There is an old brown St Bernard named Max that on occasion winds its way around the interconnected streets of our neighborhood and plops itself down on our front lawn. Out of breath from his journey through various backyards, we offer Max a little water and then push him into our minivan to return him to his owner around the corner from us. No matter what is happening in our lives at the time we would do this because we know the pain of a lost dog, and we know it is our obligation to get Max home.
This week’s Torah portion, Ki Teitzei, spends two whole verses on the issue of lost animals. In Deuteronomy 22:1 the Torah states: “If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep gone astray, do not ignore it; you must take it back to your peer.” Then, as the 13th Century French commentator Chizkuni states: “the Torah is so serious about this demand that it repeats it with slightly different wording in the verse immediately following.” Why?
Returning an animal to its owner is hard. First you must collect the animal, then you must locate its owner, and only then can you make the return. Given this, why put so much emphasis on this duty? Loving your neighbor as yourself means feeling their pain. In the world of our ancestors, a lost animal was also a lost livelihood. Today, a pet is a member of the household. Losing one can lead to great emotional distress. Returning the animal is an act of chesed, loving kindness, both to the animal and to our fellow human being. And, as hard as it is, it is also one of the most rewarding things we can do. The look on Max’s owner’s face when we make the return is one of profound relief and gratitude. That alone is worth all the effort.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex