18 Aug KI SEITZEI: COMPASSION

One of the mitzvos
of this week’s
parashah is (22:10),
“You shall not plow
with an ox and a
donkey together.”
Rashi writes that this
prohibition applies
to all species. Two
species may not be
bound together while
working.
The Daas Zekeinim
m’Baalei HaTosfos
and the Baal HaTurim explain that when
the ox chews its cud, the donkey will think
it is eating. The donkey will be distressed
that the ox is eating while it can’t.
The Ibn Ezra says that the ox and donkey
have different strengths, making it painful
for them to plow together.
The Chinuch (550) has another
explanation for the prohibition. He
writes, “It is known that animals are
greatly distressed when they are among
other species. For example, birds of the
same species flock together. [Why don’t
they mix with other birds? It is because

they enjoy being with their own species
and don’t want to be with other birds.]
It is worse when it comes to working.
Animals don’t like to work together with
animals of another species.”
This is the nature Hashem created in the
world; therefore, the Torah forbids us to
plow with an ox and donkey (or any other
two species) together. We shouldn’t cause
animals distress and pain.
The Chinuch concludes, “The wise
should learn from this a lesson in mussar,
and shouldn’t appoint two people of
totally different natures, to work together.
Such as a rasha and a tzaddik or to employ
someone respectable with someone of a
lower class. If the Torah prohibits working
with animals of different species, it is
certainly much harder for people with
intelligence to work with people who are
different from them.”
We return to the Daas Zekeinim m’Baalei
HaTosfos explanation. “An ox chews its
cud, and the donkey will feel bad that the
ox is eating while it can’t.”
What mussar can we learn from this?
Perhaps if you have something others
don’t, don’t flaunt it before them, as this

will cause them distress.
Rebbe Aharon of Belz zt’l advised, “If
you have good children, don’t speak
about that before others because they
might not have such good children, and
this will cause them distress.”
The similarity between the Chinuch’s
explanation and the Daas Zekanim’s
explanation is that they both explain the
prohibition of “You shall not plow with
an ox and a donkey together “ to teach
us to have sensitivity to the feelings of
others.
Several other mitzvos in this week’s
parashah teach us to have sensitivity to
the needs of others.
One example is (23:4-5), “An Ammonite
or Moabite shall not marry into Hashem’s
nation. Even the tenth generation shall
never marry into the community of
Hashem. This is because they did not
greet you with bread and water on the
way when you left Mitzrayim.”
The Sefer HaChinuch (561) explains,
“The Torah instructs us to hate Amon
and Moav in our hearts because they are
corrupt and cruel nations. They didn’t
offer bread and water to a large nation,

weary from their travels, when they passed
near their borders. Amon and Moav acted
inhumanely and weren’t concerned that
other nations would discover their true
bad nature. It is impossible for them to
repent since their evil ways are ingrained
in their essence. Such people aren’t fitting
to join the holy Jewish nation.”
Some explain that the problem wasn’t
that they didn’t provide bread and water
because the Jewish nation didn’t lack
these staples, as they had mann and water
from Miriam’s well. The problem was that
they didn’t greet you with encouraging
words. From this we see how important
it is always to offer a good word to your
fellow man. It doesn’t cost anything and
goes a very long way.