Lending /borrowing money with interest

28th of Nisan, 5770 (Today is the 13th day of the Omer)

It is forbidden for a Jew to lend or borrow with interest (“Ribbit”). Not only is it forbidden to lend/borrow with monetary interest, but any kind of interest is forbidden—even if it is through something other than money or even when not done at the moment of the loan. It is forbidden to send gifts to somebody, with the intention that this person will “return the favor” by agreeing to lend some money. The gifts would be a form of Ribbit in advance.

Illustration: Jonah is about to start a new business. A month from now, he will need to be lent $10,000. He starts treating his friend Danny exceedingly well, invites him out to lunch a few times, gets him gifts, all so that a month from now—when Jonah asks for the loan—Danny will agree to it. This is forbidden. The gifts are a kind of “Ribbit” in advance.
Similarly, it is forbidden for a borrower to give Ribbit to his lender, retroactively, after the loan.

Illustration: Danny lent Jonah the $10,000 he needed. Jonah is not allowed to start being “extra nice” towards Danny because of this loan, and buy him presents and invite him out for lunch.
The main idea behind this is that lending money interest-free is a Mitzva. When a lender lends money interest-free he is doing a favor to himself, by following a precept from the Tora.

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Note: the laws of “Ribbit” are very complex, especially in today’s corporate world of sophisticated financial and legal structures. Ours is a basic overview of the Halakha as found in Maimonides’s Mishne Tora and in Shulchan ‘Arukh. Please consult your rabbi with any practical questions (Halakha leMa’ase).



The leap year (part 2)

Today is the 2nd day of Adar, 5770

Our months follow the actual cycle of the moon –new moon, full moon, etc- which consists on 29,5 days. Therefore, on average, Hebrew months will have 29 days and the next 30 and so on. A lunar (=moon based) year -12 lunar months- will have therefore 354 days (12×29.5).

There is a special Mitzvah in the Torah that says: “Shamor et Chodesh ha-Abib” which instructs us to keep the holiday of Pesach specifically on spring season. Now, if we would follow exclusively the lunar calendar, Pesach would fall at different seasons, because of the 11 days gap between the lunar and the solar year (354/365).

In order to ensure that Pesach would always fall during the spring season, these two calendars must be coordinated. How do we do that? Adding an additional month -a thirteenth month- to the year. A year that has 13 months is a called a leap year (shana me’uberet).

To summarize: The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar (=moon and sun) with a thirteenth month which is added to adjust the two calendars. This extra month is called Adar Alef (first Adar) and is added before the “real” Adar which is the one that comes immediately before Nisan and is called Adar Bet (second Adar). According to the Hebrew calendar calculation cycle this extra month is added seven times every nineteen years (specifically, in years 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 19).

5770 is NOT a leap year, it has only one Adar.



The leap year (part 1)

Today is the 1st day of the month of Adar, and the second day of Rosh Chodesh Adar, 5770.

As we previously explained, whenever the preceding month (in this case, Shebat) has 30 days (the months in the Hebrew calendar could have 29 or 30 days) then Rosh Chodesh is celebrated for two days: the 30th day of the preceding month and the 1st day of the new month.

Adar is a special month. First, misheNikhnas Adar Marbim beSimcha. “Once the month of Adar begins, our happiness increases”!!! The joy and celebration of Purim, spreads over the entire month, as it is written in Megillat Esther: haChodesh asher Nehpakh Lahem… “the month (=Adar) that turned for the Jews from sorrow to joy”.

Second: The month of Adar is the twelfth and therefore the last month of the Jewish months. In the Hebrew calendar, although the New Year (Rosh haShana) begins in the month of Tishri, the beginning of the months –the first month- is the month of Nissan.

There is a third special thing about the month of Adar. During some years (leap years) we add an extra month to our calendar, a 13th month, a second Adar. Tomorrow B’H we will explain why we need to add a thirteenth month.

Chodesh Tov!

And now a question for you: What happens if for example, a boy is born during a year that has only one Adar, and his Bar Mitzva falls on a year that has two Adars. Does he celebrate his Bar Mirtzva, during the first or during the second Adar? Send your answer today: mailto:halakhaofhteday@gmail.com.



The meaning of the name of God

Today is the 25th of Shebat, 5770

The name of God is written in one way and is read in a different way. When this happens elsewhere in Biblical Hebrew, it is called keri/ketib, which means: a word is written in a certain way but must be read in a different way. To signal this event, the original word’s consonants are combined with the vowels of the word that should be pronounced. In our case, the four letters of God’s name are combined with the 3 vowels of the word AMONAY (read with D, instead of M): Chataf Patach, Cholam Chaser and Kamess. (It is confusing for the beginner because he might fail to see the Chataf Patach, which under a Yod became a Sheva…).

According to its writing, the name of God means “The Eternal.” The four letters of His holly name are the combination of the Hebrew “He was”, “He is” and “He will be”. The concept of “Eternity/Infinity” is obviously beyond our ability to grasp accurately.

Therefore when we read it we say: AMONAY (idem.): “The Lord” which in Hebrew stands for authorship / ownership. This concept is obviously more accessible to our understanding.

Whenever we pronounce the name of God we have to think about its double meaning: that He is Adon haKol, the Owner/Master of everything that exists, and that He is Ineffable, Infinite, Eternal, therefore, beyond our human, limited understanding.



“Ribbit”: The prohibition of lending money with interest (2)

24th of Shebat, 5770

As explained previously, it is forbidden for a Jew to lend or borrow money with interest (“Ribbit”). This includes loans that are made between friends or family members. Even though everything is in good spirits and everyone is fine with it, it is forbidden, as it promotes a bad habit.

Illustration: Because he had forgotten his wallet at home, Mark’s teenage daughter, Lynn, lends him $5 to pay the toll. Mark wants to reward his daughter. He wants to repay her back $10 for the $5 he borrowed. Even though he would do this willingly and in good spirit, he is not allowed to. By receiving $10 for $5, Lynn would be getting the wrong message regarding loans and interests.
Not only is it forbidden to lend/borrow with monetary interest, but any kind of interest is forbidden—even if it is through something other than money.

Illustration: Evan needs urgently a loan of $10K. Danny, who is renting an office in a building Evan owns, accepts to lend him the money he needs, which Evan will repay without interest, but with the condition that he gets one month of rent free. This is also Ribbit and is forbidden.

Note: The laws of “Ribbit” are very complex, especially in today’s corporate world of sophisticated financial and legal structures. Ours is a basic overview of the Halakha as found in Maimonides’s Mishne Tora and in Shulchan ‘Arukh. Please consult a competent rabbi with any practical questions (Halakha leMa’ase).


The meaning of ATA (You)

18th of Shebat, 5770

When saying the Amida, ideally, we should delve into the meaning of every word. This mental exercise is called “Kavana” (consciousness ) which is required at the time of prayer and is mandatory in the first Berakha of the Amida. Last week, we illustrated the process of Kavana with the word Barukh. Let’s see now the second word of the Amida: “ATTA”, which means “You”.

We refer to the Almighty, at the beginning of the Berakhot in the second person of the singular, inviting ourselves to gain consciousness of been directly in front of His presence.

The realization That HaShem, God Almighty, is present “now” and “here”, virtually in front of us, is what daily feeds our Emuna (the Hebrew for faith). Because in Judaism, faith does not consist only in the believe that God exists but mainly in the feeling/consciousness of His Presence.

Realizing God’s presence is a moral matter as well: every time we utter ATTA we should feel that we are, in a sense, in front of a “mirror” we can’t deceive. The Almighty knows not only our actions but also our intentions and thoughts. ATTA, therefore should ultimately impact our behavior. Realizing that we live under His sight, we should act in a way that deserves to be watched by Him.



“Ribbit”: The prohibition of lending money with interest (1)

17th of Shebat, 5770

As explained last week, it is forbidden to lend or borrow with interest (= “Ribbit”). What happens when a person who has lent with Ribbit decides to do Teshuva (repent)? – Our sages demanded that if a person who once charged you Ribbit now wants to return that sum of money to you, you do not accept it.

Illustration: Joe lent $10 to Abe last year demanding $1 as Ribbit. This year, just before Yom Kippur, Joe decides to do Teshuva. He goes to Joe and offers to return him the $1 he had charged him. Abe should not accept that money back, and should instead forgive it.
This is in order to encourage people to do Teshuva.

Illustration: Because Joe knows that Abe will probably not accept the money back, he is more likely to do Teshuva. Joe still needs to offer the money back, even if he knows Abe will probably refuse it.
The exception is when the Ribbit was in the form of an object. Then, one may accept the object back.

Illustration: Last year, Joe lent $10 to Abe with the condition that Abe repays him $10, and, additionally, he gives him his blue pen. The blue pen is the Ribbit. This year, Joe is doing Teshuva. Since the pen is an identifiable object, Joe should return it, and Abe could very well accept it. This is to protect Joe’s reputation; otherwise, people who knew the pen belonged to Abe will think Joe never did Teshuva.

Note: The laws of “Ribbit” are very complex, especially in today’s corporate world of sophisticated financial and legal structures. Ours is a basic overview of the Halakha as found in Maimonides’s Mishne Tora and in Shulchan ‘Arukh. Please consult your rabbi with any practical questions (Halakha leMa’ase).


Preparing ourselves to stand in front of God

Today is the 27th day of Shebat , 5771

 

The Amida or Shemona-Esre –also known in our community as lachash– is the most important prayer. It is said every day, three times a day, morning, afternoon, and evening.

When we pray the Amida we are talking directly to God.

There is nothing more meaningful in life that communicating with our Creator.

We should not start praying the Amida unprepared or unfocused. The Amida requires ‘Kobed Rosh’, a serious effort of concentration.

‘Amida’ means ‘standing’.

In preparation for the Amida we must visualize and internalize that we are standing in front of the King of Kings.

In the Jewish protocol a servant stands in front of his King, firmed, with his feet together and bowing down his head a little, in signal of submission.

Strictly speaking, Amida means: “Standing at Your service/waiting for Your command”. For this very reason, many Sephardic Jews would recite the Amida by heart, with their eyes closed, with their hands together on the middle of the chest, the right hand holding the left closed fist.

If you don’t know the Amida by heart, you should obviously read it normally from the Siddur.

The Amida should be ‘said’, articulating the words. Articulation -among other things- facilitates a better concentration.

The Amida is said ‘quietly’ (that is the meaning of the word lachash) so low no one else could hear your words, and loud enough you could hear your own whispering.

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Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024



When does a Parve food remain Parve?

If you cooked a Parve food together with meat or dairy, or with any residue of meat or dairy, that Parve food becomes the same status as the food that it was cooked with.

1. CONTAMINATION (NOTEN TAAM)

If a Parve food is cooked together with meat or dairy, or with actual residues of meat or dairy, it becomes that status. This applies when there is direct contact with a forbidden element.

Examples:

  • If an egg was cooked in a pot together with a piece of meat or with meat residues, that egg is considered “meat” (BESARI). If you eat that egg, you must wait 6 hours before eating dairy; and it cannot be eaten with cheese.
  • Rice cooked with meat gravy → the rice is meat.
  • Vegetables cooked in a pan with meat fat → the vegetables are meat.

2. CROSS-CONTAMINATION (NOTEN TAAM BAR NOTEN TAAM)

If a Parve food (rice, vegetables, fruits, water, or egg) was cooked in a completely clean meat or dairy pot, and there are no food residues, the Parve food remains Parve.

There is no need to wait between eating that Parve food and eating the opposite category.

Moreover, according to the Sephardic Minhag, this Parve food may be eaten with meat or with dairy.

Examples:

  • If you cook an egg in a completely clean pot that was previously used to cook a dairy food, you may eat this egg with meat because the egg is still considered Parve.
  • Rice cooked in a clean dairy pot → may be eaten with meat.
  • Vegetables cooked in a clean meat pot → may be eaten with dairy.

This is called NOTEN TAAM BAR NOTEN TAAM, which in the specific case of meat and milk (or Chametz before Pesach) is permitted.

Ashkenazi Jews do not follow that rule of cross-contamination in the case of milk and meat. That is why the Orthodox Union (OU) or other kosher organizations will label this as “Dairy equipment used”, and they will consider it “dairy,” not “Parve.”



The meaning of the word “Barukh”

Last week we discussed the issue of Kavana, consciousness, and a level of a deeper understanding, beyond the words’ translation, which helps the person who prays to meditate on each word of the Amida.
First we “say” the word. We have to actually articulate the word and whisper it to ourselves, not just think about it. Once we say the word we need to “understand” its meaning. Then, we need to “stop on that word and delve into its meaning”, letting the word to inspire us back.
Let’s illustrate this idea with the word Barukh: Commonly translated as “Blessed” this word involves some difficulties even in its plain understanding. One can immediately notice that we cannot possibly bless God in the sense we bless another human being, wishing him or her well. Neither are we invocating God’s blessing to someone else, like we do in a Misheberakh or in Bircat Cohanim.
When we say Barukh we are acknowledging that God is the ultimate source of every blessing in our lives. Everything we have, beginning with our life, is a gift/blessing from God. Barukh inspires gratitude. And it invites us to find His presence in things that we take for granted. When taking seriously, thinking about Barukh or any other word in the Amida, could take us more than a few seconds.