Did not tear up the loan document after repaying the money
Question
Shalom.
A borrower took money from a young man and wrote him a loan document (shtar). Afterwards the borrower repaid the debt, but did not make sure that the lender tore up the document. Is there any problem with this?
Answer
Shalom u-vracha.
From the perspective of concern that the debt might be collected a second time, there is no need to worry. However, regarding the verse "Al tashken be'ohalekha avla" ("Do not let iniquity dwell in your tent"), the lender is forbidden to keep a paid-up document in his house, but for the borrower there is no problem.
Source
We rule that one who admits to a document that he wrote must have it authenticated, and as long as it has not been authenticated he can claim that the debt has been paid, by virtue of the fact that he could have claimed that it is forged; see siman 46. Regarding the prohibition for a person to keep a paid-up document in his possession, see siman 57, se'if 1.
