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1 ‎[1] to teach that one may lend money with interest to a *ger toshav* only **to the extent** required to provide **a livelihood to** the lender, but not to do so as a regular business.
‎[2] **Ravina said: Here** in the mishna **we are dealing with Torah scholars,** for whom it is permitted to lend money to a gentile with interest. The Gemara explains: **What is the reason the Sages decreed** that one should not lend money to a gentile with interest? The reason is that **perhaps** the Jew **will learn from** the gentile’s **actions.** Continuous interactions with gentiles for the sake of financial dealings may have a negative influence on a Jew. **And since** in this case the lender **is a Torah scholar, he will not learn from** the gentile’s **actions.**
‎[3] **There are** those **who teach that which Rav Huna** said in connection with **that which Rav Yosef taught:** The verse states: **“If you lend money to any of My people, even to the poor person who is with you”** (Exodus 22:24). The term “My people” teaches that if one of **My people,** i.e., a Jew, **and a gentile** both come to borrow money from you, **My people take precedence.** The term “the poor person” teaches that if **a poor person and a rich person** come to borrow money, **the poor person takes precedence.** And from the term: “Who is with you,” it is derived: If **your poor person,** meaning one of your relatives, **and** one of **the poor of your city** come to borrow money, **your poor person takes precedence.** If it is between one of **the poor of your city and** one of **the poor of another city, the** one of **the poor of your city takes precedence.**
‎[4] **The Master said** above: If one of **My people and a gentile** come to you for a loan, **My people take precedence.** The Gemara asks: Isn’t this **obvious?** Is there any reason to think that a gentile would take precedence over a Jew? **Rav Naḥman said** that Rav **Huna said to me: It is necessary only** to teach **that even** if the choice is to lend money **to a gentile with interest or to a Jew for free,** without interest, one must still give preference to the Jew and lend the money to him, even though this will entail a lack of profit.
‎[5] **It is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Yosei says: Come and see the blindness in the eyes of those who lend** money **with interest.** If **a person calls another a wicked person** in public, the other becomes insulted and **he harasses him in** all aspects of **his life** because he called him by this disgraceful name. **But they** who lend with interest **bring witnesses and a scribe [*velavlar*] and a pen [*vekulmos*] and ink and write and sign** a document that testifies: **So-and-so denies the** existence of the **God of Israel,** as the very fact that he lent with interest in defiance of the Torah is tantamount to a denial of the existence of God.
‎[6] **It is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says:** Concerning **anyone who has money and lends it without interest, the verse says about him: “He who has not given his money with interest and who has not taken a bribe against the innocent, he who does these shall never collapse”** (Psalms 15:5). From this statement, the opposite can also be inferred: **You learn** from this **that** concerning **anyone who lends** his money to others **with interest, his property,** i.e., his financial standing, **collapses.** The Gemara asks: **But we see** people **who do not lend** money **with interest and** nevertheless their property **collapses. Rabbi Elazar says:** There is still a difference: **Those** who do not lend money with interest **collapse but** then ultimately **rise, but these,** who lend with interest, **collapse and do not rise** again.
‎[7] Referring to the subject of honest people who collapse temporarily, it is said: **“Why do You observe the treacherous, and remain silent while the wicked swallows the one who is more righteous than he?”** (Habakkuk 1:13). **Rav Huna says** about this verse: **One who is more righteous than he, he swallows** for the moment, but **he does not swallow a completely righteous person** at all.
‎[8] § The Gemara returns to the clarification of the mishna, which mentioned the subject of a gentile who resides in Eretz Yisrael and observes the seven Noahide mitzvot [*ger toshav*]. **It is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says:** With regard to the **convert that is mentioned concerning the sale** of a Hebrew slave **and** the ***ger toshav* that is mentioned concerning interest, I do not know what** the meaning of each of these references **is.**
‎[9] The Gemara explains: **The convert that is mentioned concerning the sale** of a Hebrew slave is referring to the following, **as it is written: “If your brother waxes poor with you and is sold unto you”** (Leviticus 25:39), and it was expounded in a *baraita*: **And not** only will he be sold **to you,** a born Jew, **but** he will be sold even **to a convert, as it is stated:** “And sells himself **to a stranger [*leger*]”** (Leviticus 25:47).
‎[10] **And** this sale to a *ger* is referring to a sale **not** only **to a righteous convert [*leger tzedek*], but** even **to a *ger toshav*, as it is stated:** “And sells himself **to a stranger who is a settler [*leger toshav*]”** (Leviticus 25:47). With regard to the continuation of the verse: “Or to an offshoot of **a stranger’s family,” this is** referring to **a gentile,** i.e., he will reach a state where he has no choice but to sell himself to a gentile. **When it states: “Or to an offshoot** of a stranger’s family,” **this is** referring to **one sold for idol worship itself,** i.e., he is forced to sell himself as a slave to work in a temple of idol worship.
‎[11] The Gemara clarifies the *baraita*. **The Master said: And not** only will he be sold **to you,** a born Jew, **but** he will be sold even **to a convert, as it is stated:** “And sells himself **to a stranger.”** Is this **to say that a convert may acquire a Hebrew slave?** The Gemara **raises a contradiction** from a *baraita*: **A convert cannot be acquired as a Hebrew slave, and a woman or a convert may not acquire a Hebrew slave.**
‎[12] The Gemara explains the *baraita*. **A convert cannot be acquired as a Hebrew slave,** as **we require** the fulfillment of the verse: “Then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, **and shall return to his own family”** (Leviticus 25:41), **and** a convert **is not** able to do this, since upon conversion the convert severs his relationship with his gentile family, and he therefore has no family. The *baraita* teaches: **And a woman or a convert may not acquire a Hebrew slave.** With regard to **a woman,** the reason is that it is **not proper conduct,** since people may say that she is purchasing him to engage in sexual intercourse with him. With regard to **a convert as well,** it **is learned** as a tradition: Only one **who can be acquired** as a Hebrew slave **can acquire** a Hebrew slave, and one **who cannot be acquired** as a Hebrew slave **cannot acquire** a Hebrew slave. Since a convert cannot be acquired as a Hebrew slave, he also cannot acquire one.
‎[13] Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s question was that since it has been established that a convert may not acquire a Hebrew slave, why was he mentioned in the verse? **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: He cannot acquire** a Hebrew slave **and** have **his *halakha*** be like that **of a Jew** who owns a Hebrew slave, **but he can acquire** a Hebrew slave **and** have **his *halakha*** be like that **of a gentile** who owns a Hebrew slave.
‎[14] This is **as it is taught** in a *baraita*: A Hebrew slave who **had his ear pierced** by his own request in order to remain a slave after his six-year period of servitude was over, and therefore is emancipated only during the Jubilee Year, **and** also a Hebrew slave **who was sold to a gentile, does not serve** his master’s **son and** does **not** serve his master’s **daughter** after his master’s death, but rather is emancipated. The same *halakha* would apply to a Hebrew slave sold to a convert, whose status in this respect is similar to that of a gentile.
‎[15] **The Master said** above: **And a woman or a convert may not acquire a Hebrew slave.** The Gemara suggests: **Let us say that** this *baraita* is **not in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel. As it is taught** in a *baraita*: **A woman may acquire maidservants but may not acquire** male **slaves,** in order to preserve standards of modesty. **Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: She may also acquire** male **slaves.** The Gemara rejects this suggestion: **Even** if **you say** that this *baraita* is in accordance with the opinion of **Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel,** it is **not difficult. Here,** where it is prohibited, the ruling is stated **with regard to a Hebrew slave,** and **there,** where Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel renders it permitted, the ruling is stated **with regard to a Canaanite slave.**
‎[16] The Gemara explains the difference: **A Hebrew slave** is regarded as **discreet in her** eyes, and since she trusts that a Hebrew slave will not reveal their actions to others if they engage in sexual intercourse, it is prohibited for her to acquire a male Hebrew slave. By contrast, **a Canaanite slave** is regarded as **indiscreet in her** eyes, so she will be deterred from transgressing with him.
‎[17] The Gemara asks: **But** this seems to contradict the *baraita* **that Rav Yosef teaches: A widow may not raise a dog,** due to suspicion that she may engage in bestiality, **and she may not allow a student** of Torah to dwell **as a lodger** in her home. **Granted,** it makes sense that it is prohibited for her to have **a student** of Torah lodging in her home, as he is regarded as **discreet in her** eyes. **But** concerning **a dog, since it would follow her** around afterward if she would engage in bestiality with it, **she is afraid** to sin with it. Therefore, it should be permitted for her to raise it. The Sages **say** in response: **Since it will** also **follow her** around **if she throws it a piece of meat [*umtza*], people will say: It is following her due to the meat she threw to it,** and they will not suspect her of sinning. Consequently, she will not be deterred from transgressing.
‎[18] The Gemara discusses Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s second difficulty: **The *ger toshav* that was mentioned concerning interest, what is it?** What was Rabbi Yehuda’s difficulty? **As it is written: “And if your brother waxes poor, and his means fail with you, then you shall strengthen him, as a stranger and a resident [*ger vetoshav*] shall he live with you. You may not take interest or increase from him, but fear your God, and your brother should live with you”** (Leviticus 25:35–36). This indicates that interest may not be taken from a *ger toshav*. **And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** from the mishna: **One may borrow** money **from them,** i.e., from gentiles, **and lend** money **to them with interest, and similarly,** one may borrow money from and lend money to **a *ger toshav*** with interest.
‎[19] **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: Is it written: Do not take from them?** No, **it is written:** “Do not take **from him,”** in the singular, and it means: Do not take interest **from a Jew.**
‎[20] With regard to this verse **the Sages taught: “You may not take interest or increase from him,” but you may become a guarantor for him** for a transaction involving interest.
Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Intercourse
Mishneh Torah, Creditor and Debtor
Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor
Version: William Davidson Edition - English
Source: https://korenpub.com/collections/the-noe-edition-koren-talmud-bavli-1
License: CC-BY-NC