A new episode of the educational project “Talmud in 8 Minutes” by the Chief Rabbi of Dnipro, Shmuel Kaminezki, has been released on the “Menorah” YouTube channel. This series proves that even the most complex legal and ethical questions of the Talmud can be presented simply, accessibly, and directly applied to our everyday reality.
This time, Rabbi Shmuel addresses a topic that has accompanied humanity since the advent of money: how to behave in a situation of debt and what to do when a debtor intentionally avoids repaying a loan. The Talmud shows that this is not just about finances—it is about a person’s moral responsibility for their word and for the trust they have received from another.
The episode explains why the Torah so sharply condemns those who take funds but have no intention of returning them. The Midrash “Bamidbar Rabbah” states that among the “four wicked people” mentioned by the Torah is one who received a loan and does not wish to repay it. As it is written: “The wicked borrows and does not repay” (Psalms 37:21). Rabbi Shmuel provides examples from the Talmud that examine a wide variety of situations—from common everyday cases to complex disputes between two parties.
The “Talmud in 8 Minutes” project consistently demonstrates its main idea: even brief daily Torah study brings light and clarity into life and helps in making wise decisions. And this episode is for everyone who wants to understand how to deal with debts justly, how to avoid conflicts, and how to act in a way that remains honest not only before others but also before oneself.
