From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE 

The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli, zt"l to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah... 

Question: Is there a problem of ribbit (interest) on a loan taken in Israel, which is linked to the dollar (without additional interest)? 

Answer: The Torah prohibition on ribbit (usury) applies when one borrows money while committing to give back more than he received. The Rabbis forbade borrowing a commodity which has a certain value and promising to give back the same amount of that commodity. This is because the commodity could go up in price, and the borrower would actually be returning more value than he received. Local currency is halachically considered to have a fixed value, and fluctuations in prices are not, under normal circumstances, attributed to it (see Bava Kamma 97b-98a). Thus, one can borrow 1000 shekel and return 1000 shekel even if its value rose in the meantime in relation to other international currencies or commodities. 

You asked about linking shekels to the dollar in Israel. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe YD III 37) ruled some years ago that in Israel, the dollar has a special status which makes it an unofficial local currency. This allows one to both lend dollars and receive the same amount of dollars in return and to link a shekel loan to the dollar. This idea seems to be found also in Netivot 

Hamishpat (74:5), is also partially accepted by Shevet Halevi (VI, 232), and is, in fact, employed be many gemachim. Although the shekel has become much more reliable over time, we feel that the dollar still has a special status in Israeli commerce. 

Minchat Yitzchak (VI, 161) and Ohr L’tzion (YD 4) dispute this halachic ruling. The latter posits that something can be counted as a local currency only if it must be accepted as “legal tender for all debts, public and private” (quote of the dollar bill, not Ohr L’tzion). If one wants to take the stringent approach, he can incorporate the linkage into the terms of a “heter iska.” 

[This answer is based on a responsa in the 4th volume of B’mareh Habazak, which was recently released]. 

Ed. note: This question is both interesting and complex - let's hope the Vebbe Rebbe will address some of the complicated matters in future columns. 

Some of the aspects of a broader treatment of the topic include loans in shekels or dollars or Euros (or other currencies) to be paid back in shekels, dollars, Euros, etc. in various combinations. And according to what exchange rate. Some of these combinations will be handled differently according to some of the opinions quoted above (that agree on the "simple" cases). A further complication might result from the facts on the ground concerning the shekel. Is there a difference when there is a fair amount of stability to the shekel, as opposed to when the shekels value varies daily, especially in one direction. Stay tuned for further treatment of this important topic. 

Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email weekly, by sending an email to lists@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Join Hemdatya - Please leave the subject blank. 

Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel

Hasidic Wisdom from the book by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins)

There are those who try to ascend to the Heavens to reach the Blessed One. But I know that no matter where I am - G-d will be there as well. 
- Rabbi Shalom Shachne of Prohobitch

Love is hidden in the recesses of everyone's heart. There is no one who has not had at least an hour of love and yearning. 
- Rabbi Aharon of Karlin

The law stipulates: "One should not wrong one's neighbor." (Vayikra 25:14) But one must go beyond the letter of the Law, and not wrong oneself.
- Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vorki

ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd. WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT • by Shmuel Himelstein 

A maskil approached R' Yosef Ber of Brisk and asked him why the Rabbis had the right to add all types of restrictions which are not specified in the Torah. After all, he said, the Torah states clearly, "You may not add". 

"First of all", said R' Yosef Ber, "we deduce from the words, ‘You shall observe my charge’, that we are allowed to add a charge to the Torah charge — that is, to add gezeirot (regulations) to the Torah Law — and, in fact, the Torah immediately thereafter specifies that be doing so, ‘You will not be committing a sin". 

"Furthermore, the Torah is a medicine to us — the medicine that keeps us alive. If a person takes more of the medicine than the doctor tells him to — sometimes even a drop too much — that can be harmful to him. On the other hand, once the patient has taken his medicine, he is allowed to drink as much tea as he wishes, without it (adversely) affecting him. The Torah is like medicine, and we may not add even a drop to it. On the other hand, all the extra rules and regulations of the rabbis are like the tea that one drinks after taking the medicine of the Torah Law." 

Excerpted with the permission of the copyright holder

G'matriya Match

B'reishit 46:7 tells us that Yaakov brought all his sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters, and all his offspring with him to Egypt. That was in the year 2238 to Creation. 210 years later (in 2448), G-d tells Moshe (Sh'mot 6:11 - and other p'sukim) to go to Par'o the king of Egypt and tell him to send Bnei Yisrael from his land. These two p'sukim are G'matriya twins (2670). 

From the Desk of the Director 

In parshat Va’era, G-d rebukes Moshe for complaining at the failure of his mission to Pharaoh on behalf of the people. G-d tells Moshe that He appeared to the forefathers in the guise of Shaddai, while Moshe benefited from knowing Him as Hashem. These words beg us to ask, “what’s in a name”. 

The rabbis explain that the term Shaddai, from the Hebrew word “Dai” (‘sufficient’), indicates G-d who sets limits on Creation by establishing the laws of nature. Ramban notes, therefore, that the patriarchs saw miracles in their time that operated within these parameters. G-d preserved them during famines, assured their triumph over enemies, and afforded them unusual success in amassing wealth. 

The term Hashem is also associated with the forefathers (e.g., Breishit 15:7). However, the Ohr HaChaim remarks that while the patriarchs knew the name of Hashem they could not perceive His essence at the higher prophetic levels available to Moshe. According to Rashi, Moshe was able to appreciate Hashem in all His manifestations, including the G-d who carries out His promises. 

Despite these promises not having been fulfilled during their lifetimes, the Avot (unlike Moshe) believed in Me, chides Hashem. Now, He says, I heard the cries of Bnei Yisra’el and I must fulfil My share of the Covenant. I must reveal Myself as Hashem in ways that match Moshe’s prophetic powers and that stretch beyond nature. Let us pray that at this time Hashem is responding to our petitions in a similar fashion. 

Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center 

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