help shall you help with him" — What is the intent of this

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Mekhilta Tractate Kaspa 2:35

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 15, 2025

"help shall you help with him": What is the intent of this? From (Devarim 22:4) "Lift up shall you lift up with him" I might think that only loading (is commanded). Whence do I derive (the same for) unloading? From "help shall you help with him." R. Yoshiyah says: In both instances Scripture speaks of unloading. This tells me only of unloading. Whence do I derive (the same for) loading. It follows a fortiori, viz.: If unloading, which he (the owner of the animal) can do by himself, the other is commanded to assist him with, how much more so loading, which he cannot do by himself! Scripture speaks of the less obvious instance to derive therefrom the more obvious (by a fortiori reasoning)

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