Let’s dive into a passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, and see how it pulses with a very human heart. It's a passage all about lending, borrowing, and the profound responsibility we have to each other.
The verse in question is from Exodus 22:25: "If you take your neighbor’s garment as collateral, you shall return it to him by the setting of the sun." Simple enough, right? But the rabbis, masters of nuance, see so much more.
The text continues, "If you take…collateral [ḥavol taḥbol]." That doubling of the verb, ḥavol taḥbol – "you shall surely take" – it's an intensifier, a signal that something profound is at play. The Rabbah explains: God says to the lender, "Although he is indebted to you, you are indebted to Me," echoing the sentiment found in II Chronicles 6:36: "When they sin against You, as there is no person who does not sin." We are all, always, in debt in some way – to God, to each other, to the world.
So what does this ḥavol taḥbol really mean in practical terms? Imagine someone takes a plowshare as collateral. The Rabbah teaches us that the lender must return it to the borrower early in the morning. Why? Because the borrower needs it to work! The text derives this from the phrase ḥavol taḥbol, where ḥavol means "take" and taḥbol can be understood as "give." It's a constant cycle, a responsibility to both take and give back.
Here’s where it gets even more interesting. One verse says, "You shall return it to him by the setting of the sun" (Exodus 22:25), while another says, "With the rising of the sun" (Deuteronomy 24:13). Now, that verse in Deuteronomy is often translated as "setting of the sun," but the Midrash, as explained in Matnot Kehuna, interprets it as "rising of the sun." So, how do we reconcile these? The answer: If you take something essential for sleeping, return it by nightfall. If you take something essential for working, return it by sunrise. It's all about understanding the borrower's needs and ensuring their basic dignity.
Think about that: this isn't just about following the letter of the law; it's about understanding the spirit of it. It’s about empathy, about putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
The Rabbah then draws a parallel to the plight of a day laborer. Deuteronomy 24:15 says, "On his day you shall give his wage." Why? "Because he is a poor man." And Exodus 22:26 adds, "For that alone is his covering…in what shall he lie?" The laborer needs that wage now, to survive. Delaying it can cause immense suffering. "He will be sitting all night and the cold will harm him," the Rabbah says, "He will cry out to Me and I will answer him, as I am gracious."
To illustrate this, the Midrash shares a powerful little story. A man is walking with his donkey, who's following him, clearly expecting to get a bite of the sheaf of wheat the man is carrying. But what does the man do? He ties the sheaf above the donkey, just out of reach! Cruel, right? The Rabbis condemn this, saying, "Wicked one, all this way it ran for it, and you did not place it before him?"
The point is clear: Just as the donkey is tormented by the unattainable sheaf, the day laborer toils all day, anticipating their wage, only to be sent away empty-handed. As it says in Deuteronomy 24:15, "And he has his heart set on it." Their very survival depends on receiving what they've earned.
What’s so striking is how deeply compassionate this interpretation is. It’s not enough to simply follow the rules; we must consider the human cost of our actions. We must recognize that we are all interconnected, all indebted to one another.
So, the next time you think about lending, borrowing, or even just interacting with another human being, remember this passage from Shemot Rabbah. Remember the plowshare, the garment, the day laborer, and the donkey. Remember that true justice isn't just about fairness; it's about empathy, compassion, and recognizing the inherent dignity of every single person.