In this week’s parsha, Parshas Ki Seitzei, we are commanded regarding the mitzvah of ha’shavas aveidah, returning a lost item to its owner.  

The pasukim instruct us: לֹֽא־תִרְאֶה֩ אֶת־שׁ֨וֹר אָחִ֜יךָ א֤וֹ אֶת־שֵׂיוֹ֙ נִדָּחִ֔ים וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֵ֖ם לְאָחִֽיךָ - you shall not see the ox of your brother or his sheep or his goat cast off and hide yourself from them; you shall surely return them to your brother (Devarim 22:1).  Rashi explains: וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ: כּוֹבֵשׁ עַיִן כְּאִלּוּ אֵינוֹ רוֹאֵהוּ - you shall not hide yourself: do not ‘cover’ or avert your eyes, and pretend not to see the lost item of your fellow (so that you shall not have to return it to him).  

Does the mitzvah apply only to the ox, sheep or goat of your fellow?  The Torah further instructs us: וְכֵ֧ן תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַֽחֲמֹר֗וֹ וְכֵ֣ן תַּֽעֲשֶׂה֘ לְשִׂמְלָתוֹ֒ וְכֵ֨ן תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֜ה לְכָל־אֲבֵדַ֥ת אָחִ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאבַ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וּמְצָאתָ֑הּ לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לְהִתְעַלֵּֽם - So shall you do for his (lost) donkey, and so shall you do for his (lost) garment, and so shall you do with any lost article of your brother which he has lost and you have found. You shall not turn away and ignore it (22:3). 

Furthermore, the next pasuk addresses the animal of a friend that is crouching and staggering beneath the burden he is carrying.  לֹֽא־תִרְאֶה֩ אֶת־חֲמ֨וֹר אָחִ֜יךָ א֤וֹ שׁוֹרוֹ֙ נֹֽפְלִ֣ים בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם הָקֵ֥ם תָּקִ֖ים עִמּֽוֹ - You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox falling [under its load] on the road, and turn away from them; you shall pick up the load with him (‘him’ being ‘your fellow’) (22:4).  

This is not the first time we are commanded regarding a mitzvah of helping our friends with their animals.  Earlier in Sefer Shemos, we are commanded: כִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֞ה חֲמ֣וֹר שׂנַֽאֲךָ֗ רֹבֵץ֙ תַּ֣חַת מַשָּׂא֔וֹ וְחָֽדַלְתָּ֖ מֵֽעֲזֹ֣ב ל֑וֹ עָזֹ֥ב תַּֽעֲזֹ֖ב עִמּֽוֹ - If you see your enemy's donkey crouching under its burden, will you refrain from helping him? You shall surely help along with him (Shemos 23:5).

It is compelling and noteworthy to point out that in our parsha, the verses refer to the animals of one’s brother - אָחִ֛יךָ - while in Shemos (Parshas Mishpatim), the verse refers to the animal of one’s enemy, שׂנַֽאֲךָ֗.  

Why this discrepancy, when at the time of Matan Torah (Parshios Yisro and Mishpatim are the parshios of Matan Torah) he is called ‘your enemy’, while here, in year forty, at the end of desert wanderings, he is called ‘your friend’?  

Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski z’l powerfully answers in the name of Rav Meir Simcha ha’Kohen m’Dvinsk (known after his famous commentary to Chumash, the Meshech Chochmah), “On the verse from Shemos, the Gemara asks, ‘How does the Torah condone hating someone?’  Chazal answer, ‘This means that he hates someone because that person has behaved immorally’ (Pesachim 113a, as quoted by Rabbi Dr. Twerski).  One is permitted to despise depraved and immoral behavior.

“Why then, does the Torah not use the same expression here in Sefer Devarim, in our parsha?  Why does it now use the term ‘your brother’?

“The Meshech Chochmah’s answer is a truism that everyone should take to heart.  It is a vital concept, whose observance could be our salvation.

“The mitzvah in Sefer Shemos, the Meshech Chochmah explains, was given before the sin of the Golden Calf (which occurs in Parshas Ki Tisa, Shemos Ch.32).  At that time, all the Israelites were in an exceptionally elevated state of spirituality, similar to that of angels.  If anyone rejected this spiritual state to engage in loathsome behavior, it was permissible to despise his behavior.  After the sin of the Golden Calf, when we no longer have this level of spirituality, we must realize how vulnerable we all are to improper behavior, and it is, therefore, forbidden to hate any person, regardless of how objectionable his behavior may be.  Today we are all brothers, and the commandment, ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart’ (Vayikra 19:17) applies to everyone - each and every Jew.

“The Gemara says that Jerusalem was destroyed and we were driven into exile because of the baseless hatred and dissension that prevailed among us (Yoma 9b).  We hope for the Ultimate Redemption.  We can hasten its arrival by incorporating this teaching into our own lives, and have love for one another without exception” (Twerski on Chumash, The Shaar Press, p.406-407).

In a time when the vicious enemies, may their names be blotted out, arise all over the world to destroy us once again;

When our precious Land is under attack on every border;

When university campuses and government offices are full of libelous slander against Am Yisrael;

When the liberal media denigrates, demonizes, and debases Israel and Jews from all walks of life; 

When our hostages remain in captivity in the depths of horrific tunnels and hellish conditions, may the Almighty have mercy upon His children, and it is almost one year since the pogrom of October 7;

We would do well to internalize this message.  We must remember that we are all brothers, we must know who the enemy is and who the enemy is not, and we must come together, b’achdut, to effect the Redemption we so desperately await.

When we recognize that to be part of Am Yisrael, the Nation of Israel, is to be Im Yisrael, with Israel (as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt’l teaches), then we will work together to increase love between Jews, and in this merit, may Hashem’s love for His children overflow, and the Redemption finally arrive. 

בברכת בשורות טובות ושבת שלום