Q: What are the responsibilities of the borrower to the lender?

A: There is a mitzvah upon the borrower to repay the lender. A person who borrows and does not repay is called “wicked” (Kesuvos 86a; Avos 2:14). Therefore, one should not borrow if he does not have a plan how to repay. Nor may the borrower squander his money so that he will be unable to pay when the loan is due (C.M. 97:4; Ahavas Chesed II, ch. 24).

The borrower is not allowed to withhold payment or stall the lender past the due date if he has the money (C.M. 97:3). If the lender is not present, the borrower is required to make sure that he has money available after the due date to repay the lender when he asks (C.M. 73:8). If the borrower refuses to pay when he is able to, some consider him a thief retroactively (Imrei Bina, Gevias Chov #2).

Conversely, if the lender knows that the borrower is not in a position to repay now, he may not pressure him or behave in a way that will embarrass him (97:2; see Pischei Choshen, Halva’ah 2:8).