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If Reuven borrowed money from several people, and has enough money to pay back all the loans, just not all at the same time (say, for example, if he has money tied up in real estate or something), are there rules that dictate who should get paid first?

Let's say....

  • Shimon is Reuven's brother
  • Levi lent Reuven more money than anyone else did
  • Yehudah's loan is the most recent
  • Reuven's debt to Yissachar is the smallest (and the only one that can be paid in full, at this time)
  • Zevulun has been owed money by Reuven for the longest time of all the debtors

Would any of these cases (or any other) require Reuven to pay back any one debtor before any other?

Isaac Moses
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MTL
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  • Clearly not Rfפ, as the OP's name matches none of the above. – MTL Feb 03 '15 at 02:18
  • You are asking a great question. Dare I suggest that this be asked of a financial expert. I have seen, but don't remember where, advise on which bills to pay first. I seem to recall that immediate, essential bills (such as rent, gas, electric, phone, food, etc.) come first. As your scenario refers to loans (assuming at no interest) paying off a small amount to each might be a nice gesture but I am thinking that paying off one loan in its entirety makes the most sense. Business Halacha Institute of Brooklyn would be an excellent source to ask your question. – JJLL Feb 03 '15 at 04:45
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    how about Gad is the poorest, Asher is Reuven's son, Naftali is owed damages, Joseph is a kohen who can accept Pidyon haben for Benjamin (Reuben's other son), and Dinah (Reuben's ex wife), is owed her ketuba. As for Dan, Dan Yadin (dan will judge) (the case). – Clint Eastwood Feb 03 '15 at 05:01
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    @JJLL I'm not asking for best practice, I'm looking for what halacha requires. – MTL Feb 03 '15 at 06:09
  • @ClintEastwood It's a little complicated, but it just might work :) – MTL Feb 03 '15 at 06:09
  • Are you expecting the answer to be different if Reuven doesn't have the money to pay some of them at all? – Yishai Feb 03 '15 at 19:49
  • @Yishai I don't know. – MTL Feb 03 '15 at 20:32
  • @Shokhet, then perhaps expand the question to allow for that possibility as well? After all, the answer basically went for the case where there isn't enough money. – Yishai Feb 03 '15 at 22:48
  • @shokhet. Someone appears to have deleted part of my response. Yes, I am aware that you are seeking a halakhic answer. That's why I suggested Business Halachic Institute. Questions such as yours is their speciality. I get email from them several times a week. Next time I do I'll pass on the info to you. – JJLL Feb 04 '15 at 02:56
  • @JJLL Comments can only be edited by moderators, and they usually let you know that they've done so....and besides, the little feather quill pen that signifies "edited comment" will show up. Did you write a second comment that got deleted? // Thanks for the advice about BHI -- I'm considering sending this question to the email address on their page. – MTL Feb 04 '15 at 03:03

1 Answers1

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Firstly, we already learned in a Kesuvos (Ch. 9 Mishna 10) that רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, אֵין מְרַחֲמִין בַּדִּין - family ties, poverty and pity play no role when deciding who gets paid first.

Your question is somewhat dependant on whether the various people are asking for payment, in what order they ask for payment and whose due date is first.

If they all have asked for payment then the Halocho says that it's FIFO. See Choshen Mishpot סימן צט - כיצד משביעין ללוה that says that after providing the debtor with his basic needs we pay the creditors in the order they lent money.

וְכָל הַיָּתֵר עַל צָרְכּוֹ יִתֵּן לְבַעַל חוֹבוֹ רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן, עַד שֶׁיַּגְבֶּנּוּ כָּל חוֹבוֹ‏

However, look at סימן קא - מגבין לבעל חוב מעות in Siman 10. If a single creditor asks for money, we pay him. In the case where he was paid with real-estate, then an earlier creditor could take that real-estate away from the later creditor, if he asks to be paid and the debtor has no money.

אֲפִלּוּ הוּא מְשֻׁעְבָּד לִכְתֻבַּת אִשָּׁה אוֹ לְבַעַל חוֹב שֶׁקָּדַם, מַגְבִּין לְזֶה מִיָּד, וְאִם יָבֹא רִאשׁוֹן וְיִטְרֹף, יִטְרֹף‏

For all the rules, it seems you'd have to learn סימן קד - דין בעל חוב מאחר שקדם וגבה מקרקעי או מטלטלי that discusses the minor details. He starts with the simple case:

א: מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ עָלָיו בַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת הַרְבֵּה, כָּל מִי שֶׁקָּדַם זְמַן קִנְיָן שֶׁל שְׁטָרוֹ, קוֹדֵם הוּא לִגְבּוֹת, בֵּין קַרְקַע בֵּין מִטַּלְטְלִים, אֲפִלּוּ אִם הִגִּיעַ זְמַן פֵּרָעוֹן שֶׁל הַמְאֻחָר קֹדֶם ‏

One who has multiple creditors, whoever's IOU is earlier gets precedence, even if the due date of a later IOU is earlier.

If all the IOUs have the same date, then it's first come first serve:

ח: הָיוּ עָלָיו בַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת הַרְבֵּה, כֻּלָּם בְּיוֹם אֶחָד אוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת, בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין שָׁעוֹת, אֵין בָּהֶם דִּין קְדִימָה, וְכָל הַקּוֹדֵם לִגְבּוֹת זָכָה, בֵּין מְקַרְקְעֵי בֵּין מִטַּלְטְלֵי. ‏

And if they all come together? then they divide it up - each one getting a ratio of his debt if there's not enough money, as described:

י: שְׁטָרוֹת שֶׁזְּמַן כֻּלָּם יוֹם אֶחָד אוֹ שָׁעָה אַחַת, בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין שָׁעוֹת, וּבָאוּ כֻּלָּם בְּיַחַד לִגְבּוֹת, וְכֵן בַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם קוֹדֵם לִזְמַן חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁבָּאוּ לִגְבּוֹת מִטַּלְטְלֵי, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין בָּהֶם דִּין קְדִימָה, אוֹ שֶׁבָּאוּ לִגְבּוֹת מִקַרְקְעֵי שֶׁקָּנָה הַלּוֶֹה לְאַחַר שֶׁלָּוָה מֵהָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבָּהֶם וְאֵין בַּנְּכָסִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּגְבֶּה כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם חוֹבוֹ, מְחַלְּקִים בֵּינֵיהֶם. כֵּיצַד חוֹלְקִים, אִם כְּשֶׁיִּתְחַלֵּק הַמָּמוֹן הַנִּמְצָא עַל מִנְיָנָם יַגִּיעַ לַפָּחוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם כְּשִׁעוּר חוֹבוֹ, (אוֹ פָּחוֹת, חוֹלְקִים לְפִי מִנְיָנָם בְּשָׁוֶה וְאִם יַגִּיעַ לַפָּחוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם יוֹתֵר עַל חוֹבוֹ, חוֹלְקִים מִכָּל הַמָּמוֹן בֵּינֵיהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לַפָּחוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם כְּשִׁעוּר חוֹבוֹ) . וְחוֹזְרִים הַנִּשְׁאָרִים מִבַּעֲלֵי חוֹבוֹת, וְחוֹלְקִים (הַיָּתֵר) בֵּינֵיהֶם בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֹּאת. כֵּיצַד, הָיוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה חוֹבוֹת, שֶׁל זֶה ק' וְשֶׁל זֶה ר' וְשֶׁל זֶה ש', אִם הָיָה כָּל הַנִּמְצָא שָׁם ש', נוֹטְלִים ק''ק. וְכֵן אִם נִמְצָא שָׁם פָּחוֹת מִש', חוֹלְקִים בְּשָׁוֶה, נִמְצָא שָׁם יוֹתֵר עַל ש', חוֹלְקִים ש' בְּשָׁוֶה, וְיִסְתַּלֵּק בַּעַל הַק'. וּשְׁאַר הַמָּמוֹן חוֹלְקִים אוֹתָם הַשְּׁנַיִם עַל אוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ. כֵּיצַד, נִמְצְאוּ שָׁם ת''ק אוֹ פָחוֹת, חוֹלְקִים ש' בְּשָׁוֶה, וְיִסְתַּלֵּק הָאֶחָד, וְחוֹזְרִים וְחוֹלְקִים הָר' אוֹ הַפָּחוֹת, בְּשָׁוֶה; וְיִסְתַּלֵּק הַשֵּׁנִי; נִמְצָא שָׁם ת''ר, חוֹלְקִים ש' בְּשָׁוֶה, וְיִסְתַּלֵּק בַּעַל הַמָּנֶה, וְחוֹזְרִים וְחוֹלְקִים הָר' בֵּין הַשְּׁנַיִם, וְיִסְתַּלֵּק בַּעַל הָר', וְנוֹתְנִין הַק' הַנִּשְׁאָר לְבַעַל הַש', וְנִמְצָא בְּיָדוֹ ש'. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זוֹ חוֹלְקִים, אֲפִלּוּ הֵם מֵאָה, כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ לִגְבּוֹת כְּאֶחָד. ‏

Danny Schoemann
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