Midrash sobre Provérbios 28:8

Whoever lends at interest lusts for money; (according to Prov. 28:22:) HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT POVERTY WILL COME TO HIM. The Holy One is angry with him and causes him to perish from the world. What is written above on the matter (in Exod. 22:23 [24])? MY WRATH WILL BURN…. When? (Vs. 24 [25]:) IF YOU LEND TO MY PEOPLE. This text is related (to Prov. 28:8): THE ONE WHO AUGMENTS HIS WEALTH BY INTEREST. How? <When> Israel wanted to borrow from him [and a foreigner wanted to borrow from him], he said: It is better for me to lend to a foreigner from whom I shall get usury. So he made him a loan. It is about him that Solomon cries out (in Prov. 28:8): THE ONE WHO AUGMENTS HIS WEALTH [BY INTEREST AND USURY AMASSES IT FOR ONE WHO IS GENEROUS TO THE POOR]. Who is being GENEROUS TO THE POOR? This is Esau. But is Esau GENEROUS TO THE POOR? It is simply that, when the empire becomes jealous of him, it takes his money and with it provides for the needs of the many, <i.e.> paved roads²⁴Lat.: stratae. and public buildings.²⁵Gk.: demosia. Ergo (in Prov. 28:8): <HE> AMASSES IT FOR ONE WHO IS GENEROUS TO THE POOR.

(Fol. 70 b) (Prov. 28, 8) He that increaseth his wealth by interest and usury, will gather it for him, that will be kind to the poor. What is meant by the expression, that he will be kind to the poor? Said Rab: "For example, as the King Sabura, who collects money from the Israelites for the purpose of distributing it among the poor of the Persians."

Rabbi Isaac interpreted the verse (Prov. 28:22) with reference to the one who lends to an Israelite at interest and is too miserly to lend it without interest. (Prov. 8:22) HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT POVERTY WILL COME TO HIM, that it is written (in Prov. 28:8): THE ONE WHO AUGMENTS HIS WEALTH BY INTEREST AND USURY AMASSES IT FOR ONE WHO IS GENEROUS TO THE POOR. Who is the one that is generous to the poor? This is Esau the Wicked. Is Esau the Wicked generous to the poor? Rather does he not oppress the poor? He is like those procurators¹³Gk.: epitropoi. who go out to the villages and plunder tenants. Then they go back to the capital and say: Gather the poor, because we want to perform a good work for them. [The <Aramaic> adage] says: <She> commits adultery for apples, and distributes to the sick, {which means <in Hebrew>: The harlot buys apples and distributes to the sick}.¹⁴Cf. Exod. R. 31:17 (end); Lev. R. 3:1.