The commandment of removing a burden: To remove a burden from upon the donkey that is weary from its burden upon the way, as it is stated (Exodus 23:5), “If you see the donkey of your enemy, etc.” — and the understanding of this enemy, is [another Jew]. And even though it is written (Leviticus 19:17), “Do not hate your brother in your heart,” which [refers to a Jew] — the Sages said (Pesachim 113b) that this matter is for example that he saw him commit a sin privately, and he warned [the one sinning] but [the sinner] did not yield, such that he is [then] permitted to hate him. And that which it states, “donkey,” is not specifically a donkey, but rather that the Scripture expressed that which is common — as donkeys are [used for carrying] a burden. And it is written, “you must certainly relieve with him” — meaning to say, help him, from the usage (Nehemiah 3:8), “and they relieved Jerusalem,” which is an expression of strengthening.
It is from the roots of the commandment to train our souls in the trait of compassion, which is a praiseworthy trait. And there is no need to say that there is an obligation to have compassion on a person in pain in his body. But even [upon] one who is in pain due to the loss of his money is there a commandment upon us to have compassion upon him and save him.
The laws of this commandment are, for example, if the animal is of a gentile and his load is of [a Jew] or the opposite; and the law of one who runs into his friend and his enemy [both of whom are Jewish], such that the commandment is towards the enemy in order to constrain the [evil] impulse, and even when it is to unload the friend and to load the enemy (Bava Metzia 32b), and that the enemy [in this case] is not the enemy we mentioned — coming from a sin — but is one with whom his heart is not complete. And from when is the obligation understood by “If you see,” and that the Sages estimated it to be one in seven-and-a-half parts of a mil and that is a ris (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Murderer and the Preservation of Life 13:6); but further than this measure, there is no obligation to go out of one’s way for him — yet one who goes beyond the letter of the law is fit for a blessing. And the law of an elder and it is not according to his station, which is all determined according to what he would do for his own [property] (Bava Metzia 30b). And the law of unloading for free and loading for a wage; that he goes with him for a parsah, and that he receives a wage for the accompaniment, as is elucidated (Bava Metzia 33a). It is all in the second chapter of [Bava] Metzia. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 84.)
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it has violated a positive commandment and shown the trait of cruelty in himself, which is an ugly trait. And anyone who does not have mercy, is not shown mercy from the Heavens, as his body is not fit for mercy (Shabbat 151b).
מִצְוַת פֵּרוּק מַשָּׂא – לְהָסִיר הַמַּשָּׂא מֵעַל הַבְּהֵמָה שֶׁיָּגְעָה בְּמַשָּׂאָהּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג ה) כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ וְגוֹ'. הַשּׂוֹנֵא זֶה, פֵּרוּשׁוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּתוּב (ויקרא יט יז) לֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת אָחִיךָ בִּלְבָבֶךָ, דְּהַיְנוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים (פסחים קיג ב) שֶׁעִנְיָן זֶה הוּא כְּגוֹן שֶׁרָאָהוּ עוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה בְּיָחִיד וְהִתְרָה בּוֹ וְלֹא חָזַר, שֶׁזֶּה מֻתָּר לִשְׂנֹאתוֹ. וּמָה שֶׁאָמַר חֲמוֹר לָאו דַּוְקָא חֲמוֹר אֶלָּא כָּל בְּהֵמָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה, שֶׁהַחֲמוֹרִים לְמַשָּׂא. וּכְתִיב (שמות כג ה) עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר עָזְרֵהוּ, מִלְּשׁוֹן (נחמיה ג ח) וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. שֶׁהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן חֹזֶק.
The commandment of removing a burden: To remove a burden from upon the donkey that is weary from its burden upon the way, as it is stated (Exodus 23:5), “If you see the donkey of your enemy, etc.” — and the understanding of this enemy, is [another Jew]. And even though it is written (Leviticus 19:17), “Do not hate your brother in your heart,” which [refers to a Jew] — the Sages said (Pesachim 113b) that this matter is for example that he saw him commit a sin privately, and he warned [the one sinning] but [the sinner] did not yield, such that he is [then] permitted to hate him. And that which it states, “donkey,” is not specifically a donkey, but rather that the Scripture expressed that which is common — as donkeys are [used for carrying] a burden. And it is written, “you must certainly relieve with him” — meaning to say, help him, from the usage (Nehemiah 3:8), “and they relieved Jerusalem,” which is an expression of strengthening.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה, לְלַמֵּד נַפְשֵׁנוּ בְּמִדַּת הַחֶמְלָה שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה מְשֻׁבַּחַת, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁחוֹבָה עָלֵינוּ לַחֲמֹל עַל הָאִישׁ הַמִּצְטַעֵר בְּגוּפוֹ, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ (עַל) הַמִּצְטַעֵר בַּאֲבֵדַת מָמוֹנוֹ, מִצְוָה עָלֵינוּ לַחֲמֹל עָלָיו וּלְהַצִּילוֹ.
It is from the roots of the commandment to train our souls in the trait of compassion, which is a praiseworthy trait. And there is no need to say that there is an obligation to have compassion on a person in pain in his body. But even [upon] one who is in pain due to the loss of his money is there a commandment upon us to have compassion upon him and save him.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, כְּגוֹן (ב"מ לב ב) אִם הַבְּהֵמָה שֶׁל גּוֹי וּמַשּׂאוֹי שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹ בְּהֶפֶךְ, וְדִין הַפּוֹגֵעַ בְּאוֹהֲבוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְשׂוֹנְאוֹ, שֶׁמִּצְוָה בַּשּׂוֹנֵא לָכֹף הַיֵּצֶר, וַאֲפִלּוּ אוֹהֵב לִפְרֹק וְשׂוֹנֵא לִטְעֹן. וְשׂוֹנֵא זֶה אֵינוֹ כַּשּׂוֹנֵא שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ מֵחֲמַת עֲבֵרָה אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין לִבּוֹ שָׁלֵם עִמּוֹ. וּפֵרוּשׁ כִּי תִרְאֶה מֵאֵימָתַי הוּא הַחִיּוּב, וְשִׁעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים (רמב"ם הל' רוצח ושמירת נפש יג ו) שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד מִשִּׁבְעָה וּמֶחֱצָה בְּמִיל וְזֶהוּ רִיס. אֲבָל רָחוֹק מִזֶּה הַשִּׁעוּר, אֵין חַיָּב לְהַטּוֹת הַדֶּרֶךְ אֵלָיו, וְהָעוֹשֶׂה לִפְנִים מִן הַשּׁוּרָה, תָּבוֹא עָלָיו בְּרָכָה. וְדִין (שם ל ב) זָקֵן אוֹ נִכְבָּד וְאֵינָהּ לְפִי כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁהַכֹּל נִדּוֹן לְפִי מָה שֶׁיְּהֵא עוֹשֶׂה בְּשֶׁלּוֹ, וְדִין (שם לב א) פְּרִיקָה בְּחִנָּם וּטְעִינָה בְּשָׂכָר, וְשֶׁמְּדַדֶּה (שם לג א) עִמּוֹ עַד פַּרְסָה, וְנוֹטֵל שָׂכָר עַל הַלְּוָיָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּבֹאָר הַכֹּל בְּפֶרֶק שֵׁנִי מִמְּצִיעָא [ח"ה סי' פד].
The laws of this commandment are, for example, if the animal is of a gentile and his load is of [a Jew] or the opposite; and the law of one who runs into his friend and his enemy [both of whom are Jewish], such that the commandment is towards the enemy in order to constrain the [evil] impulse, and even when it is to unload the friend and to load the enemy (Bava Metzia 32b), and that the enemy [in this case] is not the enemy we mentioned — coming from a sin — but is one with whom his heart is not complete. And from when is the obligation understood by “If you see,” and that the Sages estimated it to be one in seven-and-a-half parts of a mil and that is a ris (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Murderer and the Preservation of Life 13:6); but further than this measure, there is no obligation to go out of one’s way for him — yet one who goes beyond the letter of the law is fit for a blessing. And the law of an elder and it is not according to his station, which is all determined according to what he would do for his own [property] (Bava Metzia 30b). And the law of unloading for free and loading for a wage; that he goes with him for a parsah, and that he receives a wage for the accompaniment, as is elucidated (Bava Metzia 33a). It is all in the second chapter of [Bava] Metzia. (See Tur, Choshen Mishpat 84.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּבִנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה, וּמַרְאֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ מִדַּת הָאַכְזָרִיּוּת שֶׁהוּא מִדָּה מְכֹעֶרֶת. וְכָל (שבת קנא ב) שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְרַחֵם, אֵין מְרַחֲמִין עָלָיו מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי גּוּפוֹ לְקַבָּלַת הָרַחְמָנוּת.
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it has violated a positive commandment and shown the trait of cruelty in himself, which is an ugly trait. And anyone who does not have mercy, is not shown mercy from the Heavens, as his body is not fit for mercy (Shabbat 151b).