(יט) כִּ֣י תִקְצֹר֩ קְצִֽירְךָ֨ בְשָׂדֶ֜ךָ וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֧ עֹ֣מֶר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה לֹ֤א תָשׁוּב֙ לְקַחְתּ֔וֹ לַגֵּ֛ר לַיָּת֥וֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖ה יִהְיֶ֑ה לְמַ֤עַן יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ יי אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹ֖ל מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדֶֽיךָ׃ {ס} (כ) כִּ֤י תַחְבֹּט֙ זֵֽיתְךָ֔ לֹ֥א תְפַאֵ֖ר אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ לַגֵּ֛ר לַיָּת֥וֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖ה יִהְיֶֽה׃ (כא) כִּ֤י תִבְצֹר֙ כַּרְמְךָ֔ לֹ֥א תְעוֹלֵ֖ל אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ לַגֵּ֛ר לַיָּת֥וֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָ֖ה יִהְיֶֽה׃ (כב) וְזָ֣כַרְתָּ֔ כִּי־עֶ֥בֶד הָיִ֖יתָ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס}
(19) When you reap the harvest in your field and overlook a sheaf in the field, do not turn back to get it; it shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow—in order that your God יי may bless you in all your undertakings. (20) When you beat down the fruit of your olive trees, do not go over them again; that shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. (21) When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not pick it over again; that shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. (22) Always remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore do I enjoin you to observe this commandment.
When you'll reap your harvest in your field, and you'll forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to take it... (Richard Elliott Friedman)
What questions could you ask about this verse?
(9) When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. (10) 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 יי am your God. (11) You shall not steal; you shall not deal deceitfully or falsely with one another.
What is in the verse from Deuteronomy that is not present in Leviticus?
(4) למען יברכך THAT [THE LORD THY GOD] BLESS THEE — although it came into his (the stranger’s or the orphan’s) hand without him (the owner) intending this; it follows logically that he will certainly receive a blessing if he does this intentionally! — You must therefore admit that if a Sela fell out of one’s hand and a poor man found it and supports himself by it, then he will surely be blessed on that account (Sifrei Devarim 283:6; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 5:17 end).
What question(s) is Rashi answering?
(4) Although it came into his possession unintentionally, certainly, etc. Meaning that when it was forgotten and before the owners realized it, poor people had immediately taken it without the owners’ intent. Even in such an instance the verse says, “In order that. . .will bless you.” Rashi’s proof that this case is talking without [the owners’] intent is since it is written, “In order that…will bless you, etc.” Because if it was with [the owners’] intent, why specifically here is it written “in order that…will bless you” more so than in other places where charity is mentioned?
How does Siftei Chakhamim understand Rashi's question?
(יג) שה בחסיד אחד ששכח עומר בתוך שדהו ואמר לבנו צא והקריב עלי פר לעולה ופר לשלמים אמר לו אבא מה ראית לשמוח בשמחת מצוה זו [יותר] מכל מצות שבתורה אמר לו כל מצות שבתורה נתן [להם המקום] לדעתנו זו שלא לדעתנו שאילו [עשינוהו ברצון לפני המקום לא באת מצוה זו לידינו [אלא] הרי הוא אומר (דברים כד) כי תקצור וגו' קבע לו הכתוב ברכה והלא דברים קל וחומר מה אדם שלא נתכוין לזכות וזכה מעלין עליו כאילו זכה המתכוין לזכות וזכה על אחת כו"כ כיוצא בו (ויקרא ה׳:י״ז) ואם נפש כי תחטא ועשתה וגו' והביא איל תמים וגו' והלא דברים קל וחומר מה אם מי שלא נתכוין לחטוא וחטא מעלין עליו כאילו חטא המתכוין לחטוא וחטא על אחת כמה וכמה.
It happened with a certain pious person that he forgot a sheaf in his field [during harvest,] and he said to his son, “Go [to the Temple in Jerusalem] and sacrifice in my name a bull for Korban Olah (burnt-offering) and a bull for Korban Shlamim (peace-offering).” He (i.e. his son) said [back] to him (i.e. the father), “Father! What have you seen in this commandment [of Shichecha that caused you] to rejoice [about it] more than all [other] commandments that are mentioned in the Torah?” He (i.e. the father) said [back] to him (i.e. the son), “All [other] commandments [that are mentioned] in the Torah have been given to us by God [to be executed] consciously (i.e. on purpose with intent). [But] this [commandment of Shichecha was given to us by God to be executed] unconsciously (i.e. accidentally due to forgetfulness), because if we would have done it willingly (i.e. left the sheaf in the field on purpose for the poor to take) in front of God, this commandment would not be counted for us [as a fulfilled commandment of Shikcha, but rather as a random act of kindness.]” He (i.e. the son) said [back] to him (i.e. the father), “It says [in the Torah], ‘When you will harvest your harvest in your field and you will forget a sheaf in the field, do not go back to take it. It shall be [left there] for the Non-Jewish resident, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that Hashem, your God, will bless you with all the deeds of your hand.’ (Devarim 24:19) The verse has granted him (i.e. the farmer who left the sheaf in the field) a blessing. [But why did the verse need to say explicitly that the farmer will get a blessing?] Is not it a Kal Vechomer (derivation from minor to major) [which can be concluded by us logically without the need of an explicit verse]? Just like someone who did not intend to do something good, but he [ended up] doing something good [anyway], the verse considers him as if he has done something good, so for sure someone who intended to do something good, and [ended up] doing something good [that he meant to do] how much more so [should get a blessing]?” Similarly, [it says in the Torah:] “If a soul from the common people sins by accident by doing one of the negative commandments of Hashem, and becomes guilty of it. When his sin which he sinned will become known to him … (the verses go on to describe the sacrifice that the sinner should bring) … and the priest will atone for him, and he will be forgiven.” (Vayikra 4:27-31) And it is a Kal Vechomer [which can be concluded by us logically]! Just like someone who did not intend to sin, but sinned [anyway], we consider him as if he sinned. So someone who intended to sin and [then] sinned, how much more so [should be considered as if he sinned. And therefore will for sure get punished.]
What are the "lessons" of this Tosefta?
(1) THAT THE LORD…MAY BLESS THEE. For you gave what you thought was yours but God will give you what is truthfully God's.
How does ibn Ezra understand (slightly differently?) what is happening?
In order that the Lord your God will bless you. Because there is in these mitzvot financial loss, it says, "God will bless you," which is to say that you will have no financial loss from this.
What question does Bekhor Shor answer? How could you "modernize" his point?
(א) כי תקצר קצירך כו'. וענין הכתוב הוא שאומר הוא יתברך הלא תראה כל מה שאני מצוך על גר יתום ואלמנה אל יעלה על רוחך כי לתועלתם אני מצוה עליך שתרחם עליהם כי אינך בזה אלא טועה כי הלא לא יחסר לי לפרנסם בלעדיך. אך בזה חפצתי למען זכות אותך שאברכך בזכות מצות זו שתעשה. והנה לך ראיה מוחשת והוא כי השוכר פועל לקצור קצירו. יקרה שישכח עומר בשדה כי לא לו יהיה הזרע אשר יקצור לשים כל מעייניו בו שלא ישכח עומר. אך הקוצר קציר של עצמו בשדהו למה שממונו חביב עליו. ישית לבו ולא ישכח. אמר ראה נא איך כל חפצו יתברך הוא למצא לך מקום לברכך כי הלא כי תקצור את קצירך של עצמך בשדך שאין דרך אנשים לשכוח משלהם עומר שלם. כי ממונם חביב עליהם. עכ"ז אני מבשרך כי ושכחת עומר בשדה כי ממני יצא הדבר שתשכחהו. למען תעשה מצוה שהיא לא תשיב לקחתו לגר כו' ולמה יעש' לך כן שתשכחהו. ומצוה שלא תשוב לקחתו כו' הלא הוא למען יברכך כו' כי ממציא לך זכות למען הביא ברכה עליך:
The Blessed One says, "Surely see that all that I command you regarding the stranger, the orphan and the widow--don't think that for their benefit do I command you to be merciful upon them, because there is nothing in this but error, for will I not be able to provide them sustenance without you?! But in this I desired, in order to cause you merit so as to bless you with the merit of doing this mitzvah... And there is concrete proof, which is one who hires a worker to reap their reaping, it will happen that a sheaf will be forgotten in the field, for they will not have their eyes on every single sheaf, so as not to forget any. But one who reaps their own field, their money is dear to them, and they will be careful not to forget any. See how God's desire is to find ways to bless you, for it is not in the way of people reaping their own fields to forget whole sheaves, because their money is dear to them. Despite this, I tell you that when you forget a sheaf in the field, it is from me that the thing came out that caused you to forget, and it is a mitzvah for you not to return to take it in order that God may bless you, God provides a zekhut (merit) for you in order to bring blessing upon you.
What question(s) does Alshich answer? What, for Alshich, is the purpose of this mitzvah? How would Alshich suggest fulfilling this mitzvah?
Look back at Richard Elliott Friedman's translation--how does he capture Alshich's comment?
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on Deuteronomy 24:19
The whole purpose of the gifts to the poor is to counter the pride of ownership, and they warn you that the landless person should find, in your sense of the duty of tzedaka, a field by which to support themselves. The mitzvah of Peah and Olelot admonishes younot to think that the entire harvest of our field and vineyard is intended for you; not to think that everythig that nature, with God's blessing, has brought forth on your land, has grown solely for your sake.
The mitzvah of Leket and Peret admonishes you not to become so greedy and possessive that you feel driven to exploit all the fruit of your labor for your own ends alone, down to the last penny. Rather, you must leave part of theproduce of your field and vineyard for the poor, and whatever escapes your sickle or drops from your hand must be left for the poor.
To the foregoing is now added the mitzvah of shichecha. This mitzvah serves to free your thoughts from possessiveness and greed It teaches you that your mind, which works at increasing wealth, must not be focused solely on your own welfare. Rather, whatever has once escaped your attention at harvest tie must be left for the poor.
What, for Hirsch, is the purpose of this mitzvah? How would Hirsch recommend fulfilling this mitzvah?