Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 231
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(דברים כב י) לֹא תַחֲרֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר יַחְדָּו, יָכוֹל לְעוֹלָם? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כג יב) ״לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ שׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרֶךָ״ – כְּבָר שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר עוֹשִׂים מְלָאכָה! אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר לֹא תַחֲרֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר? זֶה עִם זֶה. שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר; מִנַּיִן לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁאָר בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה וָעוֹף כְּיוֹצֵא בְּשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא תַחֲרֹשׁ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר בְּשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר? – בְּשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר אִי אַתָּה חוֹרֵשׁ, אֲבָל אַתָּה חוֹרֵשׁ בְּאָדָם וּבַחֲמוֹר!
Pisqa’ 231¹³⁸
- “You may not plow with an ox and an ass as one” (Dt. 22:10)— is it possible to say that this means “never?” Yet, when he says: “So that your ox and ass may rest” (Ex. 23:12), [it seems that] the ox and ass have already been worked [together]! If so, why is it stated: “You may not plow with an ox and an ass as one” (Dt. 22:10)— that is, [yoked together] side by side.2. “An ox and an ass” (Dt. 22:10)— I might infer only that [the rule applies to] an ox and an ass. How do I know to treat other cattle, wild animals, and fowl in the same way as the ox and the ass? ¹³⁹ The Teaching states: “You may not plow” (Dt. 22:10)— With any [combination of incompatible work-animals] If so, why does the verse specify: “With an ox and an ass” (Dt. 22:10)? You may not plow with an ox and an ass [as one], But you may certainly plow with **a man and an ass!**¹⁴⁰
footnotes: ¹³⁸ H:241; JN2:144-145. ¹³⁹ Cf. M. Kil. 8:2. ¹⁴⁰ Cf. M. Kil.8:6.
לֹא תַחֲרֹשׁ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא חוֹרֵשׁ; מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת הַדָּשׁ וְהַיּוֹשֵׁב וְהַמַּנְהִיג? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: יַחְדָּו, מִכָּל מָקוֹם. רַבִּי מֵאִיר פּוֹטֵר בַּיּוֹשֵׁב.
- “You may not plow” (Dt. 22:9)— I might infer only that plowing is covered by the rule. How do I know to include one threshing grain, or sitting [in a wagon]¹⁴¹ and driving a team? The Teaching states: “As one” (Dt. 22:9)— [this refers to] any labor [associated with the animal’s work]. R. Meir exempts from the rule the one sitting [in a wagon].
footnotes: ¹⁴¹ RH adds the clause, “in a wagon.”
יַחְדָּו – פְּרָט לְרָמָךְ. יַחְדָּו – פְּרָט לְקוֹשֵׁר אֶת הַסּוּס לְצִדֵּי הַקָּרוֹן אוֹ לְאַחַר הַקָּרוֹן, וְאֶת הַלַּבְדְּקָס לַגְּמַלִּים.
“An ox and an ass as one” (Dt. 22:9)— this excludes the mule. “An ox and an ass as one” (Dt. 22:9)— this excludes one who ties his horse to the side of a wagon or behind a wagon [pulled by an ox], and a Libyan ass, [pulling a load] with camels.¹⁴²
footnotes: ¹⁴² Cf. M. Kil. 8:4.