（利25）无息贷款的诫命 (Leviticus 25) Commandment of Interest-Free Loans

(ChatGPT translation from Chinese, edited by Mijiale, 中文在后面）

The New Testament says in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Besides giving the principal, according to the Old Testament, lending to an Israelite without charging interest is also following the Creator’s commandment. Leviticus 25:37 says, “You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.” For many, lending money rather than giving it away allows them to provide more funds and solve bigger problems. Here’s a related example adapted from real events:

A father in China saved some money for his retirement. His son, living in a big city in the United States, couldn’t afford to buy a house for many years. After the financial crisis in 2008, housing prices dropped significantly, and the son borrowed over $30,000 from his father to make a down payment. Soon after, he repaid his father, and the housing prices increased again. The $30,000 was initially meant for the father’s retirement and hiring a caregiver, a significant amount for someone in China. If it were given as a loan, it would be feasible; if it were a gift, given the father’s financial situation, he could only afford to give his son about $10,000.

Relatedly, Leviticus 25:35 says, “And if your brother becomes poor and is not able to make a living, then you are to keep him with you, helping him as you would a man from another country who is living among you.” Rashi has an explanation about this verse, https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Leviticus.25.35?lang=bi

that one should not wait until his brother has fallen and cannot get up again; support him as soon as his strength begins to fail. This is like an overloaded donkey —while the load is still on its back, one person can balance it, but if it falls, five cannot lift it up.

There’s another related example adapted from real events: A private business owner in China had a medical accident. When his wife took over, creditors came demanding payment, and the factory couldn’t pay wages. She borrowed hundreds of thousands in RMB from overseas relatives to pay off the debts and compensate the workers, preventing the factory from collapsing. Soon, with effective management, she repaid the relatives. The relatives’ money was originally saved in the bank, perhaps for their children’s education, but now it served an urgent need, which was more meaningful. If they had waited until the workers dispersed and the factory collapsed, it would have been beyond their capacity to support the wife, her two young children, and her husband who was hospitalized long-term.

Therefore, the Bible is very wise. Jews even consider providing interest-free loans to needy brethren the highest form of charity (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzedakah), ranking it even above giving outright gifts (https://library.yctorah.org/2016/09/mitzvah-of-lending-money/). So, don’t underestimate interest-free loans just because they involve interest rather than principal—this too is a beneficial Biblical teaching!

（利25）无息贷款的诫命

新约说，（徒20:35）“施比受更为有福 ”。除了施舍本金以外，根据旧约教导，对以色列人来说，（向有需要的弟兄）施舍利息也是遵行造物主的诫命，利未记25:37说: “你借钱给他，不可向他取利，借粮给他，也不可向他多要。” 对很多人来说，比起无偿施舍给别人，贷款给别人能出得起更多的钱，解决更大的问题。有个根据真实情况改编的有关的例子：

一位在国内的父亲存了一些养老用的钱。他儿子住在美国大城市，很多年买不起房子，在2008年金融危机后，房价大幅下跌，就问父亲借了三万美元付首付买了房子。不久他还清了他父亲的钱，这时房价又重新涨上去了。三万美元本来是父亲准备养老请保姆用的钱，对国内人来说是很大的一笔数目，如果贷款借出还可以，如果是作为施舍不要偿还，那按这位父亲的经济能力，大概只能给儿子一万美元。

与此相关，利未记25:35说: “你的弟兄在你那里若渐渐贫穷，手中缺乏，你就要帮补他，使他与你同住，像外人和寄居的一样。” 关于这一句话，Rashi的注释有一种比喻，https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Leviticus.25.35?lang=bi

不要等他最终倒下了再帮他，要在他力量不够时就先扶住他，这就像帮助驮着超重货物的驴子，只要货物还驮在驴子背上，一个人就能扶助它，若等它倒下了，五个人都没法扶它站起来。

与此相关，也有个根据真实情况改编的例子：一个在国内经营私人企业的老板出了医疗事故，他太太顶替上任时，债主们纷纷来要债，工厂发不出工资，她就问国外的亲戚们借了几十万人民币钱，还了债，补发给工人工资，使得厂子没有倒闭，不久经营有方，就向亲戚们还清了借款。国外亲戚们的钱本来存在银行里，本来也许存到子女们上大学才会用的，现在救急起了作用，更有意义。如果等工人们散了，厂子倒闭了，再资助这位太太带的两个小孩和她长期住院的丈夫，这对她国外的亲戚们来说可能也会是力所不能及的。

所以，圣经是很有智慧的。犹太人甚至把为有需要的弟兄们提供无息贷款，认为是最高级的慈善活动https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzedakah，认为其地位甚至超过了无偿的施舍https://library.yctorah.org/2016/09/mitzvah-of-lending-money/。所以，不要因为这里所施舍的只是利息而不是本金就小看无息贷款，这也是一种有益的圣经教导！