The Hidden Forms of Ribbit Many People Don't Realize

"Just one shekel." "It's only a chocolate bar." "I just wanted to say thank you."

Small gestures like these may seem harmless, but in certain situations they can fall under the Torah prohibition of ribbit (interest).

Many people associate ribbit only with bank loans or large financial transactions. In reality, the Torah's prohibition is much broader. It forbids a borrower from giving a lender any additional benefit because of the loan, whether money, gifts, food, or even certain favors.

Rabbi Pinchas Wind, in his book Brit Pinchas, outlines several common situations that may involve ribbit.

1. Monetary Interest

A borrower may not repay more money than was originally borrowed.

Example:

If someone borrows 100 shekels from a friend, he may not repay 110 shekels. Even adding just one extra shekel is considered ribbit.

2. Giving Food or Gifts Instead of Money

The prohibition is not limited to money. It also applies to food, gifts, or any item that has monetary value.

As the Torah states:

"You shall not lend upon interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent upon interest" (Deuteronomy 23:20).

Example:

If someone repays a loan and also gives the lender a pen, a watch, or another gift because of the loan, this may constitute ribbit.

3. Even Less Than a Prutah

The prohibition applies even when the added value is extremely small, even less than the value of a prutah.

Examples:

• A child borrows 10 apricot pits from a friend and returns 11.
• Someone borrows half a lead refill for a mechanical pencil and returns a full refill.
• Someone borrows five shekels and adds even a single lentil when repaying it.

Although the extra value is negligible, it still falls under the prohibition of ribbit.

4. A Gift Given Voluntarily

Some people assume the prohibition applies only when the borrower is obligated to pay extra.

However, even a completely voluntary gift given out of gratitude may be prohibited.

The Torah's ideal is that loans between Jews be acts of kindness, free of compensation or profit. Even when the borrower sincerely wishes to express appreciation, giving something extra because of the loan can violate that principle.

Example:

Someone borrows half a chocolate bar and later returns a full chocolate bar simply to say thank you. Despite the good intentions, this may be considered ribbit.

5. Sending Mishloach Manot to the Lender

The laws can even apply to Purim gifts.

If someone borrowed money from a friend and now wants to send him mishloach manot, the halachah depends on what was customary beforehand.

If he had never previously sent that person mishloach manot, doing so after the loan could appear to be compensation for the loan and may therefore be prohibited.

However, if he regularly sent the same type of mishloach manot before the loan, he may continue doing so.

It is also important not to give the gift at the time the loan is repaid or to mention that it is being given because of the loan.

6. Making a Loan Conditional on Future Help

A lender may not say:

"I'm lending you money now, but next time I need a loan, you must lend to me."

That future loan is considered an added benefit connected to the original loan and may therefore constitute ribbit.

This prohibition applies even if the future loan would be much smaller than the original one.

If no such condition was made beforehand, however, the borrower may later choose to lend money to the original lender, even if he privately feels grateful for the earlier kindness.

Examples:

• Two children are riding a bus. One asks his friend to pay for his ride using a Rav-Kav. The friend agrees only on the condition that, in the future, when his own Rav-Kav is empty, the favor will be returned. Making this condition in advance may involve the prohibition of ribbit.
• Some gemachim allow people to deposit money over many years and later become eligible for an interest-free loan for wedding expenses. Depending on how the arrangement is structured, this too may raise questions regarding the laws of ribbit, since the future loan may be viewed as a benefit received in exchange for the earlier deposit.