A Car About to Burn
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Question
An incident occurred with a man who was present at a large fire near the Latrun interchange, at a time when crowds were abandoning their cars and fleeing for their lives. He noticed a jeep abandoned by its frightened owner due to the approaching flames, which were starting to burn several nearby cars. In a few moments, the jeep was about to become engulfed in flames. The police were only directing citizens to flee and were not involved in saving cars. The man approached the jeep, made his way along the shoulder, placed boards in the middle of the road that helped the jeep climb over the divider fence, and thus managed to cross to the opposite lane and reach the gathering area safely with the jeep. In front of the jubilant jeep owner, the man declared: "The jeep belongs to me, as one who saves from the sea! Please give me your spare key." Is he right?
Answer
Hello and blessings
Zuto shel yam is defined in Halacha only if there is no natural chance of rescue, except by a miracle. In this case, it was not such a situation, and therefore the regular obligation of returning lost property applies. Unless it was indeed a situation requiring a miracle, and he risked his life, which is unlikely in this reality.
Source
Dayanim of the Beit Hora'a