Sifrei Mitzvot para sa Exodo 22:24

And surely lend what is needed.

He prohibited that the lender seek out the borrower, when he knows that he is not able to pay. And that is His saying, "do not be to him as a creditor" (Exodus 22:24). And in the Gemara, Metzia (Bava Metzia 75b): "From where [do we know] about one who is owed one hundred dinars by his fellow and knows that [the latter] does not have [the funds] - that it is forbidden for him to pass in front of him? As it is stated, 'Do not be to him as a creditor' (Exodus 22:24)." And in the Mekhilta (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:24:4): "'Do not be to him as a creditor' - do not appear to him at all times." And know that this prohibition also includes one who seeks out a debt of interest. And so did they say (Mishnah Bava Metzia 5:11) - that one who lends with interest transgresses, "do not be to him as a creditor," as I will explain in what follows this. (See Parashat Mishpatim; Mishneh Torah, Creditor and Debtor 4.)

He prohibited being involved with a loan with interest between a borrow and a lender - not to be a guarantor for one of them, not to be a witness for them and not write a contract about what they agreed upon about the interest. And that is His saying, "you shall not lay upon him interest" (Exodus 22:24). And the language of the Gemara, Metzia (Bava Metzia 75b), is "The guarantor and the witnesses only transgress on account of, 'you shall not lay.'" And there, it is explained that the scribe, the witnesses and the guarantor also transgress. And there, it is also explained that this negative statement, which is 'you shall not lay' - even with its coming about the middlemen, meaning those [tangentially] involved in that matter - also includes the lender. And therefore the lender transgresses six negative statements - The borrower transgresses on account of, 'You shall not charge interest; and on account of 'you shall not put a stumbling block in front of the blind'" - as we will explain, when we mention this commandment (Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 299). (See Mishpatim; Mishneh Torah, Creditor and Debtor 4.)