Shalom, Mitspacha!
Further Regulations on Collateral – Preserving Life, Dignity, and Justice
“No one takes the lower or upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes one’s livelihood as a pledge.”
— Devarim (Deuteronomy) 24:6
“And if the man is poor, you do not sleep with his pledge. You shall certainly return the pledge to him when the sun sets, so that he may sleep in his garment and bless you. And it shall be righteousness to you before YHVH your Elohim.”
— Devarim (Deuteronomy) 24:12–13
The Torah continues to regulate collateral by drawing clear red lines that may not be crossed. Even when a debt is legitimate, a lender may never endanger a borrower’s ability to live, work, or rest. Tools of livelihood and basic means of survival are placed beyond the reach of seizure.
These mitzvot establish that:
Collateral that removes livelihood becomes bloodguilt in the eyes of Heaven. The Torah does not permit righteousness to be postponed until repayment is complete.
These instructions confront a dangerous human instinct: to secure oneself at the expense of another’s future. Torah justice refuses that path. A society faithful to YHVH must always leave room for restoration.
Asiri presses us to examine whether our dealings preserve hope or quietly extinguish it. Do we leave others able to rise again, or do we secure ourselves by pressing them down? True obedience is revealed when we are willing to trust YHVH more than material guarantees.
These mitzvot call us to align our sense of security with Heaven’s standards. Provision does not come from crushing others, but from walking rightly before YHVH.
Avinu Malkeinu, You are the Judge who defends life and restores the crushed. Teach us to act justly in all matters of responsibility and trust. Guard us from harming others in the name of legality, and shape our hearts to reflect Your mercy and restraint.
Establish our ways in righteousness and wisdom. Let our dealings honor life, preserve dignity, and reflect trust in You. Order our steps, our work, and our decisions according to Your Torah, that this month may bear fruit pleasing in Your sight.
Baruch YHVH.
Shalom until tomorrow.