יחזקאל, פרק י״ח, פסוק ח׳

A righteous person’s moral and financial character is defined by complete business integrity, a refusal to exploit others, and a relentless pursuit of fairness in all human relationships. At the heart of this integrity is the strict avoidance of charging the well-known interest forbidden by the Torah [רד״ק, מנחת שי].

The prohibition of lending with interest encompasses all forms of usury, though commentators offer different perspectives on the specific categories involved. One approach suggests a practical distinction based on the type of loan, where one concept refers to lending money and the other refers to lending food [מצודת ציון]. Another perspective argues that both concepts describe the exact same practice. According to this view, the dual terminology serves to emphasize the severity of the act, ensuring that a lender who charges interest violates two separate negative commandments rather than just one [רד״ק].

This financial integrity applies to every stage of a transaction. The restriction against giving interest applies to the exact moment the loan is granted, while the restriction against taking it applies to the time the debt is collected [רד״ק]. A truly righteous individual refuses to accept any extra payment during collection, even if the borrower offers it entirely of their own free will [מצודת דוד]. Beyond merely avoiding the physical act of taking interest, there is a deep psychological component. The righteous person does not just passively refrain from doing wrong; rather, he actively directs his thoughts to fulfill the negative commandment, applying the same conscious intention required when performing a positive commandment [חומת אנך].

This deliberate mindset extends to a broad rejection of all wrongdoing. The righteous person actively distances himself from everything the Torah forbids [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ], maintaining a conscious intention to avoid sin [חומת אנך]. This strict avoidance is particularly true regarding any form of corruption in legal matters, weights, and measures [רד״ק]. Moving beyond the avoidance of sin, this individual is also defined by positive actions. When called upon to mediate or sit as a judge between two people, he ensures that absolute truth prevails. He is careful to execute pure justice, never distorting the law or showing favoritism to anyone involved [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].