And more importantly, there's a way out.

The verse in Exodus (22:24) says, "If you lend money to My people, to the poor who is with you, you shall not be as a creditor to him; you shall not impose interest upon him.” But what does lending money have to do with our cosmic debt?

Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, explores this very idea. It starts by quoting Psalms (112:5): “It is good for a man to be gracious and to lend, conducting his affairs with justice.” The connection? We ALL owe a debt to God. Every single one of us. But God, being merciful and gracious, pardons our transgressions. "Do not remember for us our former iniquities," we plead in Psalms 79:8.

Think of it like this: imagine you borrowed money from a friend and then totally forgot about it. Later, you approach your friend and say, "I know I owe you." What if your friend replied, "Why did you even bring it up? I'd already forgotten all about it!"

That, Shemot Rabbah suggests, is how the Master of the Universe often treats us. We sin. God sees that we aren’t always perfect. And yet, God absolves us, one sin at a time. When we finally do repent—when we acknowledge our debt—God essentially says, "Do not remember former matters" (Isaiah 43:18). It's already forgiven.

But the story doesn't end there. What happens when we truly turn our lives around? Can we really wipe the slate clean? Absolutely. Ezekiel (33:19) assures us: "And when the wicked one repents his wickedness, and performs justice and acts of charity, he will live; all the transgressions that he performed will not be remembered for him." Not remembered.

Shemot Rabbah then connects this idea back to the original verse about lending money. Just as God acts mercifully toward us, forgiving our debts, we too should act mercifully toward the poor. “You shall not be as a creditor to him,” Exodus commands. Don't strip them bare. Don’t make them stand naked before you. Be compassionate, just as God is compassionate. Don't take everything they have.

Because, the text suggests, if we show mercy, we will receive mercy. "It will be when he cries to Me, I will hear, as I am gracious" (Exodus 22:26). David echoes this sentiment in Psalms: “They cry out and the Lord hears them” (Psalms 34:18).

So, what’s the takeaway? We all carry a debt. But through repentance, through acts of kindness, and through emulating God’s own merciful nature, we can find absolution. We can transform our past transgressions into future merits. We can live a life not defined by our debts, but by our capacity for compassion. And isn't that a comforting thought?