You should not see your fellow’s donkey or ox
fallen on the road and ignore them. You must
pick up the load with him.
Deut. 22:4
Allegorically, this verse can be interpreted as follows:
If you see your fellow’s donkey: If you see your fellow acting like a donkey, a non-kosher animal (i.e., by succumbing to some forbidden desire) –
Or his ox: or even like an ox, a kosher animal (i.e., by succumb-ing to some desire that is technically permitted, but he is indulging in it for materialistic gratification) –
Fallen: This indicates that he has fallen from the behavior associated with an enlightened human being, to the level more associated with animals. In such a case – You must not ignore them. You should pick up the load with him: You should feel a brotherly responsibility to elevate and enlighten your fallen fellow. It is precisely in order to assist him that you have been made aware of his spiritual descent. G-d would not have arranged for you to see him this way unless you were able to help him.
--Daily Wisdom Volume 3