פירוש על ויקרא 25:38

'אשר הוצאתי וגו‎‎ [I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD] WHO BROUGHT YOU FORTH [FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT] and distinguished between those who were firstborn and those who were not firstborn (a matter which is hidden from human cognizance), I also know the true facts of this matter and I will exact punishment from him who lends money to an Israelite saying that it belongs to a non-Jew (Bava Metzia 61b; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 19:36). Another explanation is: I am the Lord your God Who brought you forth from the land of Egypt on condition that you take upon yourselves the fulfillment of My commands although they be hard for you (cf. Sifra, Behar, Section 5 3)

להיות לכם לאלוקים. In order for G’d’s purpose to be the G’d of all of you to be accomplished, it is necessary that you enable your fellow to live on an economically comfortable level. It is your duty to help bring this about. [this is not a recipe for a welfare state but for a state in which the dignity of recipients of economic assistance is preserved. Ed.]

אני ה' אלוקיכם אשר הוצאתי אתכם, “I am the Lord your G’d Who has taken you out, etc.” According to Baba Metzia 61 in this verse G’d refers to how He distinguished between each drop of sperm in order to know which firstborn was an Egyptian and which was not, as a result of which the former were killed and the latter were redeemed. Similarly, G’d warns that when the time comes He will apply similar careful distinction between who has lent money to a fellow Jew charging interest and who has not. The former will be punished, and it will not help them to claim that they thought the recipient was a Gentile to whom it is permissible to charge interest. This is behind our verse (36) “do not accept from him or charge him interest, but fear your G’d.” The Torah invokes the fear of G’d also in connection with the warning not to impose undignified labour on a Jewish servant (verse 43). Telling such a servant to heat the cup of his master when there is no need for this to be done is considered as demeaning the servant. Whenever there are no objective yardsticks for determining if certain chores are necessary or if the master merely demands them as a form of caprice, the Torah reminds the person demanding such chores to be performed: “fear your G’d,” i.e. He knows what is in your heart even if the servant does not.

For whoever dwells in the land of Israel. (Gur Aryeh). The reason for this is well known. The Holy Land belongs to Hashem as it is written (Yechezkel 36:20), “These are the nation of Hashem and they went out of His land.” Therefore, when one dwells in the Land of Israel, the Holy One is his God. But outside the Land, because it is under the hand of the supernal [angelic] princes, someone whowhen on dwells outside the Land it is considered as if he serves idols. Since “In a multitude of people is the king’s glory” (Mishlei 14:28), someone who lives there, glorifies and honors foreign gods [by increasing the population there].

לתת לכם את ארץ כנען, “to give you the land of Canaan;” the Talmud, tractate Ketuvot folio 110, uses this verse to make the following statement: “basically a Jew is to make his home in the land of Israel even if at that time most of the inhabitants in that land are gentiles. He should not choose to live in the Diaspora, as a Jew who voluntarily lives outside the Holy Land, is considered as if he did not have a G–d.” The Talmud bases this statement on the conclusion of our verse: להיות לכם לאלהים, “to be for you as G–d.” David also made a statement of a similar nature when he said in Samuel I 26,19: כי גרשוני היום מהסתפח בנחלת ה' לאמור לך עבוד אלוהים אחרים, “for they have driven me out today so that I cannot have a share in the Lord’s ancestral property, but they told me: ”go and worship other gods!”

Who brought you out. This is the reason for the warning to the borrower not to give interest, for what can be done when he needs to borrow money and cannot find any without giving interest? Therefore it gives the reason, “I brought you out from the land of Egypt” — and they were provided for in abundance like the king’s hand, if so, I shall watch over you and bring you your livelihood.

אשר הוצאתי אתכם מארץ מצרים, “Who has taken you out from the land of Egypt, while you had remained strangers there.” (Compare Ibn Ezra)

לתת לכם את ארץ כנען TO GIVE YOU THE LAND OF CANAAN as a reward for your taking upon yourselves to fulfill My commandments.

להיות לכם לאלהים TO BE YOUR GOD —Because to him who dwells in the land of Israel I am God; while he who leaves it may be regarded as though he were an idolator (Sifra, Behar, Section 5 4; Ketubot 110b).