Responsa for Bava Metzia 142:8
אלא אמר רב פפא כגון שנטל ונתן ביד ואכתי מאי למימרא מהו דתימא נכרי גופיה כי עביד אדעתא דישראל קא גמיר ויהיב קמ"ל
AN ISRAELITE MAY LEND A HEATHEN'S MONEY [ON INTEREST] WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HEATHEN, BUT NOT OF THE ISRAELITE. Our Rabbis taught: An Israelite may lend a heathen's money [on interest] with the knowledge of the heathen, but not of the Israelite. E.g., if an Israelite borrowed money from a heathen on interest, and was about to repay it, when another Israelite met him and proposed. 'Give it to me and I will pay you as you pay him' — that is forbidden; but if he presented him to the heathen,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., obtained the Gentile's authority for the transaction. ');"><sup>7</sup></span>
Teshuvot Maharam
Q. A received money from B for the purpose of buying for him garments from a Gentile. He paid the Gentile only part of the price of the garments. The Gentile forgot the balance due him, and did not ask for it for two years. A wants to retain the balance for himself.
A. B gave money to A for the express purpose of paying the Gentile. As long as A does not pay the Gentile, the money belongs to B and A has no right to keep it. Moreover A has no right to give the money to the Gentile after the latter forgot about it; for, if A wants to sanctify the name of the Lord by paying the Gentile money the latter forgot about, let him (A) do so with his own money, as he cannot use another person's money for such a purpose.
SOURCES: Cr. 50; Pr. 326, 953; L. 335; Mord. B. K. 168, 169; ibid. Ket. 258; Tesh. Maim. to Kinyan 20; Asheri B. K. 10, 21; Tur Hoshen Mishpat, 183; Isserlein, Pesakim 166.
A. B gave money to A for the express purpose of paying the Gentile. As long as A does not pay the Gentile, the money belongs to B and A has no right to keep it. Moreover A has no right to give the money to the Gentile after the latter forgot about it; for, if A wants to sanctify the name of the Lord by paying the Gentile money the latter forgot about, let him (A) do so with his own money, as he cannot use another person's money for such a purpose.
SOURCES: Cr. 50; Pr. 326, 953; L. 335; Mord. B. K. 168, 169; ibid. Ket. 258; Tesh. Maim. to Kinyan 20; Asheri B. K. 10, 21; Tur Hoshen Mishpat, 183; Isserlein, Pesakim 166.
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