Not to refrain from lending immediately before the release of the loans for fear of monetary loss
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This Mitzvah's Summary
It is forbidden to withhold a loan out of fear that Shemitah will soon cancel it.
The Torah anticipates human hesitation: as Shemitah approaches, lenders might avoid helping the poor, fearing their loans will be released. This mitzvah forbids such selfishness, requiring generosity even in the face of potential loss. Refusing to lend in this manner is called an act of “בְּלִיַּעַל” — base wickedness — highlighting its severity.
This mitzvah complements the command to release debts (Mitzvah 285) and the prohibition on pressing borrowers (Mitzvah 286). Together, they create a full Shemitah financial ethic: loans must be given willingly, released faithfully, and never withheld out of fear. Hillel’s prozbul addressed the practical challenge of discouragement, but the ethical ideal remains: Jews must lend generously despite Shemitah.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 9:7): Codifies that refusing to lend before Shemitah violates a Torah prohibition and transgresses a severe sin.
- Talmud (Gittin 37a): Explains that this mitzvah was a major factor in Hillel’s creation of prozbul, so that the poor would not be denied loans.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 479): Teaches that the command develops generosity of spirit, reminding lenders that wealth is a Divine trust, not absolute ownership.
- Rashi (Deuteronomy 15:9): Emphasizes that withholding a loan near Shemitah is a sin that can provoke the cry of the poor, which Hashem hears and punishes.
- Ramban (ad loc.): Notes that the Torah calls such behavior “בְּלִיַּעַל,” equating it with wickedness and rebellion against G-d’s social order.
Commentaries
Applying this Mitzvah Today
Notes on this Mitzvah's Fundamentals
Faith – אֱמוּנָה
- Rambam (Hilchot Shemitah V’Yovel 9:7) teaches that lending despite Shemitah shows trust that Hashem provides wealth, not human calculation or fear of loss.
Justice – צֶדֶק
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 479) explains that refusing loans would undermine fairness and trap the poor in cycles of deprivation, violating the Torah’s demand for justice.
Compassion – רַחֲמִים
- Rashi (Deut. 15:9) highlights that the cry of the needy reaches Hashem when loans are withheld. Compassion requires opening one’s hand despite risk.
Charity – צְדָקָה
- The mitzvah embodies charity by obligating financial support even when repayment is uncertain, ensuring the poor are not abandoned in their time of need.
Community – קְהִלָּה
- Talmud (Gittin 37a) teaches that prozbul was instituted so community support would continue. Withholding loans fractures communal solidarity.
Shemitah – שְׁמִטָּה
- Deuteronomy 15:9 connects this prohibition to Shemitah’s cycle of release, ensuring that the holiness of Shemitah includes generosity at its approach.
Monetary Laws – דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת
- Rambam places this prohibition within Shemitah’s financial framework, making it a binding rule of monetary conduct in Torah law.
Loans – הַלְוָאָה
- This mitzvah directly governs lending practices, forbidding refusal to extend loans even when the Shemitah year is imminent.
Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם
- Ramban interprets withholding loans as “בְּלִיַּעַל,” rebellion against G-d. Lending despite Shemitah is loyalty to His command.
Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ
- The mitzvah protects the needy from abandonment, affirming kindness and responsibility between people. (Sefer HaChinuch 479.)
