(א) לֹֽא־תִרְאֶה֩ אֶת־שׁ֨וֹר אָחִ֜יךָ א֤וֹ אֶת־שֵׂיוֹ֙ נִדָּחִ֔ים וְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֵ֖ם לְאָחִֽיךָ׃ (ב) וְאִם־לֹ֨א קָר֥וֹב אָחִ֛יךָ אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְלֹ֣א יְדַעְתּ֑וֹ וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְהָיָ֣ה עִמְּךָ֗ עַ֣ד דְּרֹ֤שׁ אָחִ֙יךָ֙ אֹת֔וֹ וַהֲשֵׁבֹת֖וֹ לֽוֹ׃ (ג) וְכֵ֧ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַחֲמֹר֗וֹ וְכֵ֣ן תַּעֲשֶׂה֮ לְשִׂמְלָתוֹ֒ וְכֵ֣ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֗ה לְכׇל־אֲבֵדַ֥ת אָחִ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאבַ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וּמְצָאתָ֑הּ לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לְהִתְעַלֵּֽם׃ {ס}
(1) If you see your fellow’s ox or sheep gone astray, do not ignore it; you must take it back to your fellow. (2) If your fellow does not live near you or you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home and it shall remain with you until your fellow claims it; then you shall give it back to him. (3) You shall do the same with his ass; you shall do the same with his garment; and so too shall you do with anything that your fellow loses and you find: you must not remain indifferent.
(ט) אֵיזוֹ הִיא אֲבֵדָה,
מָצָא חֲמוֹר אוֹ פָרָה רוֹעִין בַּדֶּרֶךְ, אֵין זוֹ אֲבֵדָה.
חֲמוֹר וְכֵלָיו הֲפוּכִין, פָּרָה רָצָה בֵּין הַכְּרָמִים, הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲבֵדָה.
הֶחֱזִירָהּ וּבָרְחָה, הֶחֱזִירָהּ וּבָרְחָה, אֲפִילוּ אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים, חַיָּב לְהַחֲזִירָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב) הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֵם.
(9) Which is the item that is considered lost property?
- If one found a donkey or a cow grazing on the path, that is not lost property, as presumably the owners are nearby and are aware of the animals’ whereabouts.
- If one found a donkey with its saddle overturned, or a cow that ran through the vineyards, that is lost property.
- In a case where one returned the lost animal and it ran away, and he again returned it and it ran away, even if this happens four or five times, he is obligated to return it each time, as it is stated: “You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep wandering and disregard them; you shall return them to your brother” (Deuteronomy 22:1).
- What are the kinds of things that you might find out in the world that would want to keep?
- Imagine you found a lost dog. Why is it important to return the dog to its owner?
- What could help you find the dog's owner?
(ה) אף השמלה היתה בכלל כל אלה. למה יצאת. להקיש אליה, לומר לך, מה שמלה מיחדת שיש בה סימנים ויש לה תובעים, אף כל דבר שיש בו סימנים ויש לו תובעים חיב להכריז.
(5) A garment is included with all of these (lost objects)! Why [did the Torah] specify it?
To say to you: A garment can be identified by special markings [like a name tag or other identifiers], and you must announce that you have found it so that its owner can collect it.
So, to, any lost object that can be identified by special markings has to be announced.
- What special markings could a dress have that would help you return it to its owner?
- What special markings could a dog have that would help you return it to its owner?
- What if the object has no special markings, like a plain pencil or pen? What would you do?