Ki Seitzei 22:01 · unit 5

TT #107 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Second Aliyah · Passuk 22:01

The Complete Passuk

לֹא־תִרְאֶה אֶת־שׁוֹר אָחִיךָ אוֹ אֶת־שֵׂיוֹ נִדָּחִים וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ מֵהֶם הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם לְאָחִיךָ׃

You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep straying and hide yourself from them; you shall surely return them to your brother.

Chabad.org — 22:01

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bava Metzia 30b–31a.

Sefaria — Bava Metzia 30b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ מֵהֶם – פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאִי אַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם.

English: “And hide yourself from them” — there are times when you may hide yourself and times when you may not hide yourself.

On the daf / in context: The Gemara explains that a person of elevated status (zaken) or a kohen may be exempt in certain situations where retrieving the animal would be undignified, while an ordinary person is always obligated.

Type of Learning

Derash qualifying the obligation according to the dignity of the finder.

What Is Learned

The obligation to return a lost animal is not absolute in every circumstance; a person of stature may be exempt when retrieval would involve public degradation.