## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 223

###### Sifrei Devarim 223:1
[Sifrei Devarim 223:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/223:1)

(דברים כב ב) **וְאִם לֹא קָרוֹב אָחִיךָ**, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא קָרוֹב. רָחוֹק מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **וְלֹא יְדַעְתּוֹ**.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 223**⁷⁶
1. “But if your brother *does not* live *near you*” (Dt. 22:2)—
I might infer only that the rule applies
if he *does not* live *nearby.*
How do I know that
it surely applies if he lives far away?
The Teaching states:
“And you don’t *know* him well” (Dt. 22:2)—
[as a result of the distance between you].

footnotes:
⁷⁶ H:234; JN2:132.


###### Sifrei Devarim 223:2
[Sifrei Devarim 223:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/223:2)

**וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ אֶל תּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ** – וְלֹא לְבַיִת אַחֵר.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. “Then you shall gather it *into your* household” (Dt. 22:2)—
but *not* into *another* household,
[expecting its residents to care for it].


###### Sifrei Devarim 223:3
[Sifrei Devarim 223:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/223:3)

**וְהָיָה עִמְּךָ עַד דְּרֹשׁ אָחִיךָ אֹתוֹ**, וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן סִימָנִים? אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר **עַד דְּרֹשׁ אָחִיךָ אֹתוֹ**? עַד שֶׁתִּדְרֹשׁ אֶת אָחִיךָ אִם רַמַּי הוּא אִם אֵינוֹ רַמַּי.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Where it shall remain with you *until* your brother *inquires* after it” (Dt. 22:2).
Now can you possibly imagine that
you would return it to him
before he specified its markings?
If so, why is it stated:
**“*Until* your brother *inquires* after it” (Dt. 22:2)—**
**[that is, even without specifying its markings.**
**[You needn’t return the animal]**
**until *you inquire* [and confirm] that**
**your brother is not a cheat.** ⁷⁷

footnotes:
⁷⁷ = M. BM. 2:7


###### Sifrei Devarim 223:4
[Sifrei Devarim 223:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/223:4)

**וַהֲשֵׁבֹתוֹ לוֹ** – אַף אֶת עַצְמוֹ אַתָּה מֵשִׁיב לוֹ!

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“And then *return* it to *him*” (Dt. 22:2)—**
**[Furthermore,] if [your brother] himself is lost,**
**you should guide him home.**⁷⁸

footnotes:
⁷⁸ //T.BM.2:28.