EXOD801 Help your fellow Jew to unload his burden. If you see that the animal of a fellow Jew is struggling under its burden, remove the burden from the beast. Even if you hate the animal’s owner because you know that he has wantonly sinned, you must nevertheless relieve his animal’s suffering. Key concept: To teach us the admirable trait of compassion. Obviously, if a person is suffering physically, we must show compassion on him, but our compassion is required even if we see that someone is about to suffer monetary loss. We must act to prevent that loss. If someone ignores this mitzvah, he demonstrates the ugly trait of cruelty. Having failed to show mercy on another person, he will not receive Heaven’s mercy, for he does not deserve it.