Devarim 24:10

10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his bais to get his pledge.

Devarim 24:10 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 24:10

When thou dost lend thy brother anything
Any sum of money he stands in need of, or demanded a debt of him, as Jarchi; money he is indebted to thee, which is the sense of the Septuagint version; and he is not able to pay it, but offers something: in pawn till he can pay it:

thou shall not go into his house to fetch his pledge;
which would be an exercise of too much power and authority, to go into a neighbour's house, and take what was liked; and besides, as no doubt he would take the best, so he might take that which the poor man could not spare: and indeed, according to the Jewish canons ^F11, he could not take any pledge at all, but with the knowledge, and by the leave, of the sanhedrim, or court of judicature.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 9. sect. 13.

Devarim 24:10 In-Context

8 Take heed in the nega hatzara’at, that thou be shomer me’od and do according to all that the kohanim, the Levi’im, shall teach you; as I commanded them, so ye shall be shomer to do.

9 Remember what Hashem Eloheicha did unto Miryam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Mitzrayim.

10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his bais to get his pledge.

11 Thou shalt stand outside, and the ish to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge outside unto thee.

12 And if the ish be oni (poor), thou shalt not keep his pledge overnight;