Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 22

27You shall not curse a judge, neither shall you curse a prince among your people.   כזאֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א תְקַלֵּ֑ל וְנָשִׂ֥יא בְעַמְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א תָאֹֽר:
You shall not curse a judge Heb. אֱלֹהִים. This is a warning against cursing God and a warning against cursing a judge. -[From Sanh. 66a]   אֱלֹהִים לֹא תְקַלֵּל  הֲרֵי זוֹ אַזְהָרָה לְבִרְכַּת הַשֵּׁם וְאַזְהָרָה לְקִלְלַת דַּיָּן (סנהדרין ס"ו):
28Your fullness offering and your heave offering you shall not delay; the firstborn of your sons you shall give Me.   כחמְלֵאָֽתְךָ֥ וְדִמְעֲךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְאַחֵ֑ר בְּכ֥וֹר בָּנֶ֖יךָ תִּתֶּן־לִֽי:
Your fullness offering The obligation that is incumbent upon you when your produce becomes fully ripe. This reference is to the first fruits (בִּכּוּרִים). -[From Onkelos, Mechilta, Temurah 4a]   מְלֵאָֽתְךָ  חוֹבָה הַמֻּטֶּלֶת עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא תְבוּאָתְךָ לְהִתְבַּשֵּׁל, וְהֵם בִּכּוּרִים:
and your heave offering Heb. וְדִמְעֲךָ. [This is] the terumah [the first offering from the produce, which is given to the kohen] (Mechilta, Temurah 4a), but I do not know the etymology of דֶּמַע [which is the noun root of דִמְעֲךָ].   וְדִמְעֲךָ  הַתְּרוּמָה – וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַהוּ לְשׁוֹן דֶּמַע.
you shall not delay You shall not alter the sequence of their separation by delaying what should come first and advancing what should come later, namely that one may not advance terumah before bikkurim or tithes before terumah. -[From Mechilta]   לֹא תְאַחֵר  לֹא תְשַׁנֶּה סֵדֶר הַפְרָשָׁתָן לְאַחֵר אֶת הַמֻּקְדָּם וּלְהַקְדִּים אֶת הַמְאֻחָר, שֶׁלֹּא יַקְדִּים תְּרוּמָה לְבִכּוּרִים וּמַעֲשֵׂר לִתְרוּמָה (מכילתא):
the firstborn of your sons you shall give Me to redeem him from the kohen with five selas. Now did He not give the command concerning this elsewhere (Num. 18:16) ? But [it is written here] to juxtapose to it “So shall you do with your cattle and with your sheep,” [implying that] just as the firstborn of man is redeemed after thirty days, as it is said: “And his redemption, from a month old you shall redeem [him]” (Num. 18:16), so too with the firstborn of small cattle; one must care for it for thirty days and afterwards give it to the kohen. -[From Bech. 26b]   בְּכוֹר בָּנֶיךָ תִּתֶּן־לִֽי  לִפְדּוֹתוֹ בְחָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים מִן הַכֹּהֵן; וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר צִוָּה עָלָיו בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר? אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לִסְמֹךְ לוֹ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְשֹׁרְךָ – מַה בְּכוֹר אָדָם לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם פּוֹדֵהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּפְדוּיָו מִבֶּן חֹדֶשׁ תִּפְדֶה (במדבר י"ח), אַף בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה מְטַפֵּל בּוֹ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וְאֲחַר כַּךְ נוֹתְנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן (בכורות כ"ו):
29So shall you do with your cattle and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother, on the eighth day you may give it to Me.   כטכֵּֽן־תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְשֹֽׁרְךָ֖ לְצֹאנֶ֑ךָ שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה עִם־אִמּ֔וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֖י תִּתְּנוֹ־לִֽי:
seven days it shall be with its mother This is a warning to the kohen, that if he wants to bring his sacrifice early, he may not bring it before eight [days] because it lacks the minimum time requirement.   שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יִֽהְיֶה עִם־אִמּוֹ  זוֹ אַזְהָרָה לַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְמַהֵר אֶת קָרְבָּנוֹ לֹא יְמַהֵר קֹדֶם שְׁמֹנָה, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מְחֻסַּר זְמַן:
on the eighth day you may give it to Me We may think that is obligatory for that day, [and if so, we would render: On the eighth day you shall give it to Me. That is not so, however, because] it says here, “eighth,” and it says further (Lev. 22:27), “and from the eighth day on it will be accepted.” Just as “the eighth day” mentioned further means to make [it] fit from the eighth day on, so does the eighth day mentioned here mean to make [it] fit from the eighth day on, and this is its meaning: on the eighth day you are permitted to give it to Me. -[From Mechilta]   בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי תִּתְּנוֹ־לִֽי  יָכוֹל יְהֵא חוֹבָה לְבוֹ בַיּוֹם, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן שְׁמִינִי וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן וּמִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה יֵרָצֶה (ויקרא כ"ב), מַה שְּׁמִינִי הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן לְהַכְשִׁיר מִשְּׁמִינִי וּלְהַלָּן, אַף שְׁמִינִי הָאָמוּר כָּאן לְהַכְשִׁיר מִשְּׁמִינִי וּלְהַלָּן; וְכֵן מַשְׁמָעוֹ: וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לִתְּנוֹ לִי (מכילתא):
30And you shall be holy people to Me, and flesh torn in the field you shall not eat; you shall throw it to the dog[s].   לוְאַנְשֵׁי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ תִּֽהְי֣וּן לִ֑י וּבָשָׂ֨ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה טְרֵפָה֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ לַכֶּ֖לֶב תַּשְׁלִכ֥וּן אֹתֽוֹ:
And you shall be holy people to Me If you are holy and abstain from the loathsomeness of [eating] carrion and mortally injured animals, you are Mine, but if not, you are not Mine. -[From Mechilta]   וְאַנְשֵׁי־קֹדֶשׁ תִּֽהְיוּן לִי  אִם אַתֶּם קְדוֹשִׁים וּפְרוּשִׁים מִשִּׁקּוּצֵי נְבֵלוֹת וּטְרֵפוֹת הֲרֵי אַתֶּם שֶׁלִּי וְאִם לָאו אֵינְכֶם שֶׁלִּי:
and flesh torn in the field [If the flesh was torn] in the house the law is the same, but the Scripture speaks of the usual occurrence, [i.e.,] the location where animals are usually torn. Similarly, “For he found her in the field” (Deut. 22:27), [i.e., the law is the same for any place where no one is around to rescue a betrothed woman who is violated; it is assumed that she cried out for help to no avail]. Similarly,” who will be unclean as a result of a nocturnal emission” (Deut. 23:11). The same applies to an emission that occurs during the day [that the person becomes unclean], but the Scripture speaks of the usual occurrence [Mechilta]. [Onkelos renders:] וּבְשַׂר תְּלִישׁ מִן חֵיוָא חַייָא, [i.e., you cannot eat] flesh that was torn off through the tearing of a wolf or a lion from a kosher beast or from a kosher domestic animal while it was alive.   וּבָשָׂר בַּשָּׂדֶה טְרֵפָה  אַף בַּבַּיִת כֵּן, אֶלָּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה – מָקוֹם שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּהֵמוֹת לִטָּרֵף; וְכֵן כִּי בַשָּׂדֶה מְצָאָהּ (דברים כ"ב), וְכֵן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִהְיֶה טָהוֹר מִקְּרֵה לָיְלָה (שם כ"ג), הוּא הַדִּין לְמִקְרֵה יוֹם, אֶלָּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה. וּבְשַׂר דִּתְלִישׁ מִן חֵיוָא חַיָּא, בָּשָׂר שֶׁנִּתְלַשׁ עַל יְדֵי טְרֵפַת זְאֵב אוֹ אֲרִי מִן חַיָּה כְשֵׁרָה אוֹ מִבְּהֵמָה כְשֵׁרָה בְּחַיֶּיהָ:
you shall throw it to the dog[s] He [the gentile] is also similar to a dog [in this context, namely that the treifah can be given or sold to him], or perhaps a dog is meant literally [that the treifah can be given only to a dog]? Therefore, the Torah states regarding carrion (נְבֵלָה [an animal that died without ritual slaughter]): “or sell [it] to a gentile” (Deut. 14:21). From this, we derive by a kal vachomer that from a treifah we are permitted to gain any type of benefit [except eating, of course]. If so, why does the Torah say “to the dogs” ? Because the Holy One, blessed is He, does not withhold the reward of any creature, as it is said: “But to all the children of Israel, not one dog will whet its tongue” (Exod. 11:7). Said the Holy One, blessed is He, “Give it its reward.” -[From Mechilta]   לַכֶּלֶב תַּשְׁלִכוּן אֹתֽוֹ  אַף הַגּוֹי כַּכֶּלֶב; אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כֶּלֶב כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר בִּנְבֵלָה אוֹ מָכֹר לְנָכְרִי (שם י"ד), קַל וָחֹמֶר לִטְרֵפָה שֶׁמֻּתֶּרֶת בְּכָל הֲנָאוֹת. אִם כֵּן מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר לַכֶּלֶב? לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַכֶּלֶב נִכְבָּד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַפֵּחַ שְׂכַר כָּל בְּרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּלְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֶחֱרַץ כֶּלֶב לְשֹׁנוֹ (שמות י"א), אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תְּנוּ לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ (מכילתא):

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 23

1You shall not accept a false report; do not place your hand with a wicked person to be a false witness.   אלֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֖א שֵׁ֣מַע שָׁ֑וְא אַל־תָּ֤שֶׁת יָֽדְךָ֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע לִֽהְיֹ֖ת עֵ֥ד חָמָֽס:
You shall not accept a false report Heb. לֹא תִשָׂא, as the Targum [Onkelos renders]: You shall not accept a false report. [This is] a prohibition against accepting slander (Mechilta, Pes. 118a, Mak. 23a), and for a judge [it dictates] that he should not hear the plea of one litigant until his opponent arrives (Mechilta, Sanh. 7b).   לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לָא תְקַבֵּל שְׁמַע דִשְׁקָר, אַזְהָרָה לִמְקַבֵּל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וְלַדַּיָּן שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי בַעַל דִּין עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא בַּעַל דִּין חֲבֵרוֹ (שם):
do not place your hand with a wicked person who files a false claim against his neighbor, for whom he had promised to be a false witness.   אַל־תָּשֶׁת יָֽדְךָ עִם־רָשָׁע  הַטּוֹעֵן אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ תְּבִיעַת שֶׁקֶר, שֶׁתַּבְטִיחֵהוּ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ עֵד חָמָס:
2You shall not follow the majority for evil, and you shall not respond concerning a lawsuit to follow many to pervert [justice].   בלֹא־תִֽהְיֶ֥ה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת וְלֹא־תַֽעֲנֶ֣ה עַל־רִ֗ב לִנְטֹ֛ת אַֽחֲרֵ֥י רַבִּ֖ים לְהַטֹּֽת:
You shall not follow the majority for evil There are [halachic] interpretations for this verse given by the Sages of Israel, but the language of the verse does not fit its context according to them. From here they [the Sages] expounded that we may not decide unfavorably [for the defendant] by a majority created by one judge. They interpreted the end of the verse: אַחִרֵי רַבִּים לְהַטֹת, “after the majority to decide,” [to mean] that if those [judges] voting [that the defendant is] guilty outnumber those voting [that the defendant is] innocent by two, the verdict is to be decided unfavorably according to their [the majority’s] opinion. The text speaks of capital cases [i.e., in regard to the death penalty] (Sanh. 2a). [Note that in monetary cases, the court requires a majority of only one judge in order to convict someone.] The middle of the verse וְלֹא-תַעִנֶה עַל-רִב, they [the Rabbis] interpreted like וְלֹא-תַעִנֶה עַל-רַב [and you shall not speak up against a master], meaning that we may not differ with the greatest of the court. Therefore, in capital cases they [the judges] commence [the roll call] from the side, meaning that they first ask the smallest [least esteemed] of them to express his opinion (Sanh. 32a). According to the words of our Sages, this is the interpretation of the verse: You shall not follow the majority for evil to condemn [a person] to death because of one judge, by whom those who declare [the defendant] guilty outnumber those who declare [him] innocent. And you shall not speak up against a master to deviate from his words. Because the “yud” [of רִיב, meaning quarrel] is missing, they interpreted it (רִב) in this manner [i.e., like (רַב)]. After the majority to decide [signifies that] there is, however, a majority after whom you do decide [the verdict]. When? If those [judges] who declare [the defendant] guilty outnumber by two those who declare him innocent. And since it says: “You shall not follow the majority for evil,” I deduce that you shall follow them [the majority] for good. From here they [the Rabbis] deduced that in capital cases, we decide through [a majority of] one for an acquittal and through [a majority of] two for a conviction. Onkelos renders [this verse]: Do not refrain from teaching what appears to you concerning a judgment. The Hebrew wording according to the Targum is interpreted as follows: And you shall not respond concerning a quarrel by turning away. If someone asks you something concerning the law, do not answer by turning aside and distancing yourself from the quarrel, but judge it honestly. I, however, say, [differing from the Rabbis and Onkelos] that it [the verse] should be according to its context. This is its interpretation:   לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת  יֵשׁ בְּמִקְרָא זֶה מִדְרְשֵׁי חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל אֵין לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא מְיֻשָּׁב בָּהֶן עַל אָפְנָיו. מִכָּאן דָּרְשׁוּ שֶׁאֵין מַטִּין לְחוֹבָה בְּהַכְרָעַת דַּיָּן אֶחָד, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא דָּרְשׁוּ אחרי רבים להטת, שֶׁאִם יֵשׁ שְׁנַיִם מְחַיְּבִין יוֹתֵר עַל הַמְזַכִּין הַטֵּה הַדִּין עַל פִּיהֶם לְחוֹבָה – וּבְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר – וְאֶמְצַע הַמִּקְרָא דָּרְשׁוּ לא תענה על רב – עַל רַב, שֶׁאֵין חוֹלְקִין עַל מֻפְלָא שֶׁבְּבֵית דִּין, לְפִיכָךְ מַתְחִילִין בְּדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מִן הַצַּד – לַקְּטַנִּים שֶׁבָּהֶם שׁוֹאֲלִין תְּחִלָּה שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ אֶת דַּעְתָּם – וּלְפִי דִּבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ כָּךְ פִּתְרוֹן הַמִּקְרָא, לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת לְחַיֵּב מִיתָה בִּשְׁבִיל דַּיָּן אֶחָד שֶׁיִּרְבּוּ מְחַיְּבִין עַל הַמְזַכִּין, וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה עַל הָרַב לִנְטוֹת מִדְּבָרָיו – וּלְפִי שֶׁהוּא חָסֵר יוֹ"ד דָּרְשׁוּ בוֹ כֵּן – אחרי רבים להטת, יֵשׁ רַבִּים שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹטֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וְאֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁהֵן שְׁנַיִם הַמַּכְרִיעִין בַּמְחַיְּבִין יוֹתֵר מִן הַמְזַכִּין; וּמִמַּשְׁמָע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעת שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי אֲבָל הֱיֵה עִמָּהֶם לְטוֹבָה, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מַטִּין עַל פִּי אֶחָד לִזְכוּת וְעַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם לְחוֹבָה. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם לָא תִתְמְנַע מִלְּאַלָּפָא מָה דְמִתְבְּעֵי לָךְ (דִבְעֵינָךְ) עַל דִּינָא, וּלְשׁוֹן הָעִבְרִי לְפִי הַתַּרְגּוּם כָּךְ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ לֹא־תַֽעֲנֶה עַל־רִב לִנְטֹת אִם יִשְׁאָלוּךָ דָּבָר לַמִּשְׁפָּט לֹא תַעֲנֶה לִנְטוֹת לְצַד אֶחָד וּלְסַלֵּק עַצְמְךָ מִן הָרִיב, אֶלָּא הֱוֵי דָן אוֹתוֹ לַאֲמִתּוֹ. וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְיַשְּׁבוֹ עַל אָפְנָיו כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ כָךְ פִּתְרוֹנוֹ:
You shall not follow the majority for evil If you see wicked people perverting justice, do not say, “Since they are many, I will follow them.”   לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה אַֽחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת  אִם רָאִיתָ רְשָׁעִים מַטִּין מִשְׁפָּט, לֹא תֹאמַר, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּים הֵם הִנְנִי נוֹטֶה אַחֲרֵיהֶם:
and you shall not respond concerning a lawsuit to follow, etc. And if the litigant asks you about that [corrupted] judgment, do not answer him concerning the lawsuit with an answer that follows those many to pervert the judgment from its true ruling But tell the judgment as it is, and let the neck iron hang on the neck of the many. [I.e., let the many bear the punishment for their perversion of justice.]   וְלֹא־תַֽעֲנֶה עַל־רִב לִנְטֹת וגו'  וְאִם יִשְׁאָלְךָ הַנִּדּוֹן עַל אוֹתוֹ הַמִּשְׁפָּט, אַל תַּעֲנֶנּוּ עַל הָרִיב דָּבָר הַנּוֹטֶה אַחֲרֵי אוֹתָן רַבִּים לְהַטּוֹת אֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּט מֵאֲמִתּוֹ, אֶלָּא אֱמֹר אֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּט כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא וְקוֹלָר יְהֵא תָלוּי בְּצַוַּאר הָרַבִּים (סנהדרין ז'):
3Neither shall you glorify a poor man in his lawsuit.   גוְדָ֕ל לֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר בְּרִיבֽוֹ:
Neither shall you glorify You shall not bestow honor upon him [the destitute man] by deciding in his favor in his lawsuit, saying, “He is a poor man; I will decide in his favor and honor him.”   לֹא תֶהְדַּר  לֹא תַחֲלֹק לוֹ כָבוֹד לְזַכּוֹתוֹ בַדִּין וְלומַר דַּל הוּא אֲזַכֶּנּוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֶנּוּ:
4If you come upon your enemy's bull or his stray donkey, you shall surely return it to him.   דכִּ֣י תִפְגַּ֞ע שׁ֧וֹר אֹֽיִבְךָ֛ א֥וֹ חֲמֹר֖וֹ תֹּעֶ֑ה הָשֵׁ֥ב תְּשִׁיבֶ֖נּוּ לֽוֹ:
5If you see your enemy's donkey lying under its burden would you refrain from helping him? You shall surely help along with him.   הכִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֞ה חֲמ֣וֹר שׂנַֽאֲךָ֗ רֹבֵץ֙ תַּ֣חַת מַשָּׂא֔וֹ וְחָֽדַלְתָּ֖ מֵֽעֲזֹ֣ב ל֑וֹ עָזֹ֥ב תַּֽעֲזֹ֖ב עִמּֽוֹ:
If you see your enemy’s donkey Heb. כִּי תִרְאֶה. [The word] כִּי serves as an expression of “perhaps,” which is [one] of the four meanings for which כִּי is used (R.H. 3a). This is its meaning: Will you perhaps see his donkey lying under its burden…? -   כִּֽי־תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שׂנַֽאֲךָ וגו'  הֲרֵי כִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן דִּלְמָא, שֶׁהוּא מֵאַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל שִׁמּוּשֵׁי כִי, וְכֹה פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: שֶׁמָּא תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹרוֹ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ:
would you refrain from helping him? This is the interrogative.   וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ  בִּתְמִיהָ:
You shall surely help along with him Heb. עָזֹב תַּעִזֹב עִמוֹ. This עִזִיבָה is an expression of help, and similarly, “restrained or assisted (וְעָזוּב) ” (Deut. 32:36, I Kings 14:10), and similarly, “and they strengthened (וַיַּעַזְבוּ) Jerusalem until the… wall” (Neh. 3:8), [which means] they filled it with earth to strengthen and reinforce the strength of the wall. Similarly, [following Rashi’s rendering that the word כִּי means “perhaps,”] “Will you perhaps כִּי say in your heart, ‘These nations are more numerous than I’” (Deut. 7:17) ? Will you perhaps say so? This is the interrogative. [The verse thus tells you:] “Do not fear them.” Midrashically, our Rabbis interpreted it [the verse] as follows: If you see…, you may refrain; [meaning that] sometimes you may refrain [from helping someone], and sometimes you must help. How so [can this be judged]? An elder who [finds it] beneath his dignity [to unload a donkey]- “You may refrain” (Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, Midrash Hagadol). Or if the animal belongs to a gentile and the burden belongs to an Israelite, you may refrain. -[From Mechilta, B.M. 32b]   עָזֹב תַּֽעֲזֹב עִמּֽוֹ  עֲזִיבָה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן עֶזְרָה, וְכֵן עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (דברים ל"ב), וְכֵן וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עַד הַחוֹמָה (נחמיה ג') – מִלְּאוּהָ עָפָר לַעֲזֹר וּלְסַיֵּעַ אֶת חֹזֶק הַחוֹמָה. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ כִּי תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ רַבִּים הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִמֶּנִּי וְגוֹ' (דברים ז'), שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר כֵּן, בִּתְמִיהָ? לֹא תִירָא מֵהֶם. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ כָּךְ דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: כִּי תִרְאֶה וְחָדַלְתָּ, פְּעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה חוֹדֵל, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹזֵר, הָא כֵיצַד? זָקֵן וְאֵינוֹ לְפִי כְּבוֹדוֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ, אוֹ בֶהֱמַת גוֹי וּמַשָּׂאוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְחָדַלְתָּ (מכילתא):
You shall surely help along with him to unload the burden (Mechilta, B.M. 32a). [Onkelos renders לוֹ מֵעִזֹב] מִלְמִשְׁקַל לֵה, from taking the burden off it.   עָזֹב תַּֽעֲזֹב עִמּֽוֹ  לְפָרֵק הַמַּשָּׂא; מִלְּמִשְׁקַל לֵיהּ – מִלִּטֹּל מַשָּׂאוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ: