Sharing Our Harvest

ByAJWS Staff

AJWS On1Foot

Sharing Our Harvest

Mishna, Pe'ah 1:1

אלו דברים שאין להם שיעור הפאה והבכורים והראיון וגמילות חסדים ותלמוד תורה אלו דברים שאדם אוכל פירותיהן בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא כיבוד אב ואם וגמילות חסדים והבאת שלום בין אדם לחבירו ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם:

Mishnah_Peah.1.1

These are the things for which there is no measure: the corner of the field [which is left for the poor], the first-fruits offering, the pilgrimage, acts of lovingkindness, and Torah learning. These are the things for which a person reaps the fruits in this world, and gets a reward in the world to come: honoring one's father and mother, acts of lovingkindness, and bringing peace between people. And the study of Torah is equal to them all. [AJWS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. In what ways are these five things not measurable? What do they all have in common?
2. What do the second of actions have in common? How is the study of Torah equal to them all?
3. What does this text teach us about what is expected of us? How can we incorporate these values into our deeds?

Leviticus 19:9-10

בְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָׂדְךָ לִקְצֹר וְלֶקֶט קְצִירְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט: וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תְעוֹלֵל וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

Leviticus.19.9-10

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the corners of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am Adonai your God. [JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. How is the system of leaving the corners and the gleanings and the fallen food for the poor different than donating food?
2. What practices or values from these laws could we integrate into our modern lives and societies?

Ruth 2:2

וַתֹּאמֶר רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה אֶל נָעֳמִי אֵלְכָה נָּא הַשָּׂדֶה וַאֲלַקֳטָה בַשִּׁבֳּלִים אַחַר אֲשֶׁר אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינָיו וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ לְכִי בִתִּי

Ruth.2.2

Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “I would like to go to the fields and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone who may show me kindness.”[JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. How does gleaning function as a hunger relief mechanism?
2. How does gleaning affect the poor? The owner of the field?

Ruth 2:14-17

יד וַיֹּאמֶר לָה בֹעַז לְעֵת הָאֹכֶל, גֹּשִׁי הֲלֹם וְאָכַלְתְּ מִן-הַלֶּחֶם, וְטָבַלְתְּ פִּתֵּךְ, בַּחֹמֶץ; וַתֵּשֶׁב, מִצַּד הַקֹּצְרִים, וַיִּצְבָּט-לָהּ קָלִי, וַתֹּאכַל וַתִּשְׂבַּע וַתֹּתַר. טו וַתָּקָם, לְלַקֵּט; וַיְצַו בֹּעַז אֶת-נְעָרָיו לֵאמֹר, גַּם בֵּין הָעֳמָרִים תְּלַקֵּט--וְלֹא תַכְלִימוּהָ. טז וְגַם שֹׁל-תָּשֹׁלּוּ לָהּ, מִן-הַצְּבָתִים; וַעֲזַבְתֶּם וְלִקְּטָה, וְלֹא תִגְעֲרוּ-בָהּ. יז וַתְּלַקֵּט בַּשָּׂדֶה, עַד-הָעָרֶב; וַתַּחְבֹּט אֵת אֲשֶׁר-לִקֵּטָה, וַיְהִי כְּאֵיפָה שְׂעֹרִים.

Ruth.2.14-17

[14] At mealtime, Boaz said to her, "Come over here and partake of the meal, and dip your morsel in the vinegar." So she sat down beside the reapers. He handed her roasted grain, and she ate her fill and had some left over. [15] When she got up again to glean, Boaz gave orders to his workers, "You are not only to let her glean among the sheaves, without interference, [16] but you must also pull some [stalks] out of the heaps and leave them for her to glean, and not scold her." [17] She gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned - it was about an ephah of barley.

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What different Jewish obligations is Boaz fulfilling in this excerpt?
2. What does Boaz do that decreases and/or increases Ruth's dignity?
3. In what ways does Boaz embellish his obligations going beyond what is required?
4. In what ways is Boaz a model for us today on the ways that we should feed the hungry and provide for the poor?

Sforno on Leviticus 19:9-10

ספורנו על ויקרא י״ט:ט׳:א׳

ביאר שאחר שקבלנו אותו לאלהים ראוי לנו ללכת בדרכיו, לעשות צדקה ומשפט, וממיני הצדקה הם לקט שכחה ופאה האמורים בענין, וזה ביאר באמרו אני ה' אלהיכם, כלומר: ומכיוון שאני אלהיכם, וכל ארחותי חסד ואמת, ראוי לכם לשמור מיני הצדקה אלה הרצויים לפני.

Sforno on Leviticus 19:9:1

. . . After having accepted God, it is appropriate for us to walk in God’s ways, to practice righteousness and justice. Among the types of righteousness are leket, shich’chah and pe’ah that are discussed here. And this is what is meant by, “I, Adonai, am your God.” As if to say, “And since I am your God, and all of My ways are kind and true, it is appropriate for you to observe these types of righteousness that are pleasing before Me.”

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. How are leket, shich'chah and pe'ah ways to practice righteousness and justice?
2. What are the limitations of the kind of direct giving that leket, pe'ah and shich'chah represent?