Ki Taytze

 Parashat Ki Taytze

 

The many problems we encounter life are found in this parasha.  From relationships with people, to taking a bird’s eggs the Torah insists on being good.

 

Consider: If you see someone’s pet wandering away, you must return it to them.

 

Consider: If the owner cannot be found you must keep the animal in your home until the owner returns.

 

Consider: This applies not just for their animal but anything that belongs to another person.

 

Consider: do not pretend that you don’t see the missing object. Looking the other way is bad, even if you do not like the person who owns it.

 

Property is important. What belongs to you and what belongs to them is the stuff of Torah. If people ignore property rights, if they do not respect ownership they will fight. In fact, this is how most wars begin. Nations argue over what belongs to them and then go to war. 

Here’s what the Talmud has to say:

Bab Metzia queries: if you are walking and see something on the ground, what seems to be a ownerless property, what do you do? Look for the owner? Leave it there? Place advertisements for it? Keep it?

 

Rabbi Judah says that whatever has a mark on it belongs to someone and you must search for the owner. What kind of items have marks in them that indicate who the owner is?

 

Rabbi Eliezer believes that Rabbi Judah does not go far enough to protect those who have lost something. He states, the lost object must have distinguishing marks on it, otherwise you do not have to advertise what was found.  Rabbi Eliezer goes on to state that if coins were found in a neat pile, that is considered to be a distinguishing mark since someone must have placed them there. On the other hand, if you see a bunch of nickels spread over the ground you can claim them.

 

Question: if you found a bicycle and it had certain scratches that were recognizable would you have to put up posters for it? What about a shiny new bicycle that had no marks? Think of Rabbi Judah Eliezer’s opinions.

Both Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Eleazer agree that knowing how to treat loss property is Torah. 

 

 

 

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