[Avodah] Currency and Bond Trading; Ribis

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 08:11:20PM +0000, rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com wrote:
: [RSMashbaum:]
:> Consider an economic cooperative association. Members agree to treat
:> fellow members according to set rules, offering each other economic
:> privileges not offered to non-members....       In regard to ribit, Jews
:> are such an economic cooperative association.See TT to Dvarim 23:21 d"h
:> Umnam

: Leshitasi and I think RSR Hirsch et. al. it's all about a societal
: co-operative

That's a totally different topic. We were discussing interpersonal law,
the cited TT is discussing a subset, fiscal law, and saying that being
part of the same clan creates chiyuvim beyond justice.

You're returning to the theme of whether mitzvos are primarily aimed at
Kelal Yisrael or to its consituents.

...
: And AISI the tachlis is mamleches kohanim v'goy qaddosh. That to me
: trumps individual perfection.

Since we're rehashing, to remind the chevrah of my response: A mamlekhes
kohanim is about a group of individual kohanim, in addition to being
a single unit of a goy qadosh -- note the shift from lashon rabim to
lashon yachid. And in addition to goy qadosh there is also qedoshim tihyu
(again belashon rabbim). There are two berisim, beris Sinai and the
one in seifer Devarim. National aspects are introduced in the second.
The basic dialectic of the individual's highest calling is to serve the
community and the community exists to advance its individuals.

Tir'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