Jewish Banking Laws Explained

Rabbi Yaron Reuven answers a question about Jewish banking, usury, and laws of lending money. Rabbi Reuven explains that the laws of the Torah are laws of God. HaShem forbids Jews lending money with interest to other Jews, but it's allowed to lend to gentiles with interest. While this law mentioned in numerous places in the Five Books of Moses gives no limits to the interest rate for lending to gentiles, the Talmud and later authorities explain that Jews are forbidden to charge gentiles more than normal bank rates. This means that predatory businesses like Merchant Cash Advance are 100% forbidden according to the Torah. Rambam says, a Jew that cheats or steals from a gentile commits a sin worse than if they stole from another Jew, they desecrate God's Name.