Cash Payment for a Loan Made in Installments
Question
My mother-in-law paid for me in a store in two installments as a loan, and the next day I paid her back the full amount. My question is: is there any ribbit here, since in effect I repaid the debt early, before the charge for the second installment was taken from her, and if so, the repayment was in a better form than the loan. Perhaps this is similar to the case of “do for me during the gadir season, and I will do for you during the reviah season.”
Answer
Shalom u’vrachah
It is forbidden to stipulate in advance that she will pay for you in installments and you will pay her in cash, since this falls under the category of “lend me, and I will lend you.”
However, if it was not stipulated in advance, it is permitted.
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