Commentaire sur L’Exode 22:24
אִם־כֶּ֣סֶף ׀ תַּלְוֶ֣ה אֶת־עַמִּ֗י אֶת־הֶֽעָנִי֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹא־תִהְיֶ֥ה ל֖וֹ כְּנֹשֶׁ֑ה לֹֽא־תְשִׂימ֥וּן עָלָ֖יו נֶֽשֶׁךְ׃
"Si tu prêtes de l’argent à quelqu’un de mon peuple, au pauvre qui est avec toi, ne sois point à son égard comme un créancier; n’exigez point de lui des intérêts.
Rashi on Exodus
אם כסף תלוה את עמי IF THOU LEND MONEY TO ANY OF MY PEOPLE — R. Yishmael said: wherever אם occurs in Scripture it is used of an act the performance of which is optional, except in three instances, of which this is one (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:24:1; cf. Rashi on Exodus 20:22 - the translation therefore is: “When thou lendeth etc.”).
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Ramban on Exodus
THOU SHALT NOT BE TO HIM AS AN EXACTOR — that is, a creditor. He is saying that the lender should not behave to the borrower like a creditor who is a sort of lord over the borrower, as it is written, and the borrower is a servant to the lender,320Proverbs 22:7. but instead you should behave to him exactly as if he had never borrowed from you; neither shall you lay upon him interest, whether interest of money, interest of victuals.321Deuteronomy 23:20. Rather, the loan to him should be an act of goodness; you should not take from him any mark of honor because of it, nor are you to derive any monetary benefit from it.
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Sforno on Exodus
אם כסף תלוה, if this is an Israelite on whom the promise that “there will not be a destitute person among you” has not been fulfilled. (compare Deuteronomy 15,4) The individual in need of a loan is the one who became subject to another promise (threat) written in the Torah in Deuteronomy 15,11 כי לא יחדל אביון, “there will never be a total absence of destitute people, etc.” When such a situation arises the victim will require a loan.
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