What is the connection between this Pasuk and the previous one?
Seforno: It teaches us that the ideal way of supporting a needy person is by extending him a free-interest loan. 1
Refer to 25:36:5:1.
This also explains why the Torah inserts this Pasuk at all, since, bearing in mind Pasuk 37, otherwise seems superfluous.
What are the implications of the word "Al Tikach me'Ito" (as opposed to 'me'Itam')?
Bava Kama, 11a: "me'Ito" ? 'but not from his children' - to preclude children whose father left them Ribis, from having to return it to its original owner. 1
Bava Metzi'a, 71a #1: To preclude taking Ribis from a Ger Toshav, which is permitted. 2
Bava Metzi'a, 71a #2: To permit being a guarantor for a Yisrael who borrowed from a Nochri, provided he will pay the Nochri and not the Yisrael. 3
What is the difference between "Neshech" and "Tarbis"?
Rashi: In fact, the Chachamim equate them, and the Torah gives them two names to make them two La'avin.
Ramban and Moshav Zekenim: According to the simple meaning "Neshech" 1 is interest that increases every year (compound interest), whereas Tarbis is lending on condition to pay back with an addition, which does not depend on when one repays. 2
Bava Metzi'a, 60b: "Neshech" is where someone lends a Sela for five Dinrim ot two Sa'ah of wheat for three; "Tarbis" is where he inreases his stock of fruit by means of a deal. 3
Ramban: So-called because the interest grows into a large amount - like the blown-up swelling of a snake-bite. This is customary with a monetary loan. See Ba'al ha'Turim.
Ramban: As one tends to do with fruit, where Reuven lends Shimon a measure of food until the harvest, when Shimon repays a little extra.
See Torah Temimah, note 190, who elaborates.
What are the implication of the word "Al Tikach me'Ito Neshech"?
Bava Metzi'a, 71a: Refer to 25:35:3:1. It precludes a Ger Toshav from those from whom one is forbidden to take Ribis. 1
Bava Kama, 112a: It precludes the heirs from having to return the Ribis that their father took from the debtor. 2
Bava Metzi'a, 71a: The entire phrase implies that one may not take from him Ribis but that one may undertake to be a guarantor for him against a loan that he makes from a Nochri. 3
Why does the Torah insert the words "ve'Yareisa me'Elokecha"?
Rashi #1: Because a person is drawn after interest, and it is difficult to break away from it. Moreover, one allows oneself the liberty of taking interest to offset the loss of his money. 1
Rashi #2: It is a warning against lending money on interest claiming that it belongs to a Nochri. 2 Only Hashem knows the true facts. Therefore the Torah writes "ve'Yareisa me'Elokecha".
Kidushin, 32b: Whenever it has to do with the heart, the Torah inserts "ve'Yareisa me'Elokecha". 3
What are the ramifications of the phrase "ve'Chei Achicha Imach"?
Rashi (in Kesuvos, 15b) and Targum Onkelos: It teaches us that it is a Mitzvah to sustain one's fellow-Jew. 1
Ramban #1: "Imach" implies that your life takes precedence over that of your fellow-Jew. 2 This teaches us the Mitzvah of self-preservation. 3
Ramban #2 (citing Bava Metzi'a, 62a): It implies an obligation to return a fixed sum of Ribis 4 to the borrower, to enable him to live.
Seforno: It implies that one is only obligated to lend a needy person money if, after extending the loan, one has enough to live on oneself. 5
Bava Metzi'a, 88b: It precludes an ox from the obligation to keep alive - "Achicha", 've'Lo Shor'. 6
It is a reason for the Mitzvh of lending a fellow-Jew a free-interest loan ? to enable him to live (survive).
It is a reason for the prohibition against taking interest - because he is your brother and you would not lend your brother money on interest.
Bava Metzi'a: This only pertains to human-beings however; "Achicha", 've'Lo Shor' ? there is no obligation to preserve the life of an animal against one's own needs. See Torah Temimah, note 195.
Ramban (citing the Sifra): If Reuven and Shimon are traveling in the desert, and Reuven has sufficient water for one person, Ben Putiri ruled that they should share, it based on "ve'Chei Achicha Imach." R. Akiva countered that "Imach" implies that Reuven's own life takes precedence. See Torah Temimah, note 194.
The repetition comes to emphasize the issue. (since we can learn this already from the previous Pasuk "va'Chai Imach" which also applies to "Achicha" mentioned earlier - PF.) See also R. Chavel's footnotes.
Bava Metzi'a, Ibid.: But not Avak Ribis ? Ribis de'Rabbanan by way of a sale. See Torah Temimah, note 192.
Seforno: As the Gemara states in Bava Metzi'a, 62a 'Your life takes precedence over somebody else's.
Since man's needs take precedence over the animal's life. See Torah Temimah, note 195. It is notq clear however,why we need a Pasuk to teach us this - why we do not lready it from the fact that Shechitah is permitted.
Why did the Torah write "va'Chai Imach" in Pasuk 35 and "ve'Chei Achicha Imach" here?
Ha'amek Davar: Because, whereas in Pasuk 35, "va'Chai" was referring to enabling the poor man to live, here the Torah is saying 'Lend the Ani without interest so that your brother will be able to live on a standard that is on a par with your own'
Who transgresses in a transaction that includes Ribis?
Bava Metzi'a, 75b: The creditor, the borrower, the guarantor, the witnesses and the Sofer. 1
See Torah Temimah, citing Bava Metzi'a, Ibid., and note 189.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that one may not lend money on interest claiming that the money belongs to a Nochri's. But even if it belongs to a Nochri it is forbidden, because, since Shelichus does not apply to Nochrim, it is as if the Yisrael himself is lending it?
Riva: If Reuven tells Shimon 'Take this security and borrow from a Nochri with Ribis', it is permitted, because, since Shimon has no liability to the Nochri; he is Reuven's Shali'ach. Alternatively, 1 if a Nochri deposits coins with Shimon, and he has no responsibility for them, the Yerushalmi says that he may lend them with Ribis.
If. As he claims, the money belongs to the Nochri and not to him, irrespective of whether he is a Shali'ach or not, how can he be guilty of Ribis?
This explanation goes better with the Lashon of Rashi.
