Our Gemara on amud beis informs us of a legality involving a twilight zone of ownership and non-ownership:

The Gemara states that there are two entities that are not in a person’s legal possession and nevertheless the verse rendered them as though they were in his possession with regard to certain halakhic responsibilities. And these are: A pit that he dug in the public domain and leavened bread remaining in his possession on the eve of Passover from six hours, i.e., noon, onward. (Chametz is forbidden to have benefit, therefore, valueless. Because of this, it is in essence, ownerless.) Both of these entities are not considered his possession, yet he is liable for them as if they are his possessions. 

Reflecting on this idea, let us consider the symbolic meaning of these two “possessions“. One is something that is literally a pitfall, the other is an external manifestation of a hidden process. Mystically, chametz is considered the internal fermenting of arrogance and sin (Zohar II 40b and 182a). In both cases, we would like to deny our association or “ownership” of our own role in the problems that result from not confronting pitfalls or hubris. 

Homiletically speaking, there are other experiences where we do not have full possession yet we are still significantly liable. As parents we are in many respects liable for our children’s behavior, and we also can become controlling and possessive. Avos DeRabbi Nosson (14:6) refers to a child as an entrusted valuable object given to us for safekeeping.  We do not own our children. Yet, we are entrusted to care for them and often are responsible for what they do and how they turn out.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

Do you like what you see? Please subscribe and also forward any articles you enjoy to your friends, (enemies too, why not?)