Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 224/ספרי דברים רכ״ד
א(דברים כב ג) וְכֵן תַּעֲשֶׂה לַחֲמוֹרוֹ, הָיְתָה חֲמוֹר – עוֹשָׂה וְאוֹכֶלֶת;
1Pisqa’ 224791. “Thus shall you treat his ass, as well as his garment,as well as any of your brother’s lost property, which he has lost” (Dt. 22:3).If it was an ass [that he lost],it works [for the finder] and eats [at the finder’s expense].80
בכְּסוּת – מְנַעֲרָהּ אַחַת לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, שׁוֹטְחָהּ לְצָרְכָהּ אֲבָל לֹא לִכְבוֹדוֹ;
2A [simple] cloak—the finder must shake it out once every thirty days.And he may air it out for its own maintenance,but not to enhance his wardrobe.
גכְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי נְחֹשֶׁת – מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם לְצָרְכָּם, אֲבָל לֹא לְשָׁחֳקָם;
3Silver or bronze pots—the finder may use them for their own maintenance,but not to wear them out.
דכְּלֵי עֵץ – מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֵרָקְבוּ.
4Wooden utensils—the finder may use them to prevent dry-rot.81
האַף הַשִּׂמְלָה הָיְתָה בִּכְלַל כָּל אֵלּוּ, וְלָמָּה יָצָאת? לְהַקִּישׁ אֵלֶיהָ – מָה שִׂמְלָה מְיֻחֶדֶת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ סִימָנִים וְיֵשׁ לָהּ תוֹבְעִים – כָּךְ כָּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ סִימָנִים וְיֵשׁ לוֹ תוֹבְעִים. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ בִּלְבַד, שְׁאָר אֲבֵדָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לְכָל אֲבֵדַת אָחִיךָ.
52. Now, a [fine] garment should be includedwithin the category of lost property—so, why does the verse single it out for special mention?In order to draw out a comparisonwith other lost property!Just as a [fine] garment is distinctive,in that it bears unique markingsand has claimants [who can identify them],so, too, we apply the category of lost propertyto any objectthat bears unique markingsand has claimants [who can identify them].Now, I might infer only thatthese objects alone—[i.e., livestock, garments, utensils]—are included within the rule.On what basis do I includeother sorts of lost objects[such as gold and glassware]?82The Teaching states:“As well as any of your brother’s lost property” (Dt. 22:3).
ואֲשֶׁר תֹּאבַד מִמֶּנּוּ – פְּרָט לְפָחוֹת מִשָּׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: וּמְצָאתָ[הּ] – לְרַבּוֹת פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה!
6“which he has lost” (Dt. 22:3)—except for an object worth less than a perutah.83R. Judah says:“And which you have found” (Dt. 22:3)—the rule includes an object worth even less than a perutah!
זלֹא תוּכַל לְהִתְעַלֵּם – לִתֵּן עָלָיו בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
7“You may not turn a blind eye” (Dt. 22:3)—this phrase treats the rule as a proscription.