By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

This week’s parsha, Ki Seitzei, includes seventy-four of the Torah’s six-hundred-thirteen mitzvos, the most of any one parsha. Amongst them are laws concerning family – such as the inheritance of the firstborn, and the Ben Sorer U’moreh, the rebellious son. We learn moral and ethical laws – including the commandment to promptly pay a worker’s wages, to build a protective fence around one’s roof (and other injury-prone elevated areas), and the mitzva of hashavas aveida, the mandate to return a lost item to its rightful owner.

“And so shall you do for his donkey, and so shall you do for his clothes, and so shall you do for any of your brother’s lost objects which you find. You cannot conceal yourself (by ignoring the lost object). (Devarim 12:3)

The Torah is imploring us to take an active role. Not to be invisible. If we come across a lost item, we should make a concerted effort to find its owner.

Just this past week, the Jewish community was gripped by the heroic efforts of members of several volunteer organizations who were part of the ultimate hashavas aveida, returning the greatest treasure, a human being who was lost.

Two special needs young men, ages 18 and 22, became separated from their group while hiking through Sam’s Point Preserve at Ice Caves Mountain in upstate New York.  The hike through this almost 5,000 acre area is listed as “moderately challenging” with steep, rocky areas.

As evening turned to nightfall, concern for the young men’s safety escalated. A massive search team was mobilized, as hundreds of volunteers from the Jewish community joined the park rangers and state police. To make matters worse, that night a severe thunderstorm developed with lightning and torrential rains. Because of the dangerous elements, the authorities called off the search until morning.

When daylight broke, a highly trained search and rescue team from Chaveirim of Rockland County, together with Hatzolah members using drones and ATV vehicles miraculously found the boys. They were dehydrated and anxious, but in relatively good spirits and physical condition after seventeen perilous hours in the woods.

The power of a people who are there for each other. A nation that is ready to help one another – no matter the time of day, no matter the weather, no matter the personal sacrifice which it entails to just drop everything on a moment’s notice because another Jew is in trouble.

Déjà vu. Almost two years ago to the day. Also in the week preceding Parshas Ki Seitzei, the parsha that teaches us the mitzva of hashavas aveida. Little seven-year-old Yossi went on a trip to Canarsie Park with his day camp. All was good until a counselor realized that Yossi was missing. A call went out for assistance. In no time, hundreds of volunteers from throughout the Tri-State area converged upon the Park. It was a long evening. Like the night last week, when the two special needs young men went missing, a thunderstorm struck. But neither the dark nor the elements deterred any of the volunteers, and Boruch HaShem by 9:00 PM Yossi was located.

Mi k’amcha Yisroel, who is like Your nation, Israel. A people that cares, that does. A nation that is ready to sacrifice and do for each other. When we see a fellow Jew hurting, in trouble, we want to do.

The mitzva of hashavas aveida, returning lost items, is mentioned twice in the Torah. In Parshas Mishpatim, we are instructed to return a lost ox or a wandering donkey to “oyivcha – your enemy”. (Shemos 23:4). Later on, in Parshas Ki Seitzei, the Torah commands us to return lost property to “ochicho – your brother”.

Why the change of terminology from oyivcha to ochicho – from enemy to brother? One of the Torah commentators explains that herein lies an important life lesson. Unfortunately, we all come across people whom we view as “the enemy”. People with whom we disagree, people we have trouble getting along with, people whom we consider to be difficult. Even then, the Torah teaches us, we must make a concerted effort to help them, to return their lost possessions. In the process, we become achim – brothers. Doing favors, showing kindness to one another, brings people closer together.

Acheinu kol beis Yisroel. We are all brothers. When we are there for each other, we all become one.

The Or HaChaim gives us a beautiful insight into the mitzva of hashavas aveida. This mitzva is not limited to returning lost material objects, but can have a much more far-reaching meaning. “Hosheiv teshiveim – you shall surely return them”. “Them”, says the Or HaChaim, can also be referring to our lost brothers and sisters. “V’im lo korov ochicha eilecha – When your brother is not near you”, meaning a fellow Jew who may be lost, distanced from HaShem and Torah, we are commanded “v’asafta el toch beisecha — “you shall gather them into your house”, bring them in and help them find HaShem.

The parsha open with the words “Ki Seitzei lamilchama, when you go out to battle.” (Devarim 21:10) Our rabbis teach that this passage not only speaks of a war against a physical enemy, but also of a battle against “the enemy within”. Our inner voices of negativity, that try to get us down and tell us I can’t do it, it’s not within my capability, it’s beyond my reach.

At times it’s easy to fall into the trap of ignoring our messages. As the Chumash says, “To conceal ourselves”. Let’s take a lesson from all the amazing volunteers who came forth to search for both Yossi and the two lost young men. Each one brought the outcome one step closer. Each one had an important role to play.

It’s Chodesh Elul. Time to start preparing for Rosh HaShanah, the Yom Hadin, our Day of Judgment. We are HaShem’s beloved people, and with His love He sends us messages, opportunities to do good and accumulate z’chusim, merits that will be with us as we stand before Him in judgment. Whether it’s returning a lost object or a lost soul, whether it’s helping reunite estranged people or family members who have drifted apart, the opportunities to perform the mitzva of hashev teshiveim are many. Let’s seize the moment. Let’s just do it.

Shabbat Shalom!

Chaya Sora

Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]

This article was written L’zecher Nishmas /In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l