Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 223/ספרי דברים רכ״ג
א(דברים כב ב) וְאִם לֹא קָרוֹב אָחִיךָ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא קָרוֹב. רָחוֹק מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְלֹא יְדַעְתּוֹ.
1Pisqa’ 223761. “But if your brother does not live near you” (Dt. 22:2)—I might infer only that the rule appliesif he does not live nearby.How do I know thatit surely applies if he lives far away?The Teaching states:“And you don’t know him well” (Dt. 22:2)—[as a result of the distance between you].
בוַאֲסַפְתּוֹ אֶל תּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ – וְלֹא לְבַיִת אַחֵר.
22. “Then you shall gather it into your household” (Dt. 22:2)—but not into another household,[expecting its residents to care for it].
גוְהָיָה עִמְּךָ עַד דְּרֹשׁ אָחִיךָ אֹתוֹ, וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן סִימָנִים? אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר עַד דְּרֹשׁ אָחִיךָ אֹתוֹ? עַד שֶׁתִּדְרֹשׁ אֶת אָחִיךָ אִם רַמַּי הוּא אִם אֵינוֹ רַמַּי.
3“Where it shall remain with you until your brother inquires after it” (Dt. 22:2).Now can you possibly imagine thatyou would return it to himbefore he specified its markings?If so, why is it stated:“Until your brother inquires after it” (Dt. 22:2)—[that is, even without specifying its markings.[You needn’t return the animal]until you inquire [and confirm] thatyour brother is not a cheat. 77
דוַהֲשֵׁבֹתוֹ לוֹ – אַף אֶת עַצְמוֹ אַתָּה מֵשִׁיב לוֹ!
4“And then return it to him” (Dt. 22:2)—[Furthermore,] if [your brother] himself is lost,you should guide him home.78