Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus, dives deep into this idea, using the verse "If you lend money to My people" (Exodus 22:24) as a springboard for exploring the pitfalls of greed.
The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), in Shemot Rabbah 31, first interprets (Proverbs 28:22), “A greedy man rushes after wealth,” as a commentary on lending practices. But before it gets there, it offers interpretations of the verse. The first? Cain.
The story of Cain and Abel is familiar, but this midrash paints a vivid picture of Cain’s avarice. According to this interpretation, the brothers decided to divide the world. Cain took the land, Abel the movable property. But Cain, consumed by greed, couldn’t stand that Abel possessed anything. He relentlessly pursued Abel, demanding, "Leave what is mine!" until he ultimately committed fratricide. The Midrash sees this as the ultimate example of "a greedy man rushes after wealth," a man so consumed by possessiveness that he was willing to kill his own brother.
And what was the consequence? "Restless and wandering you shall be on the earth" (Genesis 4:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, brought trouble wherever Cain went, so he was chased from place to place. Even his long life – longer even than Adam’s – was not enough to satiate his soul. And in the end, the Midrash says, Cain didn’t even receive a proper burial; he simply faded away until the flood swept him off the earth. A grim warning, isn't it?
The Midrash continues, offering other examples of those who "rush after wealth" to their own detriment. We meet Ephron, who haggled with Abraham over the price of the Cave of Makhpelah (Genesis 23). Rabbi Ḥama notes that every shekel mentioned in the Torah is a sela (a coin known from the Mishnaic period), in the Prophets, a litra (equivalent to twenty-five sela), and in the Writings, a centenarium (one hundred litra). But Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi makes an exception: The shekels of Ephron were centenaria.
Ephron tried to squeeze every last shekel out of Abraham, and what did he gain? According to the Midrash, the very spelling of his name was diminished by a letter in the Torah, and the cave he tried to profit from wasn't even named after him! Talk about a short-sighted business strategy.
Then there's Esau, who traded his birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25). Here, the Midrash tells us that Jacob convinced Esau to give up his portion in the Cave of Makhpelah in exchange for wealth. Esau, prioritizing immediate gain over ancestral connection, agreed. But the Midrash sees this as a grave mistake, a "lack" that would haunt him forever, because he did not enter the Cave of Makhpelah.
The Midrash extends its critique to everyday scenarios: the borrower too miserly to rent two cows, the person who skimps on tithes (ma'aser), and the one who lends money with interest (ribbit), exploiting the vulnerable. Rabbi Levi tells of a man who initially gave generous tithes. But over time, miserliness crept in, and his field became less and less productive. His relatives, seeing this, donned white garments to rejoice with him, saying that he was once the landowner, and God the priest, but now the reverse was true!
Rabbi Yitzchak adds that those who lend with interest are essentially amassing wealth for those who care for the poor – or, in a surprising twist, for Esau! While Esau might seem like an unlikely candidate for a philanthropist, the Midrash explains that even those who exploit the poor sometimes redistribute wealth, albeit for their own self-serving reasons. In a broader sense, the Babylonian kingdom's wealth will be given to Israel in the future, as it is written: “Its merchandise and its fee will be sacred to the Lord” (Isaiah 23:18).
So, what's the takeaway? This section of Shemot Rabbah isn't just about financial transactions; it's about the choices we make every day. Do we prioritize short-term gain over long-term values? Do we act with generosity or with greed? The Midrash suggests that true wealth lies not in accumulating possessions, but in acting with integrity and compassion. As the text concludes, "If you lend money and do not take interest from him, you are My people. Just as I will never stumble, so, too, you will never stumble." (Psalm 15:5) Perhaps that's the most valuable investment we can make.
Another matter, “if you lend money to My people,” that is what is written: “A greedy man rushes after wealth” (Proverbs 28:22);44The midrash will explain how this relates to the verse “if you lend money to My people,” but it first cites other interpretations of the verse. this is Cain, who hastened himself to take the world. How so? When he was with his brother, as it is stated: “It was when they were in the field” (Genesis 4:8), they said one to the other: ‘Come, let us divide the world.’ Cain said: ‘You take the movable property, and I [will take] the land.’ They divided it between them. Abel took the movable property and Cain [took] the land. [Cain] plotted to oust [Abel] from the world. Abel was walking on the earth and Cain was pursuing him. He said to him: ‘Leave what is mine.’ [Abel] went to the mountains, and [Cain] said: ‘Leave what is mine,’ until he stood over him and killed him. That is, “a greedy man rushes after wealth.” This is Cain, who was greedy toward his brother. “And does not know that lack will come upon him” (Proverbs 28:22). What lack befell [Cain]? It is that the Holy One blessed be He said: “Restless and wandering you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:12). What is that? It is that every place that he went, the Holy One blessed be He would bring trouble along with him and they would strike him and pursue him until they would drive him away. Solomon proclaimed in his regard: “If a man would beget one hundred” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); this is Cain who begot one hundred children, “and would live many years” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); he lived as long as Adam lived, “and the days of his years would be numerous” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); he lived seven hundred and thirty-six years longer than his father, “but his soul will not be sated from the goodness” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); as his soul would not be sated with his money, as it is stated: “Restless and wandering you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:12). “And moreover, he has no burial” (Ecclesiastes 6:3), as he was in abeyance, gradually weakening until the flood came and swept him away. “I say: A stillborn is better than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3); this is Abel, his brother, as [Cain] rose up and felled him, [leaving him] dead in the field. Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” this is Ephron. When Sarah died and Abraham was seeking a place to bury her, he said to them [the Hittites]: “Heed me, and intercede for me with Ephron, son of Tzohar” (Genesis 23:8). Immediately, they went and appointed [Ephron] prefect over them that very day. They said to him: ‘Sell the cave to Abraham.’ He said to them: ‘I will not sell it to him.’ They said to him: ‘If you do not do so we will remove you from your prefecture.’ Immediately, Abraham arose and weighed the silver for him. Rabbi Ḥama said: Every shekel stated in the Torah is a sela,45When the Torah mentions a shekel it refers to the coin known in the Mishna as a sela. in the Prophets is a litra,46Twenty-five sela. and in the Writings is a centenarium.47One hundred litra. Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi said: Except for the shekels of Ephron, which were centenaria. What did Ephron say to Abraham? If you give me four hundred shekel, from the merchandise of your house you will give it to me.48This sum is insignificant to a man as wealthy as you (Matnot Kehuna). Because he was greedy regarding Abraham’s money, the verse subtracted a vav from him.49In the verse that states that Abraham paid the money to Ephron, Ephron’s name is spelled without a vav (Genesis 23:16). This symbolizes the fact that Ephron would experience financial setbacks. That is, “and does not know that lack will come upon him.” The verse subtracted a vav from the person who was greedy. Moreover, the cave was not called by his name, but rather, by the name of the children of Ḥet, as it is stated: “That Abraham purchased from the children of Ḥet” (Genesis 25:10); it does not say from Ephron, but from the children of Ḥet. Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” this is Esau. When Isaac died, Jacob and Esau came and divided everything. Jacob said: ‘Shall this wicked be destined to enter, he and his children, the Cave of Makhpela, and he will have a portion and residence with the righteous buried in it?’ Immediately, he took all the money in his possession and made it into a pile and said to Esau: ‘My brother, do you want the portion you have in this cave, or this silver and gold?’ At that moment, Esau said: ‘This kind of burial place is found everywhere. For one grave that I have in the cave, will I lose all this money?’ Immediately, he rose and took all the money and gave him his portion. That is what Jacob says to Joseph: “In my grave that I excavated [kariti] for me” (Genesis 50:5). “I purchased,” is not written, but rather kariti. He said to them: ‘I gave Esau a pile [keri] of dinars.’ That is, “and does not know that lack will come upon him.” What is the lack? It is that he did not enter the Cave of Makhpela. Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” this is the borrower who was too miserly to rent two cows, and he borrows one and rents one. Because he rented only one, if it [the borrowed cow] dies or is injured, he pays. If he rented and it dies, the Torah says: “If he is a renter, it goes for his rent” (Exodus 22:14).50The owner does not receive payment beyond the rent. That is, “a greedy man rushes after wealth,” as he was too miserly to rent [both cows], the result is “and does not know that lack will come upon him.” That is what is written: “[If a man borrows from his neighbor and it is injured or dies,] its owner is not with it, he shall pay” (Exodus 22:13). Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” Rabbi Levi said: This is one who does not separate his tithes properly. There was an incident involving one who would separate his tithes properly, and he had one field that would produce one thousand measures, and he would separate from it one hundred measures as tithe. From the remainder, he and the members of his household supported themselves. At the time of his death, he called his son and said: ‘My son, pay attention to this field, such and such measures it produces, such and such measures for tithe, and from it I supported myself all my days.’ When he passed from the world, the first year, the son sowed it, and it produced one thousand measures and he separated from it one hundred as tithe. The second year, miserliness overcame him and he deducted ten,51He separated only ninety measures as tithe. and it deducted one hundred;52The next year, the field produced only nine hundred measures. likewise the third, likewise, the fourth, likewise, the fifth, until it reached the total of its tithes.53Each year, he deducted ten measures from the tithe and the field produced one hundred measures fewer, until ultimately, the field produced only one hundred measures. When his relatives saw that it was so, they rose, donned white garments and wrapped themselves in white outer garments and came to him. He said to them: ‘Have you come to rejoice over my [troubles]?’ They said: ‘Heaven forbid, we came only to rejoice with you.’ In the past, you were the landowner and the Holy One blessed be He was the priest. Now, you have become the priest and the Holy One blessed be He has become the landowner. That is, “and does not know that lack will come upon him.” Another matter, “rushes after wealth,” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is one who would lend with interest, because he was too miserly to lend to Israelites without interest. “And does not know that lack will come upon him,” as it is written: “He who increases his wealth through usury and interest amasses it for one who cares for the poor” (Proverbs 28:8). Who is “one who cares for the poor”? This is Esau. Is Esau one who cares for the poor? Is he not one who exploits the poor? Rather, he was like generals, commanders, and governors who invade cities, rob, and plunder, and when they return they say: ‘Bring us the poor and we will support them.’ The folk proverb says: She prostitutes herself for apples and distributes them to the ill. Another matter, what is: “Amasses it for one who cares for the poor”? Everything that the Babylonian kingdom gathers in this world, the Holy One blessed be He gives it to Israel in the future, as it is stated: “Its merchandise and its fee will be sacred to the Lord” (Isaiah 23:18). Another matter, “if you lend money to My people,” the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you lend money and do not take interest from him, you are My people. Just as I will never stumble, so, too, you will never stumble,’ as it is stated: “He does not lend with usury” (Psalms 15:5) and it is written: “One who performs these will never stumble” (Psalms 15:5).
