Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this aliyah, the Torah continues with various mitzvos that teach us how a Yid must act with sensitivity, both toward other people and toward the creations of Hashem. We begin with the halachos of a person who was chayav misah and hung on a gallows, where the Torah warns us not to leave the body overnight because it is a disgrace to Hashem. From there, the Torah transitions into the beautiful mitzvos of bein adam l'chaveiro, specifically the chiyuv of hashavas aveidah.
We also learn the prohibition of standing by and ignoring a fellow Yid's loss or struggle, such as when his animal is collapsing under its load. The aliyah then moves on to the issur of lo yilbash, which keeps the proper boundaries between men and women, and concludes with the special mitzvah of shiluach haken, sending away the mother bird before taking her young.
All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.
פָּסוּק א
Pasuk 1
וְכִיAnd ifיִהְיֶהthere will beבְאִישׁin a manחֵטְאa sinמִשְׁפַּטdeserving judgment ofמָוֶתdeathוְהוּמָתand he is put to deathוְתָלִיתָand you shall hangאֹתוֹhimעַלonעֵץ׃a gallows
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
לֹאnotתָלִיןshall you let remain overnightנִבְלָתוֹhis corpseעַלuponהָעֵץthe gallowsכִּיbutקָבוֹרsurelyתִּקְבְּרֶנּוּyou shall bury himבַּיּוֹםon the dayהַהוּאthatכִּיforקִלְלַתa degradation ofאֱלֹהִיםGodתָּלוּיis an impaled oneוְלֹאand you shall notתְטַמֵּאdefileאֶת—אַדְמָתְךָyour landאֲשֶׁרwhichיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godנֹתֵןis givingלְךָto youנַחֲלָה׃for an inheritance
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
לֹאYou shall notתִרְאֶהseeאֶת—שׁוֹרthe ox ofאָחִיךָyour brotherאוֹorאֶת—שֵׂיוֹhis sheepנִדָּחִיםstrayingוְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּand hide yourselfמֵהֶםfrom themהָשֵׁבsurelyתְּשִׁיבֵםyou shall return themלְאָחִיךָ׃to your brother
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
וְאִםand ifלֹאnotקָרוֹבnearאָחִיךָyour brotherאֵלֶיךָto youוְלֹאand notיְדַעְתּוֹyou know himוַאֲסַפְתּוֹthen you shall gather himאֶלintoתּוֹךְthe midst ofבֵּיתֶךָyour houseוְהָיָהand it shall beעִמְּךָwith youעַדuntilדְּרֹשׁthe seeking ofאָחִיךָyour brotherאֹתוֹitוַהֲשֵׁבֹתוֹand you shall return itלוֹ׃to him
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
וְכֵןAnd soתַּעֲשֶׂהyou shall doלַחֲמֹרוֹto his donkeyוְכֵןand soתַּעֲשֶׂהyou shall doלְשִׂמְלָתוֹto his garmentוְכֵןand soתַּעֲשֶׂהyou shall doלְכָלto everyאֲבֵדַתlost object ofאָחִיךָyour brotherאֲשֶׁרwhichתֹּאבַדshall be lostמִמֶּנּוּfrom himוּמְצָאתָהּand you find itלֹאyou are notתוּכַלableלְהִתְעַלֵּם׃to hide yourself
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
לֹאnotתִרְאֶהshall you seeאֶת—חֲמוֹרthe donkey ofאָחִיךָyour brotherאוֹorשׁוֹרוֹhis oxנֹפְלִיםfallenבַּדֶּרֶךְon the roadוְהִתְעַלַּמְתָּand hide yourselfמֵהֶםfrom themהָקֵםsurelyתָּקִיםyou shall raiseעִמּוֹ׃with him
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
לֹאnotיִהְיֶהthere shall beכְלִיa garment ofגֶבֶרa manעַלuponאִשָּׁהa womanוְלֹאand notיִלְבַּשׁshall wearגֶּבֶרa manשִׂמְלַתthe clothing ofאִשָּׁהa womanכִּיforתוֹעֲבַתan abomination ofיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godכָּלis anyoneעֹשֵׂהwho doesאֵלֶּה׃these things
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
כִּיIfיִקָּרֵאthere happensקַןa nest ofצִפּוֹרa birdלְפָנֶיךָbefore youבַּדֶּרֶךְon the wayבְּכָלin anyעֵץtreeאוֹorעַלonהָאָרֶץthe groundאֶפְרֹחִיםfledglingsאוֹorבֵיצִיםeggsוְהָאֵםand the motherרֹבֶצֶתis sittingעַלuponהָאֶפְרֹחִיםthe fledglingsאוֹorעַלuponהַבֵּיצִיםthe eggsלֹאdo notתִקַּחtakeהָאֵםthe motherעַלwithהַבָּנִים׃the young
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
שַׁלֵּחַsendingתְּשַׁלַּחyou shall send awayאֶת—הָאֵםthe motherוְאֶתand —הַבָּנִיםthe youngתִּקַּחyou may takeלָךְfor yourselfלְמַעַןin order thatיִיטַבit will go wellלָךְfor youוְהַאֲרַכְתָּand you will prolongיָמִים׃days
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah begins with the halacha that a hung corpse must be buried on the very same day and not left overnight, as it is an affront to Hashem. Next, the Torah commands us in the mitzvah of hashavas aveidah, warning us that we cannot ignore a lost ox, sheep, donkey, or garment belonging to another Yid, but must instead care for the lost item until the owner claims it. We are also commanded to help lift a neighbor's animal that has fallen on the road. Finally, the Torah forbids cross-dressing between men and women, and teaches the mitzvah of shiluach haken, where one must send away the mother bird before taking the eggs or fledglings, a mitzvah that carries the reward of long life.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
The Torah is telling us a major chiddush in the parsha of Hashavas Aveidah. When you see your brother's ox or sheep wandering lost, the Torah warns us: "Lo suchal l'hisaleim", you are not allowed to hide your eyes and ignore it. Lichoira, the natural reaction when we see someone else in trouble or losing their property is to think, "I am so busy right now, I have my own sdarim, my own family, my own parnassah to worry about. Let someone else deal with it." But the Torah comes and makes a clear gzeirah: you simply do not have the option to look away.
This is not just a nice hanhagah or a middah of chesed; it is a binding chiyuv of the neshama. The Torah is teaching us that a Yid cannot train his eyes to become blind to another Yid's pain or loss. Mimeila, when you see a friend struggling with a heavy load, or you notice someone in the bais medrash who looks lost and needs a warm word, you cannot say, "It is none of my business." Hashem put you in that exact spot at that exact moment davka so you would be the one to help.
Today, make a conscious kabolah not to look away when you see a fellow Yid in need of help, whether it is physical assistance with a heavy load, helping them find a lost item, or just giving a warm smile to someone who looks lonely in shul.