Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 22:2/רמב"ן על דברים כ״ב:ב׳
אוְאִם לֹא קָרוֹב אָחִיךָ אֵלֶיךָ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ קָרוֹב אֶצְלְךָ, כִּי אֵינְךָ מִתְחַיֵּב לָלֶכֶת אֶל אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת עִם הָאֲבֵדָה לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ אֵלָיו, אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָדַעְתָּ אוֹתוֹ כְּלָל. וּבְסִפְרֵי (תצא מז), אֵין לִי אֶלָּא קָרוֹב, רָחוֹק מִנַּיִן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְלֹא יְדַעְתּוֹ, וא"כ יֹאמַר וְאִם לֹא קָרוֹב אָחִיךָ אֵלֶיךָ בְּעִירְךָ שֶׁתִּשְׁאַל עָלָיו וְתֵדָעֶנּוּ, יִהְיֶה עִמְּךָ עַד דְּרֹשׁ אָחִיךָ אֹתוֹ:
1AND IF THY BROTHER BE NOT NIGH UNTO THEE — meaning that he does not reside near you, for it is not your duty to go to another land with the lost article in order to restore it to him, or that you do not know him at all. In the Sifre we find:129 223. “I know only that one is obligated to restore lost property if the loser lives nearby. Whence do I know that he must also do so if he lives far away? From what Scripture states, and thou know him not.”130 And if so, the phrase and if thy brother be not nigh unto thee means that he is “not near you” in your city that you may inquire about him and identify him [as the rightful claimant], then it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it.