הלכות מתנות עניים ב׳Gifts to the Poor 2

Halacha 1א׳

כָּל אֹכֶל שֶׁגִּדּוּלָיו מִן הָאָרֶץ וְנִשְׁמָר וּלְקִיטָתוֹ כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַחַת וּמַכְנִיסִין אוֹתוֹ לְקִיּוּם חַיָּב בְּפֵאָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט ט) (ויקרא כג כב) "וּבְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם":

Anything (1) that people eat, (2) that is raised from the soil, (3) that is supervised, (4) that is gleaned all together at once, and (5) that is put into storage is subject to the giving of the péah portion, as it is said, (Lev. 19:9, 23:22) When you reap the harvest of your land.17See Mishnah Péah 1:4 as a source for this definition.

Halacha 2ב׳

כָּל הַדּוֹמֶה לַקָּצִיר בְּחָמֵשׁ דְּרָכִים אֵלּוּ הוּא שֶׁחַיָּב בְּפֵאָה. כְּגוֹן הַתְּבוּאָה וְהַקִּטְנִיּוֹת וְהֶחָרוּבִין וְהָאֱגוֹזִין וְהַשְּׁקֵדִים וְהָרִמּוֹנִים וְהָעֲנָבִים וְהַזֵּיתִים וְהַתְּמָרִים בֵּין יְבֵשִׁים בֵּין רַכִּים וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בְּאֵלּוּ. אֲבָל אִסְטִיס וּפוּאָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן פְּטוּרִין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָן אֹכֶל. וְכֵן כְּמֵהִין וּפִטְרִיּוֹת פְּטוּרִין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין גִּדּוּלֵיהֶן מִן הָאָרֶץ כִּשְׁאָר פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ. וְכֵן הַהֶפְקֵר פָּטוּר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מִי שֶׁיִּשְׁמְרֶנּוּ שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא מֻפְקָר לַכּל. וְכֵן הַתְּאֵנִים פְּטוּרִין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין לְקִיטָתָן כְּאַחַת אֶלָּא יֵשׁ בְּאִילָן זֶה מַה שֶּׁיִּגָּמֵר הַיּוֹם וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ מַה שֶּׁיִּגָּמֵר לְאַחַר כַּמָּה יָמִים. וְכֵן יָרָק פָּטוּר שֶׁאֵין מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתוֹ לְקִיּוּם. הַשּׁוּמִים וְהַבְּצָלִים חַיָּבִין בְּפֵאָה שֶׁהֲרֵי מְיַבְּשִׁין אוֹתָן וּמַכְנִיסִין אוֹתָן לְקִיּוּם. וְכֵן הָאֲמָהוֹת שֶׁל בְּצָלִים שֶׁמַּנִּיחִין אוֹתָן בָּאָרֶץ לִקַּח מֵהֶן הַזֶּרַע חַיָּבוֹת בְּפֵאָה. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן:

Anything to be harvested that shares these five characteristics is liable for the giving of the péah portion, such as produce, legumes, carob, nuts, almonds, pomegranates, grapes, olives, dates whether dried or fresh, and such, but woad [a plant that is harvested for blue dye] and rubia [a plant that is harvested for red dye] and similar things are exempt because they are not edible. So also with morils and truffles [which are kinds of mushrooms] because they are not raised from the soil like other produce of the earth. So also is property that has been appropriated by the court ["ownerless property"] exempt, for there is no specific person to supervise it, for it was appropriated for all. So also are figs exempt because they are not picked all at once but rather there are some that are ready on one day and some a few days later. So also are herbs exempt, for they are not put into storage. Garlic and onions [however] are liable for giving of péah, for people dry them and put them into storage. So also are the shoots of onions liable for the giving of péah, for they are put in the ground in order to get their seeds, and so also with similar things.18See Mishnah Péah 1:4-5. Maimonides adds a great deal to the Mishnah, but he follows the same principle: food for the poor included basic kinds of food that were processed in the usual way under regular processes and supervision. In addition, the food also needed to be able to be conserved for future consumption as a matter of practical interest and to avoid waste. Luxury items, such as figs and herbs, which required special care, were exempt, but garlic and onions, which do not require special care and can be harvested like a regular crop, are not. It is also interesting to note that the principle of conservation also extends to the shoots of onions, implying that the poor might participate in the processes of planting and harvesting on land of their own.

Halacha 3ג׳

קַרְקַע כָּל שֶׁהוּא חַיֶּבֶת בְּפֵאָה וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיְתָה שֶׁל שֻׁתָּפִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט ט) (ויקרא כג כב) "קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם" אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁל רַבִּים:

Cultivated land of any kind is liable for the giving of péah, even if it is owned in a partnership, as it is said, (Lev. 19:9, 23:22) When you reap the harvest of your land, even if it is land owned by many.