כי תראה חמור שונאך רובץ תחת משאו וגו'. פירוש, חמור נקרא הגוף, שונאך, הוא שם מושאל ליצר הרע, וזהו רובץ תחת משאו הן בחליו ר"ל, הן בירידת פרנסה, או כל צרה שלא תבא, עזוב תעזוב, ותעזור לו בתפלתך, וזה מכוון למה שדרשו חכמינו ז"ל (ב"מ דל"ב ע"א) עמו דווקא, היינו שהוא גם כן יתפלל ויחזור בתשובה, לאפוקי כשהוא יושב ואינו פונה עצמו להשם יתברך, אז אתה גם כן פטור כשהוא אינו רוצה, וכאשר ראיתי מאא"ז זללה"ה: (דגל מחנה אפרים בליקוטים לפ' משפטים).
If you see the donkey of your enemy buckling under its load, you shall not refrain from helping him; you shall surely help together with him. (Ibid. 23:5) The body is called a “donkey.”4The Hebrew word for donkey, chamor, is related to the word chomer – material substance; suggesting the materialism of the body. “Your enemy” is a nickname for the evil inclination.5The sefer Otzar HaMelech explains that “your enemy” refers to fellow Jews who have left the path of Torah, and who scorn the teachings of the Sages. If he acts like your enemy, it may only be because of distain that you have for him. In such a case, the Torah commands us to help and pray for him – as long as he shows some sign of repenting himself. However, if he truly rejects the Torah and hates all those involved with it, without any signs of repentance, one need not try and draw him back in teshuvah. When it is buckling under its load6That is, when you see your friend suffering physically. – be it due to sickness, impoverishment, or any other problem, “you shall surely help him.” Help him with your prayers. This accords with what the Sages said: “...together with him.”7Bava Metziah 32a. That is, you are only obligated to help if he works as well. If he sits on the side and expects you to do the work, you are not obliged. That is, he must also pray and repent, as opposed to merely sitting and not turning to G‑d. For in that case, you are also free from helping. Degel Machane Ephraim, Likutim-Mishpotim
כי תראה חמור שונאך רובץ תחת משאו וגו'. פירוש, חמור נקרא הגוף, שונאך, הוא שם מושאל ליצר הרע, וזהו רובץ תחת משאו הן בחליו ר"ל, הן בירידת פרנסה, או כל צרה שלא תבא, עזוב תעזוב, ותעזור לו בתפלתך, וזה מכוון למה שדרשו חכמינו ז"ל (ב"מ דל"ב ע"א) עמו דווקא, היינו שהוא גם כן יתפלל ויחזור בתשובה, לאפוקי כשהוא יושב ואינו פונה עצמו להשם יתברך, אז אתה גם כן פטור כשהוא אינו רוצה, וכאשר ראיתי מאא"ז זללה"ה:
(דגל מחנה אפרים בליקוטים לפ' משפטים).
If you see the donkey of your enemy buckling under its load, you shall not refrain from helping him; you shall surely help together with him. (Ibid. 23:5)
The body is called a “donkey.”4The Hebrew word for donkey, chamor, is related to the word chomer – material substance; suggesting the materialism of the body. “Your enemy” is a nickname for the evil inclination.5The sefer Otzar HaMelech explains that “your enemy” refers to fellow Jews who have left the path of Torah, and who scorn the teachings of the Sages. If he acts like your enemy, it may only be because of distain that you have for him. In such a case, the Torah commands us to help and pray for him – as long as he shows some sign of repenting himself. However, if he truly rejects the Torah and hates all those involved with it, without any signs of repentance, one need not try and draw him back in teshuvah. When it is buckling under its load6That is, when you see your friend suffering physically. – be it due to sickness, impoverishment, or any other problem, “you shall surely help him.” Help him with your prayers.
This accords with what the Sages said: “...together with him.”7Bava Metziah 32a. That is, you are only obligated to help if he works as well. If he sits on the side and expects you to do the work, you are not obliged. That is, he must also pray and repent, as opposed to merely sitting and not turning to G‑d. For in that case, you are also free from helping.
Degel Machane Ephraim, Likutim-Mishpotim