange things to people. Wealthy people may begin to think they are better than the common people and treat them accordingly. Our chapter concludes with an important reminder. Just because we loan somebody money, we should be careful not to put the lender in an obsequious and subservient uncomfortable position. In all our business dealings we need to remember that everybody is created in God’s image and were obligated to maintain his/her dignity.