Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor Chapter 1

Chapter 1

א הַקּוֹצֵר אֶת שָׂדֵהוּ לֹא יִקְצֹר אֶת כָּל הַשָּׂדֶה כֻּלָּהּ אֶלָּא יַנִּיחַ מְעַט קָמָה לָעֲנִיִּים בְּסוֹף הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג כב) "לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָׂדְךָ בְּקֻצְרֶךָ" אֶחָד הַקּוֹצֵר וְאֶחָד הַתּוֹלֵשׁ. וְזֶה שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ הוּא הַנִּקְרָא פֵּאָה:
1 One who reaps his field should not reap the whole field entirely but rather he should leave a little bit of standing grain for the poor at the edge of the field, as it is written, (Lev. 23:22) You shall not reap all the way to the edges of the field. It is the same whether one is reaping [with a tool] or plucking [by hand], and that which is left is what Scripture refers to as péah [the "edge"].
ב וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה כָּךְ בָּאִילָנוֹת כְּשֶׁאוֹסֵף אֶת פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן מַנִּיחַ מְעַט לָעֲנִיִּים. עָבַר וְקָצַר אֶת כָּל הַשָּׂדֶה אוֹ אָסַף כָּל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן לוֹקֵחַ מְעַט מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּצַר אוֹ מִמַּה שֶּׁאָסַף וְנוֹתְנוֹ לָעֲנִיִּים שֶׁנְּתִינָתוֹ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג כב) "לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם". וַאֲפִלּוּ טָחַן הַקָּמָה וְלָשׁוֹ וַאֲפָאוֹ פַּת הֲרֵי זֶה נוֹתֵן מִמֶּנּוּ פֵּאָה לָעֲנִיִּים:
2 Just as one must leave [some standing crops] in the field, so too when one gathers the fruit of trees, one should leave a little for the poor. If he does transgress [the negative mitzvah against harvesting one's field completely] and reaps all the field or gathers all the trees' fruit, he should take a little from what he reaped or gathered and give it to the poor, for giving it is a positive mitzvah [divine commandment], as it is said, (Lev. 23:22) You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. Even if the standing grain is ground, kneaded, and baked into bread, the one who gives from it is considered to have given péah to the poor.
ג אָבַד כָּל הַקָּצִיר שֶׁקָּצַר אוֹ נִשְׂרַף קֹדֶם שֶׁנָּתַן הַפֵּאָה הֲרֵי זֶה לוֹקֶה. שֶׁהֲרֵי עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְקַיֵּם עֲשֵׂה שֶׁבָּהּ שֶׁנִּתָּק לוֹ:
3 If all of his produce that he reaped was destroyed or burned before he gave péah, he deserves punishment [with lashes], for he has transgressed a negative mitzvah and cannot fulfill the positive one [to rectify the situation] for the opportunity has been taken from him.
ד וְכֵן בְּלֶקֶט כְּשֶׁקּוֹצֵר וּמְאַלֵּם לֹא יְלַקֵּט הַשִּׁבֳּלִים הַנּוֹפְלוֹת בִּשְׁעַת הַקָּצִיר אֶלָּא יַנִּיחֵם לָעֲנִיִּים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט ט) (ויקרא כג כב) "וְלֶקֶט קְצִירְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט". עָבַר וּלְקָטָן אֲפִלּוּ טָחַן וְאָפָה נוֹתֵן לָעֲנִיִּים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג כב) "לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם". אָבְדוּ אוֹ נִשְׂרְפוּ אַחַר שֶׁלְּקָטָן קֹדֶם שֶׁנָּתַן לָעֲנִיִּים לוֹקֶה:
4 And so it is with leket [overlooked gleanings] as one reaps and binds, one may not gather the fallen stalks at the time of reaping, but rather one should leave them for the poor, as it is said, (Lev. 23:22) Or gather the gleanings of your harvest. If one transgresses [the negative mitzvah against reaping one's field completely] and reaped them and even kneaded and baked them, one should give them to the poor, as it is said, (Lev. 23:22) You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. If it is destroyed or burned after one has gleaned but before one has given to the poor, one deserves punishment.
ה וְכֵן בְּפֶרֶט שֶׁנִּפְרַט מִן הָעֲנָבִים בִּשְׁעַת הַבְּצִירָה וְכֵן בְּעוֹלֵלוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט י) "וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תְעוֹלֵל וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם". וְכֵן הַמְעַמֵּר וְשָׁכַח אֲלֻמָּה אַחַת בַּשָּׂדֶה הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִקָּחֶנָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד יט) "וְשָׁכַחְתָּ עֹמֶר בַּשָּׂדֶה לֹא תָשׁוּב לְקַחְתּוֹ". עָבַר וּלְקָטוֹ אֲפִלּוּ טְחָנוֹ וַאֲפָאוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה נוֹתְנוֹ לָעֲנִיִּים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד יט) "לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה יִהְיֶה" זוֹ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁכֻּלָּן מִצְוֹת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה הַנִּתָּק לַעֲשֵׂה הֵן וְאִם לֹא קִיֵּם עֲשֵׂה שֶׁבָּהֶן לוֹקֶה:
5 And so it is with peret [separated fruit] that fell from the vine at the time of harvesting and with olélot [malformed grape clusters], as it is said, (Lev. 19:10) You shall not pick your vineyard bare [te'olél] or gather the fallen fruit [uferet] of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. So also with one who stacks sheaves and has forgotten a sheaf in the field. This person may not recover it, as it is said, (Deut. 24:19) And overlook a sheaf in the field, do not turn back to get it. If one does transgress [the negative mitzvah against picking up a forgotten sheaf] and gleans and even grinds and bakes, this one still must give to the poor, as it is said, (Deut. 24:19) It shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. This is a positive mitzvah. Thus you learn that all these mitzvot are negative which are transformed into positive mitzvot, and if one does not fulfill a positive mitzvah, one deserves punishment.
ו כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַשִּׁכְחָה בָּעֳמָרִים כָּךְ הִיא בַּקָּמָה. אִם שָׁכַח מִקְצָת הַקָּמָה וְלֹא קְצָרָהּ הֲרֵי זוֹ לָעֲנִיִּים. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהַשִּׁכְחָה בַּתְּבוּאָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ כָּךְ יֵשׁ שִׁכְחָה לָאִילָנוֹת כֻּלָּן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד כ) "כִּי תַחְבֹּט זֵיתְךָ לֹא תְפַאֵר אַחֲרֶיךָ" וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר הָאִילָנוֹת:
6 Just as it is with forgotten sheaves [ shikhecha, the "forgotten"], so it is with standing grain. If one has forgotten a portion of standing grain, one may not harvest it. It is for the poor. And just as with forgotten produce and their products, so also with forgotten fruit of trees altogether, as it is said, (Deut. 24:20) When you beat down the fruit of your olive trees, do not go over them again. So it applies to all other types of trees.
ז נִמְצֵאתָ לָמֵד שֶׁאַרְבַּע מַתָּנוֹת לָעֲנִיִּים בַּכֶּרֶם. הַפֶּרֶט וְהָעוֹלֵלוֹת וְהַפֵּאָה וְהַשִּׁכְחָה. וְשָׁלֹשׁ מַתָּנוֹת בַּתְּבוּאָה הַלֶּקֶט וְהַשִּׁכְחָה וְהַפֵּאָה. וּשְׁתַּיִם בָּאִילָנוֹת הַשִּׁכְחָה וְהַפֵּאָה:
7 Thus we have learned of four gifts to the poor concerning the vineyard: peret [the "separated fruit"], olélot [the "malformed grape clusters"], péah [the "edge"], and shikhecha [the "forgotten"]. [We learned] three gifts concerning produce: leket [the "overlooked gleanings"], shikhecha, and péah. And [we learned] two concerning trees: shikhecha and péah.
ח כָּל מַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים אֵלּוּ אֵין בָּהֶן טוֹבַת הֲנָיָה לַבְּעָלִים. אֶלָּא הָעֲנִיִּים בָּאִין וְנוֹטְלִין אוֹתָן עַל כָּרְחָן שֶׁל בְּעָלִים וַאֲפִלּוּ עָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹצִיאִין אוֹתָן מִיָּדוֹ:
8 With regard to all of these gifts to the poor, owners may not derive any benefit from them, but rather the poor come and take them regardless of the owner's wishes. Even if he [the farmer] is one of the poor of Israel, they take them from his possession.
ט כָּל גֵּר הָאָמוּר בְּמַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא גֵּר צֶדֶק. שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי (דברים יד כט) "וּבָא הַלֵּוִי וְהַגֵּר" מָה הַלֵּוִי בֶּן בְּרִית אַף הַגֵּר בֶּן בְּרִית. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין מוֹנְעִין עֲנִיֵּי עַכּוּ"ם מִמַּתָּנוֹת אֵלּוּ. אֶלָּא בָּאִין בִּכְלַל עֲנִיֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנוֹטְלִין אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי דַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם:
9 Any "stranger" that is mentioned [in Scripture] with regards to the gifts for the poor can only refer to a convert, for it states regarding ma'asér sheni [the second tithe], (Deut. 14:29) Then the Levite...and the stranger...shall come. Just as a Levite is a member of the covenant, so also the stranger is a member of the covenant. Nevertheless, we do not prevent the poor of the Gentiles from these gifts. Rather, they may come along with the poor of Israel and take them for the sake of peaceful relations.
י נֶאֱמַר בְּמַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים (ויקרא יט י) (ויקרא כג כב) "לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם", כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָעֲנִיִּים תּוֹבְעִין אוֹתָן. פָּסְקוּ הָעֲנִיִּים לְבַקֵּשׁ וּלְחַזֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם הֲרֵי הַנִּשְׁאָר מֵהֶן מֻתָּר לְכָל אָדָם. שֶׁאֵין גּוּפוֹ קָדוֹשׁ כִּתְרוּמוֹת. וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב לִתֵּן לָהֶן דְּמֵיהֶן שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶן וְנָתַן לָעֲנִיִּים אֶלָּא תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם. וְאֵינוֹ מְצֻוֶּה לַעֲזֹב אוֹתָן לַחַיָּה וְלָעוֹפוֹת אֶלָּא לָעֲנִיִּים וַהֲרֵי אֵין עֲנִיִּים:
10 It is mentioned regarding gifts for the poor, (Lev. 19:10, 23:22) You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger, [that is to say] each time the poor have a claim on them [these gifts], when they have ceased to desire and return after them, the remainder is permitted to anyone, for it is not in and of itself sanctified like gift-offerings [which belong only to the Temple in Jerusalem]. Nor is one obligated to give their value's worth, for it does not say, "give them to the poor" but rather you shall leave them [for the poor]. It is not a mitzvah to leave them for wild animals and birds but rather for the poor, and these [animals] are not "the poor" [but rather they should be used by people]. "
יא מֵאֵימָתַי מֻתָּרִין כָּל אָדָם בְּלֶקֶט. מִשֶּׁיִּכָּנְסוּ הַמְלַקְּטִים שְׁנִיִּים וְיִלְקְטוּ אַחַר מְלַקְּטִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְיֵצְאוּ. מֵאֵימָתַי מֻתָּרִין כָּל אָדָם בְּפֶרֶט וּבְעוֹלֵלוֹת מִשֶּׁהָלְכוּ הָעֲנִיִּים בַּכֶּרֶם וְיָבוֹאוּ. הַנִּשְׁאָר אַחֲרֵי כֵן מֻתָּר לְכָל אָדָם. מֵאֵימָתַי מֻתָּרִין כָּל אָדָם בְּשִׁכְחָה שֶׁל זֵיתִים. בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם שָׁכַח אוֹתָהּ בְּרֹאשׁ הַזַּיִת הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר בָּהּ מֵרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵו שֶׁהוּא זְמַן רְבִיעָה שְׁנִיָּה בְּשָׁנָה אֲפִילָה. אֲבָל צִבּוּרֵי זֵיתִים שֶׁשְּׁכָחָן תַּחַת הָאִילָן הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר בָּהֶן מִשֶּׁיִּפְסְקוּ הָעֲנִיִּים מִלְּחַזֵּר אַחֲרֶיהָ:
11 When can anyone take leket? When the [poor] gleaners come [into the field] a second time and gather after the first group of [poor] gleaners and then depart. When can anyone take peret and olélot? When the poor have come into the vineyard and gone, what remains after them is permitted to anyone. When can anyone take forgotten olives? In the Land of Israel, if one forgot it [the olive produce] from the top of the olive tree, this is permitted from the first of the month of Kislev, for it is the time of the second rainfall, late in the season. But olives that are left piled up, forgotten under a tree, are permitted [to anyone] as soon as the poor cease from going through them.
יב כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לֶעָנִי לִטּל שִׁכְחַת הַזֵּיתִים הַמֻּנָּחוֹת בָּאָרֶץ תַּחַת הָאִילָנוֹת נוֹטֵל. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר הֻתַּר כָּל אָדָם בַּשִּׁכְחָה שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ הָאִילָן. וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לִטּל שִׁכְחָה שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ הָאִילָן נוֹטֵל. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן אֵין לוֹ שִׁכְחָה תַּחְתָּיו:
12 Any time that the poor person can take forgotten olives that were left on the ground under the tree, he [the poor person] may take them [that is, it does not depend on the time of the season], even after the time when anyone is permitted to take what was forgotten at the top of the tree. Any time he [anyone] can take forgotten olives that were left on the top of the tree [that is, beginning in Kislev], he may take them, even though he still may not take the forgotten olives from beneath the tree that the poor have not yet ceased to go through].
יג מַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה שֶׁאֵין הָעֲנִיִּים מַקְפִּידִים עֲלֵיהֶן הֲרֵי הֵן שֶׁל בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא פָּסְקוּ הָעֲנִיִּים מִלַּחֲזֹר עַל מַתְּנוֹתֵיהֶם:
13 The gifts for the poor that are in the field of which the poor have not claimed belong to the owner, even if the poor have not ceased from going through their gifts.
יד כָּל מַתְּנוֹת הָעֲנִיִּים הָאֵלּוּ אֵינָן נוֹהֲגוֹת מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּתְרוּמוֹת וּמַעַשְׂרוֹת. הֲרֵי הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (ויקרא יט ט) (ויקרא כג כב) "וּבְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם" (דברים כד יט) "כִּי תִקְצֹר קְצִירְךָ בְשָׂדֶךָ". וּכְבָר נִתְפָּרֵשׁ בַּגְּמָרָא שֶׁהַפֵּאָה נוֹהֶגֶת בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם. וְיֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר מַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים אֵלּוּ שֶׁכֻּלָּן נוֹהֲגוֹת בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם:
14 All of these gifts for the poor as they are in the Torah only apply to the Land of Israel, like gift offerings and tithes. Thus Scripture says, (Lev. 19:9, 23:22) When you reap the harvest of your land, [and] (Deut. 24:19) When you reap the harvest in your field. [But] it has already been explained in the Talmud that the category of péah applies outside of the Land of Israel from rabbinic law, and it appears to me that it makes sense for the remaining types of gifts for the poor to all apply to outside of the Land of Israel from rabbinic law as well.
טו כַּמָּה הוּא שִׁעוּר הַפֵּאָה. מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֵין לָהּ שִׁעוּר אֲפִלּוּ הִנִּיחַ שִׁבּלֶת אַחַת יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. אֲבָל מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם אֵין פָּחוֹת מֵאֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. וּמוֹסִיף עַל הָאֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לְפִי גֹּדֶל הַשָּׂדֶה וּלְפִי רֹב הָעֲנִיִּים וּלְפִי בִּרְכַּת הַזֶּרַע. כֵּיצַד. שָׂדֶה שֶׁהִיא קְטַנָּה בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁאִם הִנִּיחַ מִמֶּנָּה אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים אֵינוֹ מוֹעִיל לֶעָנִי הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹסִיף עַל הַשִּׁעוּר. וְכֵן אִם הָיוּ הָעֲנִיִּים מְרֻבִּין מוֹסִיף. וְאִם זָרַע מְעַט וְאָסַף הַרְבֵּה שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְבָּרֵךְ מוֹסִיף לְפִי הַבְּרָכָה. וְכָל הַמּוֹסִיף עַל הַפֵּאָה מוֹסִיפִין לוֹ שָׂכָר. וְאֵין לְתוֹסֶפֶת זֹאת שִׁעוּר:
15 How much is the [minimum] measure of an "edge" portion? From the Torah there is no [minimum] measurement. Even if one left one stalk, one is free from one's obligation, but from rabbinic law it is not less than one-sixtieth whether in the Land of Israel or outside, and one increases over and above one-sixtieth according to the size of the field, the number of poor people, and the blessing of sowing. How so? If a field is exceedingly small and one leaves from it one-sixtieth, it does not benefit a poor person. Thus in this case the measure is increased. And so if there are a great deal of poor people one adds [to the measure], and if the sowing is very little and nevertheless one took in a great deal because one was [unusually] blessed, one increases what one gives according to the abundance of the blessing. Anyone who adds to the measure of the péah portion increases his reward [by God], and there is no [maximum] measure to this added benefit.
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