Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 222/ספרי דברים רכ״ב
א(שמות כג ה) ״כִּי תִרְאֶה״, יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ רָחוֹק מִמֶּנּוּ מְלֹא מִיל? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כג ד): ״כִּי תִפְגַּע״. אִי ״כִּי תִפְגַּע״, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״כִּי תִרְאֶה״. הָא כֵּיצַד? שִׁעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים אֶחָד מִשִּׁבְעָה וּמֶחֱצָה בַּמִּיל, שֶׁהוּא רִיס.
1Pisqa’ 222621. “When you see63 root: r-‘-h. your rival’s ass crouching beneath its burden,and you refrain from aiding him—you must exert yourself to aid him” (Ex. 23:5).Is it possible to say thatthe rule applies even if you are a full mil,64 away?The Teaching states:“When you encounter65 root: n-g-`, “to strike against.” your enemy’s ox or ass” (Ex. 23:4).The verse specifies encounter—should I infer thatthe usual sense of the term is meant?The Teaching states:“When you see” (Ex. 23:5)—[suggesting a distant sighting].So, how do we understand this?Sages defined the distance as a ris66—equivalent to one-seventh of a miland then some.67[One can “see” the animal from the distance of a ris; an “encounter”requires only a few cubits].68’, 20.
ב[״וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ״,] נִמְצֵינוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁהוּא עוֹבֵר עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה וְעַל מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
22. “When you encounter your enemy’s ox or ass gone astray,make every effort to return him” (Ex. 23:4).We turn out to learn about transgressing botha prescriptive commandment and a proscriptive commandment.
געָזוֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ – זוֹ פְּרִיקָה; הָקֵם תָּקִים עִמּוֹ – זוֹ טְעִינָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶן בְּתֵירָה.
3“You must exert yourself to aid him” (Ex. 23:5)—[The prescription is to] help unburden the ass.“You shall not see your brother’s ass fallen in the road, while you ignore him.You must labor to get him on his feet” (Dt. 22:4)—[The proscription is against] over-loading the beast:Words of R. Judah b. Bethyra.69
ד(דברים כב א) לֹא תִרְאֶה אֶת שׁוֹר אָחִיךָ – מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כג ד) ״כִּי תִפְגַּע״ – מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה.
4“You shall not see your brother’s ox” (Dt. 22:1)—this is a proscriptive commandment.Yet, elsewhere He states:“When you encounter your enemy’s ox or ass” (Ex. 23:4)—This is a prescriptive commandment.
השׁוֹר אָחִיךָ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שׁוֹר אָחִיךָ; שׁוֹר אוֹיִבְךָ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כג ד): ״אוֹיִבְךָ״, מִכָּל מָקוֹם. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אָחִיךָ? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא דִבְּרָה תוֹרָה אֶלָּא כְּנֶגֶד הַיֵּצֶר.
5“Your brother’s ox” (Dt. 22:1)—I might infer only thatthe rule applies to your brother’s ox!On what basis to I includeeven your enemy’s ox?The Teaching states:“Your enemy’s ox” (Ex. 23:4)—[help the animal] no matter who owns it!If so, why does it specify “your brother?”Actually, it teaches thatthe point of the Torah isto defeat the rebellious urge[which can even challenge brotherly love]!70 225.1.
ואוֹ אֶת שֵׂיוֹ נִדָּחִים – כְּדֶרֶךְ הַדָּחָתָם. מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (ב״מ פ״ב מ״ט): אֵיזוֹ הִיא אֲבֵדָה? מָצָא חֲמוֹר אוֹ פָּרָה רוֹעִים בַּדֶּרֶךְ – אֵין זוֹ אֲבֵדָה. חֲמוֹר וְכֵלָיו הֲפוּכִים, פָּרָה וְרָצָה בֵּין הַכְּרָמִים – הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲבֵדָה.
63. “Or his sheep driven off” (Dt. 22:1)—however they might have been scattered.On this basis you can teach:How is a lost object defined?If he found an ass or a cowgrazing in a path, that’s no lost object!But an ass with its burden in disaray,or a cow running through a vineyard—Now, that’s a lost object! 71
זוְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ מֵהֶם – פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם. כֵּיצַד? הָיָה כֹהֵן – וְהִיא בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה זָקֵן – וְאֵינָהּ לְפִי כְבוֹדוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה שֶׁלּוֹ מְרֻבָּה מִשֶּׁל חֲבֵרוֹ – פָּטוּר! לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ – פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם.
74. “While you turn a blind eye to them” (Dt. 22:1)—sometimes you do turn a blind eye,and sometimes you don’t turn a blind eye.72 20.For example?If the passer-by was a Priestand the cow was in a graveyard[which Priests may not enter, lest they contractthe uncleanness of corpses];or, if the passer-by was old,and chasing cows is beneath his dignity;or, if the cost to the passer-by [of retrieval] is greater than[the value of the cow] to its owner—[in all these cases,] the passer-byis exempt from the rule.This is why the verse states:“You turn a blind eye to them” (Dt. 22:1)—sometimes you turn a blind eye,and sometimes you don’t turn a blind eye,[one’s obligation depends upon the facts of the case].73’, 20 and Pisqa’ 225.3.
חהָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם, הֶחֱזִירָהּ וּבָרְחָה הֶחֱזִירָהּ וּבָרְחָה, אֲפִלּוּ חָמֵשׁ פְּעָמִים – חַיָּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם; הֶחֱזִירָהּ לְמָקוֹם שֶׁרָאוּהָ אֲחֵרִים, לֹא יִטַּפְּלוּ בָהּ. נִגְנְבָה אוֹ אָבְדָה – חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָהּ. לְעוֹלָם חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָהּ, עַד שֶׁיַּכְנִיסֶנָּה לִרְשׁוּתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם לְאָחִיךָ.
85. “Make every effort to return them” (Dt. 22:1).If he returned the sheep, and she escaped;he returned her again, and again she escaped—even five times!—he is obliged to return her,for it is said:“Make every effort to return them to your brother” (Dt. 22:1)—[including multiple efforts].74Now, if he returned her to a spot whereothers could look after her,he needn’t attend her needs any further.But, if she was stolenor lost under his care,he would be obliged to replace her.In fact, the passer-by is obligedto replace the [lost] beast until sheactually enters her owner’s property, 75as it is said:“Make every effort to return them” (Dt. 22:1)—[until they have in fact been successfully returned].