EXOD803 The demand of Jewish sources that one act to protect others [e.g. Leviticus 19:16] is not only concerned with the prevention of bodily harm. The Sefer Hachinukh, the thirteenth-century Spanish study of the reasons behind the mitzvot, explains the biblical commandment in Exodus “and if you see the donkey of your enemy straining under its burden,... you shall surely help him.” [this verse]. (As to the scriptures saying a donkey, it does not mean a donkey specifically, but any beast. It is only that scripture spoke of what is the usual purpose of a donkey-- for carrying burdens.) “It is a religious duty to help unload a man laden with a burden as well. Furthermore, even if he suffers only the loss of his goods and possessions, it is a religious obligation for us to take pity on him. At the root of this precept lies the purpose: to teach our spirit the quality of compassion, which is a noble trait of character. [A fortiori] there is no need to say that a duty lies on us to take pity on a man who is suffering physical pain.” Parshat Mishpatim, Mitzvah 80.

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EXOD805 What often intensifies animosity between people is the sense that the person we dislike dislikes us even more than we dislike him. This perception often causes us to feel justified in our own hatred ("It's not my fault. Look how much he hates me."). Therefore, the Torah commands that we try to break the pattern by doing our enemy a favor.

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EXOD806 One must even keep far from cruelty to animals, as it is written (Mishlei 2:10): "The righteous man knows the desires of his animal." He must not overwork it or make it go hungry, and in this regard is written [this verse]: "If you see your foe's donkey lying under his burden, will you forbear from helping him? You shall surely help him!" (Bava Metzia 3b): "It is forbidden by the Torah to cause pain to animals."

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EXOD809 Jesus said "resist not evil" (KJV) or "one who is evil" (RSV) (Matt. 5:39) and "commanded" his disciples to love their enemies (Matt. 5:44). The problem which even many pious Christians have with these verses is reflected in Sherman E. Johnson's exegetical commentary on Matt. 5:34-55 in the Interpreter's Bible, which states that "it is difficult to escape the conclusion that verses 34 – 35 and verses 38 – 42 are laws" and that "how far they [not to resist] can be applied to groups, and especially to political life, is constantly debated" (v.39). Regarding the teaching to love one's enemies (v. 44), the commentator correctly remarks, "Exodus 23:4-5 and numerous rabbinical sayings look in this direction, but the idea is never made a general maxim for conduct in Judaism." He admits that this "teaching of course has political implications, but how it should be applied is one of the most difficult problems of Christian social ethics."

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EXOD807 He used to say: Do not despise any man, and do not reject anything; for there is no man who has not his hour, and there is no thing that has not its place (Pirkei Avot Perek IV, mishnah 3). Therefore, says Ben Azzai, "do not despise any man," whatever you may know of his past. For "there is not a man that has not his hour." There is no person in the world without his moment of repentance, his occasion of yearning to do good. No one is completely set for life, determined by his past. The way of the future is open for all of us. Ben Azzai's words are precise and clear-cut: we can exclude no one from those considerations of courtesy and esteem due a fellow human being: not even the most flagrant violator of the Torah's most sacred commandments. There is another passage in the Talmud that bears out Ben Azzai's dictum: Scripture teaches, "If you see your enemy's donkey lying under its burden, you shall forbear to pass him by him; you shall surely unload it with him" [this verse]. But, asks the Talmud, what sort of "enemy" does the Torah mean? After all, we are not to have personal enemies, for Scripture itself ordains, "You shall not hate your brother in your heart." (Leviticus 19:17). And the Talmud concludes that the Writ must mean here only someone who, to your own first-hand knowledge, has violated the Torah (T.B. Pesachim 113b). This is the odious, hated "enemy" whom the Torah commands us to help; we are to be kind to him. To insult him or embarrass him will accomplish nothing; he will only be driven further from Judaism and decency. If he is in trouble and urgently needs help, show him the values by which the man of faith lives. Show him that where religion lives, humane help may be expected, readily gotten. Help him, and you may bring him back. For there is no person who does not have his hour; and your kindness may bring on that hour for him now.

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EXOD808 It is a mitzvah of the Torah, a biblical decree, to help unload an animal that has fallen under its burden; it is likewise a mitzvah to help someone load his animal when that has to be done.  (The respective sources are [this verse] and Deuteronomy 22:4; in M'chilta to Exodus ad loc. and T.B. Baba Metzi'a 31a the first is interpreted to mean unloading, and the second loading; and as Midrash Sifre, Deuteronomy §225 makes clear, both Biblical statements apply equally to friend and foe, although the first speaks of "your enemy" and the second of "your brother.") Now, the Talmud states: If a friend [needs help] to unload [his animal], and an enemy [needs help] to load [his], the mitzvah is [to work first] with the enemy, so as to subdue your natural inclinations (T.B. Baba Metzi'a 32b). If, however, both are equally friends or enemies, you should help first the one who must unload his animal, to ease its suffering (while this is not explicitly stated in the Talmud, it is apparent, and R. Isaac Alfasi (ad loc.) and Rambam so rule (Yad HaHazakah, hilchoth rotze-ah xiii 13). This in itself is revealing, but the matter goes deeper. Who is the "enemy" mentioned here? Not a personal foe, but an individual who deserves your hate because you have yourself seen him violate the Torah (T.B. Pesahim 113b). And, if your enmity is not really personal, and there is no animosity through direct bad relations, but you rather reject him for disobedience to the Torah, what need is there to "subdue natural inclinations"? You would probably bear him no more than an "official," token dislike to start with. In Tosafoth, the fine commentary on Talmud by French and German scholars of the 12-14th centuries, there is an answer worth pondering: When the enmity begins, it is an impersonal feeling, to conform with religious requirements. You are distant to your "enemy" only because he deserves it. But in human relations, there is a basic emotional reciprocity: "As in water face responds to face, so the heart of man to man" (Proverbs 27:19). To your "official" coldness he will respond with a very cordial dislike. This you will react, and before long the "little plant" will have blossomed out into a full, blazing animosity. Such a deep emotion requires help more urgently than an animal in pain. Learn to subdue it and control it (Tosafoth to Pesahim 113b, s.v. she-ra'ah). As R. Levitas exhorts us, be sh'fal ruah. Be humble and develop a calmness of spirit, an inner quietude, and you will not be ruled by pettiness, meanness and hatred. ... R. Levitas points to the key of calmness and self-control: for ruah means both wind and spirit. As a calm, gentle wind ensures tranquility in nature, so does a very humble spirit maintain serenity in human nature. And how do you learn to be humble?--By remembering that the end of man--including you and the target of your possible hatred and passionate outburst – is worms, when death lays all to rest.

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EXOD810 While the Torah commands you to be good to this person and to retrieve his animal, nevertheless there seems to be a tacit acceptance and legitimation of his status as "your enemy." Rabbi Samuel concludes that "your enemy" in this passage refer us to someone whom you are "permitted to hate" because you personally witnessed him transgressing (since you are only one witness, this makes him "your enemy" but not a "public enemy"). Presumably, this is a case where he persists in transgressing even after he has been warned and admonished [this verse; Pesachim 113b; Rambam, Hilkhot Rotze'ah 13:14].

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EXOD811 How is "foe" to be understood? As a foe who is an idolator? But did we not learn: "foe" here refers to a Jew and not to an idolator? But if a Jew, is it permitted to hate a Jew? Is it not written (Leviticus 19:17): "Do not hate your brother in your heart"? [We are speaking here of] a Jew in whom he observed indecency [and whom it is, therefore, permitted to hate] (Pesachim 113b).

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EXOD812 [This verse]. And he has to walk with him as far as a parasang [a distance of about 3.5 miles - AJL] [to make sure all is now in order] unless the owner of the load says, "I do not need you."

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EXOD813 If he unloaded and loaded, unloaded and loaded, even four or five times, he is obliged [to repeat the process if necessary], it being written: "help shall you help" [connoting recurrent helping] (Bava Metzia 32a).

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