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Inconsistent dollar-shekel exchange rate

שו”תInconsistent dollar-shekel exchange rate
asked 8 months ago

 
Hello Rabbi,
I have a professional who provides services to my business, at prices based on a dollar rate, since this is a product that I export. Occasionally, irregularly, he requests payment for several transactions at once, but the process is not organized. He often asks to calculate the payment according to a different dollar-shekel exchange rate, which is not always understandable.
For the sake of example only, today he issued an invoice for $700, and asked to calculate at a rate of 3.65 (2,555 NIS),
Today the representative rate closed at 3.66
While on the Bank of Israel website the representative rate yesterday was 3.63. The gap is 14 NIS.
It is important to note that the lack of transparency does not bother me in terms of the fact that he charges me a little more. I am ready for this and will waive any overcharging if there is any. What worries me is whether this way of conducting business poses a risk of interest being prohibited.
Thank you in advance for your guidance.


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0 Answers
מיכי Staff answered 8 months ago
No, there is no need to worry. This is a translation of a title and is not collected as a gift from a donor.

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השואל replied 8 months ago

I would appreciate a little more elaboration because I simply don't understand the halakhic logic.
I'm intentionally exaggerating the question
If he can set any rate he wants
Sometimes he can set two percent and sometimes three percent on the amount I owe him, he's actually earning interest on the amount.
What don't I understand here?

דוד ש. replied 8 months ago

Questioner, following these and other questions you asked in the thread about my question, I understand that you don't know at all what the prohibition of interest is. Instead of asking a lot of specific questions, I think you should take a brief look at the laws of interest. All (!) of the questions you asked are very far from interest.

דוד ש. replied 8 months ago

Regardless, if he's actually stealing from you, maybe there's a blind man here. A question for Rabbi Michi.

מיכי Staff replied 8 months ago

Indeed. I see that you are very busy with this. I suggest that you study the laws of interest in an orderly manner.

השואל replied 8 months ago

David S.

I may not have the same knowledge, experience, and Torah understanding as you do when it comes to interest laws.
After studying the halacha on the subject, I found myself even more confused. As someone who is involved in business, I try to move forward and be more careful to observe the halacha better and more accurately than before.
My question stems from reading the following article:
https://www.dirshu.co.il/%D7%94%D7%90%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%A8-%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%A7%D7%90-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9C-%D7%AA%D7%9E%D7%9 9%D7%93-%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%93-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%A8-%D7%9C%D7%94/?srsltid=AfmBOoqLKiNLhppWA2M2xf04Ef8TxFUtAqxkihQyw2tg9tPX6mQ-LKtm

After reading the article, I wondered whether a payment against another currency is considered interest, especially when the business owner is the one who determines the exchange rate.
If you have knowledge of these laws, I would appreciate it if you could explain why this situation is not considered interest.
Thank you very much!

דוד ש. replied 8 months ago

I don't mean to be a complainer. I'm really saying that you should at least learn the basic laws of interest. It's very (very) clear why interest is involved in the article in the ’Darshu’ and not in your questions. Don't read articles about interest, read a summary of a few paragraphs about the principles of interest, that will be enough.
I understand very little about the laws of interest, but there is a little that I remember for you:
The three basic conditions for interest are 1. Loan 2. Addition to the principal 3. Pre-condition of the addition.
From here it gets more complicated, a common red flag is “withholding fee” – If you were paid for withholding your money, suddenly your money looks like a loan.
Basically, if you don't have all three or something similar, you don't have a case to argue at all. (Even if there is no 3, it is considered “usury dust” and is forbidden by the Rabbis, but here it gets complicated, I think… I am not an expert myself)
The Rabbis also have ‘late usury’ ‘early usury’ and ’usury of things’… In short, there is something to learn. But all your questions are not at all about a loan or anything similar to a loan or a gift of some kind.

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