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By Rabbi Rami Pavolotzky,
B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica

Translated by Inés Baum - Proofreading by Ellen Zindler

One of the verses of this week’s parashah says: “Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide thyself from them; thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again” (Deuteronomy 22:4). Rashi explains that what is regulated here is the precept of lifting the load that has fallen from an animal. The same commentator explains that the obligation to help unload an animal’s burden is found in the verse, “If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under its burden, thou shalt forbear to pass by him; thou shalt surely release it with him” (Exodus 23:5).

Our verse refers to “thy brother”, while the Exodus speaks of “thy enemy” (“him that hateth thee”). Nachmanides explains that, since a positive precept regarding enemies is referred therein, the intended lesson is that when others have troubles and sufferings, we must forget the grudges we feel and see that fraternity prevails. Actually, according to what Rabbi Edery writes in his commentary, one of the purposes of this mitzvah is to repress our bad instincts regarding the enemy.

Sages also learned from these two verses that people can charge when they help load an animal, but they are not allowed to receive any reward when they help unload, since in this case what prevails is the precept of tzaar baalei chayim, that is, you must avoid the needless suffering of animals.

Perhaps what is most striking in these two verses is that both end with the Hebrew word imo, “with him” or “alongside him”. The literal interpretation of this word is that we should help load or unload the animal along with its owner. This detail is a little bit strange, for first of all, one would say that the Torah’s intention is that if one is walking along a road and meets an animal and its owner, in trouble, you must collaborate unilaterally, without expecting anything from the other. However, it seems that the obligation lies with the one who is walking by as well as with the one who is leading the animal. How can we understand this?

The Talmud explains that the Torah’s intention is to prevent the owner of the animal from sitting and resting, saying “Since the commandment is incumbent upon you, if you want to load, [go ahead and] load!”. In that case, the person is exempt from helping the owner (Baba Metzia 32:1). Therefore, the ending imo, “alongside him”, teaches us that the responsibility here is mutual: the animal’s owner as well as the one who’s walking by must work together to free the animal from its suffering.

Although this verse seems to have a very restricted application, we can learn from it a wide and general principle: when someone gives you a hand, it is not only expected that you be grateful but also that you make an effort to improve your situation. As Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk said: people receive help from the heavens to improve in their study of Torah and their observance of mitzvot, on condition that they do their best to improve themselves day and night.

When we face a problem it is healthy to ask for help in a timely manner, it is healthy to accept help from others, and it is praiseworthy to express our thanks for what we receive. Nevertheless, to be upright also implies making a personal effort to forge ahead. The world that surrounds us cannot solve our problems on its own; rather, it can help us to stand on our feet again, arrange our baggage, and keep on walking forward.

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Forwarded by Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, from Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, Panama.
Translated by Inés Baum and proofread by Ellen Zindler, from B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica.

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