By Rabbi Yosef Shemtov:
As we know in Sefer Devarim, Moshe Rabeinu reviews all the mitzvot that Benei Israel were taught during their 40-year journey in the desert. This week’s portion consists of many positive and negative commandments.
One of the positive mitzvot mentioned is to pay a worker his wage by the end of his work period. If he is a daily worker, by the end of the day; and if he is a weekly worker, by the end of the week and so on…
The Torah emphasizes that a daily worker might need his money to buy food etc… If he doesn’t get paid, he won’t have food, and he will cry out to Hashem; this is a sin prohibited by the Torah.
The American economy is based on loans, mortgages and credit cards. We are used to the fact that we owe money to others, and we might not pay attention to this important mitzva. Let me give you an example: You hire a babysitter because you are going out with your wife. When you come back, you need to pay the babysitter right away, unless you have informed her before hiring that you will pay later.
Many times we don’t pay attention to this mitzva, even with our own kids. For example, you tell your children to do something for a certain amount of money, but they must be paid before the end of the day or night. Otherwise, you have transgressed one of the mitsvot of the Torah.
We see how much the Torah cares about people, especially people in need. We need to bear in mind their feelings and their needs and not get carried away with regular loan and mortgage rules.
Shabbat Shalom