Recently in our weekly Torah reading we read in the Book of
Deuteronomy: “If you see your friend’s ox or sheep gone astray, do not ignore
it; you must take it back to your friend.” (22:1) This verse, for the ancient
Jewish commentators, establishes the principle that we must return lost
objects. Indeed, there is a whole body of Jewish law dedicated to this
principle and its proper execution—how to return lost objects, proper
identification procedures, how long before an unclaimed object becomes
ownerless, and so on.
However, on its face, we can read this verse as having a
very simple, direct and deep meaning—that we are reliant on one another. This
verse sets up the principle that we depend on one other. Should we lose
something, we rely on others to return it to us. If we find something, someone
else is relying on us to return it. Thus returning lost objects becomes a
mitzvah, a sacred obligation, in order to strengthen our bond with our friends
and fellow community members.
The fact that this is an obligation is made clear in the verse's
admonishment "do not ignore it". Indeed, this could be understood
as a statement of fact as well as an admonishment. We can not
ignore the needs of our fellow since we are necessarily in relationship
with him or her. We can not ignore. In thinking of this verse, we must necessarily think of
another verse found earlier in the Torah. Way back in Exodus we read a similar
verse, albeit with one important distinction. “When you encounter your enemy’s
ox or donkey wandering, you must take it back to him.” (Exodus 23:4) A very
similar commandment, yet in Exodus we are talking about an “enemy” [we can
understand this to be one who is not of our community] and in Deuteronomy, a
“friend” [someone who is of our community]. How do these two verses relate to
one another?
One the one hand, as some commentators suggest, it is simply
a question of scope. The two verses come to teach that we are to return the
lost objects to both our friends and enemies. If we only had the Exodus verse,
we may not feel compelled to return objects to our friends, and if we only had
the Deuteronomy verse, we may not know that we need to respect our enemies
enough to return to them what is rightfully theirs. Both verses together teach
that we need to return everybody’s lost object.
On the other hand, these verses can be read in sequence.
Rabbenu Bachya, a medieval commentator who lived in Spain, makes this suggestion. First
we come across our enemy’s ox, and must return it to him. Yet in the act of
returning we have affected something, a change of feelings. Perhaps my enemy
will soften his position, and I can soften mine. Through this act of returning,
this caring act, we could turn an enemy into a friend. This is what Bachya
taught. The two verses must be read in sequence, because the actions they
describe have an order.
The act of “returning” the object is significant because
this is the same Hebrew verb which we hear spoke many times over the course of
the High Holidays. Teshuvah, which is commonly understood to be repentance,
literally has to do with turning. We turn from our past erroneous behavior to
the future renewed.
In the context of the Torah and the lost objects, we also
turn—we turn toward our enemies. To return the object we must turn to the
enemy. And in doing this turn, in restoring this lost object, in reconnecting
an object with an owner, we connect one with another.
I had the opportunity and privilege to share this teaching
last month when the Jewish community visited the Masjid al Nur mosque as part
of our on-going dialogue and exchange between the Jewish community and the
Muslim community. This has been going on since 2001, and in the last few years
we have had special occasion to come together as the High Holidays have fallen
at the same time as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. We share insights from
our traditions, we share food and we share our fellowship.
Over the course of these past few years we have indeed
affected the change that Rabbeynu Bachya suggests. In the sense that the Exodus
text is talking about “one who is not of your community” (not literally “enemy”
as we may understand it), we have made connections that have moved us from
separate to together, unknown to known. We have become friends.
This year the Muslim community will be visiting us over
Sukkot. On Friday, October 17 our friends will join us for our Erev Shabbat
service, then for meeting and sharing in the sukkah for the oneg. I urge you to
join on that day. This promises to be another wonderful event when we will
continue the work of building friendship and connection.
It is through friendship and connection that we are able to
truly work towards a time of justice and peace. By learning from one another,
recognizing the similarities and honoring the differences, we are able to make
the human bond which is so vital and precious. It is possible to do this across
cultures and across individuals—I’ve seen it happen. I hope you will join me
when we take another step in this direction with our Muslim brothers and
sisters.
