Another matter, “to the poor who is with you,” the poor man is not with you, but rather, he is with Me.29This is expounded because the verse states: “If you lend money to My people [ami], to the poor who is with you.” The word for “My people [ami]” can be vocalized imi, meaning with me. Thus, the verse is stating that the poor, who are “with Me,” should also be with you, in the sense that you should have compassion for them (Etz Yosef).
Likewise, David said: “For You rescue the poor people” (Psalms 18:28). The attributes of the Holy One blessed be He are not like the attribute of mankind. The attribute of mankind is that if someone is wealthy and he has a poor relative, he does not acknowledge him. He sees his relative and hides from him because he is embarrassed to converse with him because he is poor.
Likewise Solomon says: “All the brethren of the poor hate him” (Proverbs 19:7). And he says: “The poor is hated even by his friend” (Proverbs 14:20). Likewise, Job said: “My relatives have departed” (Job 19:14). But if one is wealthy, everyone cleaves to him and loves him, as it is stated: “But the lovers of the wealthy are many” (Proverbs 14:20).
But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. Who are His people? The poor. He sees a poor man and cleaves to him.
If you would like to know, see what is written: “So said the Lord: The heavens are My throne…” (Isaiah 66:1). What is written thereafter? “But to this I will look, to the poor….” (Isaiah 66:2). Likewise, Moses says to Israel: “Not because you are more numerous…did the Lord desire [you]” (Deuteronomy 7:7), and it is written: “For you are the fewest of all the peoples” (Deuteronomy 7:7).
When He becomes reconciled with Zion, upon whom will He have mercy first? It will be upon the poor, as it is stated: “For the Lord has established Zion and in it the poor of His people will be sheltered” (Isaiah 14:32). Likewise, “For the Lord has comforted His people and He will be merciful to His poor” (Isaiah 49:13). That is, “to the poor who is with you.”
The poor man is not with you, but rather, he is with Me. That is why it is stated: “For You rescue the poor people” (Psalms 18:28). “You shall not impose usury [neshekh] upon him.” Do not bite [tinshokh] the poor man like the serpent bit Adam the first man and uprooted him and his descendants.30The serpent is described as having bitten Adam because it harmed him by speaking with its mouth (Etz Yosef).
Likewise, you shall not see that the poor man has houses, fields, vineyards, a slave, or a maidservant and seek ways to take it from him. That is why it is written: “You shall not be a creditor [kenoshe] to him.” Do not bite him [tinshekhenu]; do not be like a serpent that is cunning to do evil. “Do not take from him usury or interest; you shall fear your God” (Leviticus 25:36).
Do not say to him: ‘Request of me, I will lend to you,’ and the next day the interest rises, and you take what is his. I ascribe to you as though you injured [ḥavalta] him, as it is stated: “If you take your neighbor’s garment as collateral [ḥavol taḥbol]” (Exodus 22:25). From here you learn that anyone who takes interest from an Israelite does not fear the Omnipresent. This is analogous to one who murdered and they brought him before the governor.
When he reads his indictment, he says: ‘Is he still alive?’31This criminal should already have been put to death. So too, anyone who takes interest, the verse ascribes to him as though he committed all the evil and the transgressions in the world, as it is stated: “He gave with usury and took interest” (Ezekiel 18:13). The Holy One blessed be He says: ‘Is he still alive? “Shall he live?
He shall not live. All these abominations he performed, he shall be put to death, his blood shall be upon him”’ (Ezekiel 18:13). However, one who lends without interest, the Holy One blessed be He considers it for him as though he performed all the mitzvot, as it is stated: “He does not lend his money with usury…. [One who performs these will never stumble]” (Psalms 15:5).