(Devarim 22:2) "And if your brother is not near to you, and you do not know him, etc." "And if your brother is not near": I might think (that the halachah obtains) only if he is not near. Whence do I derive (that it obtains even) if he is far? From "And if your brother is not near to you." This tells me only of one who is far or near, when he knows. Whence do we derive (that the same obtains with) one whom he does not know? From "and you do not know him."
"until your brother inquires concerning it": Would it enter your mind to give it to him without his giving identifying signs? Why, then, is it written "until your brother inquires concerning it"? (The meaning must be, then,) "until you make inquiry concerning your brother" (to ascertain) whether or not he is a deceiver, (this being a possible construction of the words in the Hebrew.)
"and you shall return it to him": Consider how to return it to him. He may not feed "a calf to a calf, a foal to a foal" (i.e., he may not sell one of the animals in his keeping to feed the others.) And any animal which can work and eat (i.e., an animal whose work is worth the cost of its food), such as an ass or a cow, let it work and eat. "and you shall return it (also readable as "him") to him": He himself must be returned to him (if he is lost).
(דברים כב ב) וְאִם לֹא קָרוֹב אָחִיךָ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא קָרוֹב. רָחוֹק מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְלֹא יְדַעְתּוֹ.
(Devarim 22:2) "And if your brother is not near to you, and you do not know him, etc." "And if your brother is not near": I might think (that the halachah obtains) only if he is not near. Whence do I derive (that it obtains even) if he is far? From "And if your brother is not near to you." This tells me only of one who is far or near, when he knows. Whence do we derive (that the same obtains with) one whom he does not know? From "and you do not know him."
וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ אֶל תּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ – וְלֹא לְבַיִת אַחֵר.
"then you shall gather it": a lost object which is "gathered": to include what is broken. "and it shall be with you": in your domain.
וְהָיָה עִמְּךָ עַד דְּרֹשׁ אָחִיךָ אֹתוֹ, וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן סִימָנִים? אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר עַד דְּרֹשׁ אָחִיךָ אֹתוֹ? עַד שֶׁתִּדְרֹשׁ אֶת אָחִיךָ אִם רַמַּי הוּא אִם אֵינוֹ רַמַּי.
"until your brother inquires concerning it": Would it enter your mind to give it to him without his giving identifying signs? Why, then, is it written "until your brother inquires concerning it"? (The meaning must be, then,) "until you make inquiry concerning your brother" (to ascertain) whether or not he is a deceiver, (this being a possible construction of the words in the Hebrew.)
וַהֲשֵׁבֹתוֹ לוֹ – אַף אֶת עַצְמוֹ אַתָּה מֵשִׁיב לוֹ!
"and you shall return it to him": Consider how to return it to him. He may not feed "a calf to a calf, a foal to a foal" (i.e., he may not sell one of the animals in his keeping to feed the others.) And any animal which can work and eat (i.e., an animal whose work is worth the cost of its food), such as an ass or a cow, let it work and eat. "and you shall return it (also readable as "him") to him": He himself must be returned to him (if he is lost).