Commentary for Peah 4:1
הַפֵּאָה נִתֶּנֶת בִּמְחֻבָּר לַקַּרְקָע. בְּדָלִית וּבְדֶקֶל, בַּעַל הַבַּיִת מוֹרִיד וּמְחַלֵּק לָעֲנִיִּים. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אַף בַּחֲלִיקֵי אֱגוֹזִים. אֲפִלּוּ תִשְׁעִים וְתִשְׁעָה אוֹמְרִים לְחַלֵּק וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר לָבוֹז, לָזֶה שׁוֹמְעִין, שֶׁאָמַר כַּהֲלָכָה:
<i>Peah</i> [corner of the field that is given to the poor] is given while connected to the ground. From vines and palm trees, the property owner goes down and distributes [them] for the poor. Rabbi Shimon says: Also for smooth nut trees. Even if ninety-nine say to distribute and one says to plunder [i.e. to leave it for the poor to snatch what they can], to this one we listen for he has spoken as is the law.
Bartenura on Mishnah Peah
הפאה ניתנת במחובר – as it is written (Leviticus 19:10): “[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: …],” lay it down before them and they will plunder it.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Peah
Introduction
This mishnah deals with the question of whether it is preferable for the owner to simply leave the peah in the field or for him to harvest it and distribute it to the poor.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Peah
בדלית – a vine that is suspended on the wood or on the trees.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Peah
Peah is given from [the crop] while it is still connected with the soil. It is preferable for peah to be left in the field and for the poor to come and harvest it themselves. This is a more direct fulfillment of the biblical verses that discusses not harvesting the corners of the field.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Peah
מוריד ומחלק – as it is written (Leviticus 19:10): “you shall leave them [for the poor and the stranger…],”those which have no danger you leave before them, and if you do not leave them when there is a danger ascending [to get] them, but one brings them down from the tree and distributes it to them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Peah
But in the case of hanging vine-branches and the date-palm, the owner brings down [the fruit] and distributes it among the poor. Rabbi Shimon says: the same applies to smooth nut trees. However, if it would be dangerous for several poor people to come and try to get the peah at the same time, such as in the case of vine-branches that have been hung over a frame of reeds, or a date-palm, then the owner himself should harvest the grapes and dates and distribute them to the poor. According to Rabbi Shimon, the same is true for a smooth nut tree which would be dangerous for the poor people to climb. Note that we are worried that in their desperation to get food the poor will injure themselves, and therefore we make the owner do the work for them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Peah
כחליקי אגוזים – on the name of the smooth nut-trees and they have no connection like the rest of the trees that are called nut trees too smooth for climbing, but the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Shimon.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Peah
Even if ninety-nine [of the poor] say [to the owner] to distribute it and one says to leave it in the field, this latter is listened to, since he spoke in accordance with the halakhah. What if the poor people want the owner to harvest the crops and distribute them, thereby saving the poor from having to perform the labor themselves? This may also be in the owner’s interests, for perhaps he is not entirely keen on having a bunch of poor people traipsing around in his field. It seems that if all of the poor agree, they can ask the owner to do this. However, if even one poor person says that he would prefer the crops to be left in the field, then the owner must listen to him because that poor person has asked for the law to be followed.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Peah
אפילו תשעים ותשעה – it refers to the beginning of the Mishnah, that Peah/the corner is given unharvested.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy