[Avodah] charging ribis to a Jew / non-Jew

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, December 31, 2007 10:41 am, Kelmar, Michael J. wrote:
: R' Micha Berger wrote: "WRT ribis, the pasuq implies what the
: difference is when taking ribis from a Jew vs taking it from a non-Jew.
: It uses the word "achikha". It's not that ribis is inherently immoral,
: it's that brothers don't charge brothers interest."

: Fahr vos nisht?  Do brothers not charge brothers 5 cents for a gum
: ball?
...
: Also, I do not know what the phrase "inherently immoral" means.
: Please provide some hesbir.

I don't need to, as RDB captured my intent. On Fri, Dec 28, '07
8:28am, R' Doron Beckerman wrote:
: Perhaps the answer is that the Middos issue is not really what the
: Torah is concerned with here. It is more about the Pirud Levavos which
: is caused by it.

Charging interest isn't really wrong ("inherently immoral"), and thus
not a middos issue. However, brothers should have an achdus haleiv,
and ribis causes pirud.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv