Taking Interest

The laws of interest are one of the most complex and relevant laws in today's economy and even in everyday life. See the numerous pages below for the details of arranging loans in a permitted fashion.

• Categories of Ribbit: This page includes the definitions of Biblical and rabbinic interest, legal subterfuge sometimes which is permitted and sometimes forbidden, the laws of interest on rentals, whether it be renting real estate or or utensils, interest for worker salaries, lending objects, returning stolen money, interest with a loan of land or documents, forgiving interest, ribbit for pikuach nefesh, taking interest temporarily, and giving interest to benefit the lender.
• Interest with Non-Jews: This page includes the laws of interest with a non-Jew, convert, non-religious Jew, lending between several parties some of which are Jewish and some non-Jewish, Jewish agent for interest deals, debt equity, managing someone else's money, and guarantors and co-signers.
• When Is It Permitted to Benefit the Lender: This page covers the topics of gifts or favors from the borrower to the lender, whether it be monetary or non-monetary, and a mitzvah opportunity. It also relates to a lender benefiting from a borrow's property, hiring or giving business to the lender, right of first refusal, paying taxes, fees, or debt for the lender. Payments to or from a third party are a separate discussion on this page as well.
• Buying on Credit: This page discusses all of the details of discounts for buying on credit such as subscriptions and early bird specials, prepayments, benefiting the seller, contracts with a delivery company, return policies, and after the fact transactions established with interest.
• Guaranteed Low Prices: This page deals with the topic of paying for goods with a delayed delivery, future contracts of commodities, and a purchase of a service in advance without assuming risk.
• Penalty Clauses: This page is dedicated to penalties and late fees those which are permitted and those which are forbidden as interest.
• Borrowing Commodities: This page deals with borrowing commodities. For example, if you want to borrow a bag of flour or dozen eggs from your neighbor it involves rabbinic interest since the price could fluctuate in between the borrowing and return. Lending commodities as part of a work contract is also discussed here.
• Returning Interest That Was Wrongly Collected: The process of interest that was collected by accident or intentionally and now needs to be returned is described in detail on this page.
• Corporations and Partnerships: A classic iska with all of the terms and conditions are documented here.
• Financial Tools and Interest
• Foreign Currency and Interest
• Common Everyday Cases of Interest: Some of the common questions dealt with on this page include: borrowing someone's credit card.
• Heter Iska

Links

1. Ribbis by Rabbi Hershel Schachter
2. Contemporary Issues in Hilchos Ribbis by Rabbi Yona Reiss