Rotzeh B’kiyumo - Neighbor's Chametz (Cont'd)

QUESTION: My non-Jewish neighbor is carrying heavy bags of groceries on Pesach which contain chametz. Can I offer to help carry her groceries?

ANSWER: The Aruch Hashulchan (450:8) writes that one may not help a non-Jew load or unload a wagon with chametz on Pesach, because the non-Jew will then owe you a favor for helping him. Being owed a favor is like receiving payment, and it is as though you are receiving benefit from the chametz. He writes that even if the non-Jew would not be present and would have no idea that you helped him load his wagon, it is still forbidden, since this falls into the category of “rotzeh b’kiyumo” (wanting the chametz to exist even if no benefit will be gained). Since when transporting the chametz, you would not want the bags to rip and the chametz to spill on the ground, your intent is to protect the chametz. According to some poskim, this alone is a Rabbinic prohibition.

However, the Aruch Hashulchan adds that in a case where an animal is struggling with its load, one may help unload it, because of the principle of tzaar baalei chaim. Since one’s goal is to prevent suffering to the animal, this is not considered prohibited benefit from chametz. This principle applies to people as well (Birkei Yosef YD 372, quoting Teshuvos HaRashba 1:252, 257). R. Yonah (Sefer Hayirah 266) writes that one must be careful not to cause suffering to animals and even more so not to people who are created in the divine image (see Betzel Hachochmah 4:125, Sefer Nefesh Kol Chai, p. 51).

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.