Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 225/ספרי דברים רכ״ה
א(דברים כב ד) לֹא תִרְאֶה – מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה; וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כג ה): ״כִּי תִרְאֶה״ – מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה.
1Pisqa’ 225841. “You shall not see your brother’s ox” (Dt. 22:4)—This is a proscriptive commandment.Now, elsewhere, he says:“When you see your rival’s ass” (Ex. 23:5)—this is a prescriptive commandment.
בחֲמוֹר אָחִיךָ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא חֲמוֹר אָחִיךָ; חֲמוֹר שׂוֹנַאֲךָ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כג ה): ״חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ״ מִכָּל מָקוֹם. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אָחִיךָ? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא דִבְּרָה תוֹרָה אֶלָּא כְּנֶגֶד הַיֵּצֶר.
2I might infer only thatthis rule applies to your brother’s ass.How do I know that it also appliesto your rival’s ass?The Teaching states:“Your rival’s ass” (Ex. 23:5)—[thus, anyone’s animal is included in the rule].If so, why does it specify your brother?Actually, it teaches thatthe point of the Torah isto defeat the rebellious urge[which can even overcome brotherly love]!85 222.2 on the same theme and in the same words.
גנֹפְלִים – וְלֹא עוֹמְדִים.
32. “Or his ox has fallen” (Dt. 22:4)—without getting up.
דבַּדֶּרֶךְ – וְלֹא בָּרֶפֶת. מִכָּן אָמְרוּ (בבא מציעא פ״ב מ״י): מְצָאָהּ בָּרֶפֶת אֵין חַיָּב בָּהּ, בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים חַיָּב בָּהּ.
4“In the road” (Dt. 22:4)—but not in the barn.On this basis they taught:If he found her in the barn,he us under no obligation,But if he found her in the public domain,he is obliged to help her up.86
הוְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ – פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם. כֵּיצַד? הָיָה כֹהֵן – וְהֵם בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת; אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה זָקֵן – וְאֵינוֹ לְפִי כְבוֹדוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה אֲבֵדָה שֶׁלּוֹ מְרֻבָּה מִשֶּׁל חֲבֵרוֹ – פָּטוּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ, פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם.
53. “And you turn a blind eye” (Dt. 22:4)—Sometimes you do turn a blind eye,And sometimes you don’t turn a blind eye.For example?If the passer-by is a Priestand the cows are in a graveyard[which Priests may not enter, lest they contractthe uncleanness of corpses];or, if the passer-by is old,and chasing cows is beneath his dignity;or, if the cost to the passer-by [of retrieval] is greater thanthe value of the cow to its owner—the passer-by is 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,[for your obligation varies with the situation].87 222.4.
והָקֵם תָּקִים עִמּוֹ, הֶעֱמִידָהּ – וְנָפְלָה, הֶעֱמִידָהּ – וְנָפְלָה, אֲפִלּוּ חָמֵשׁ פְּעָמִים – חַיָּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָקֵם תָּקִים עִמּוֹ. הָלַךְ וְיָשַׁב לוֹ, וְאָמַר לוֹ: הוֹאִיל וְעָלֶיךָ מִצְוָה, אִם רָצִיתָ לְהָקִים – תָּקִים – פָּטוּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָקֵם תָּקִים עִמּוֹ. יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ זָקֵן, וַאֲפִלּוּ חוֹלֶה, וַאֲפִלּוּ מֻכֵּה שְׁחִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: הָקֵם תָּקִים עִמּוֹ.
64. “You must labor with him to get it on its feet” (Dt. 22:4)—If he helped it up, and it fell;he helped it up again, and again it fell—even five times!—he is obliged to help it up again,for it is said:“You must labor with him to get it on its feet” (Dt. 22:4)—If the owner sat himself down,telling the [helpful passer-by]:Look! This is your commandment!If you want to fulfill it, be my guest!—[the passer-by] is relieved of his obligation.For it is said:“You must labor with him to get it on its feet” (Dt. 22:4)—[but you needn’t do all the work]!88Is it possible to say thateven if [the passer-by] is old,even if he is sick,or even if he is stricken with boils—[he is required to assist the owner]?The Teaching states:“You must labor with him to get him on his feet” (Dt. 22:4).