Rav Kook on Kedoshim: "Peah" and Lessons in Tzedakah

Kedoshim: Peah and Lessons in Tzedakah

One form of assistance to the needy dictated by the Torah is the mitzvah of peah. The farmer leaves over a corner ("peah") of his field for the poor.

"When you reap your land's harvest, do not completely harvest the ends of your fields. ... Leave them for the poor and the stranger." (Lev. 19:9-10)

The Sages stressed that the area left over for the poor must be the very last edge harvested. One may not set aside a section in the beginning or the middle. Why not? By requiring peah to be the last edge of the field, the Torah establishes a set time for the poor to claim their portion. The Talmud (Shabbat 23) notes that this provision prevents four potential problems:

Theft of the poor. The landowner could set aside the peah at some pre-arranged hour, in order to make sure the corner crop will go to friends or relatives.

Lost time of the poor. The needy won't have to hang around the field, waiting until the moment the owner arbitrarily decides to declare a section of his field is peah.

Unwarranted suspicions. People might not know that the farmer set aside his peah earlier, and suspect him of not fulfilling the mitzvah.

Swindlers. Unscrupulous owners could claim they set aside peah earlier, when they never did so.

According to Rav Kook, these four concerns clarify the Torah's outlook on charity.

1. Mere usage of the phrase, "theft of the poor", is very revealing. Helping the needy is not simply a matter of generosity and kindness. It's a social and moral obligation. The Hebrew word for charity ("tzedaka") comes from the root-word tzedek, justice. The individual who refuses to assist the poor does not lack generosity. He is a thief, stealing from what belongs to others!

In general, the existence of poverty in the world should not be regarded as a negative phenomenon. There are many purposes for poverty, including its contribution to our pursuit of spiritual growth.

2. If we only emphasize the obligatory aspect of tzedakah, however, we are concentrating solely on the giver's standpoint — and overlooking the needs of the receiver. This mitzvah also requires an attitude of generosity and kindness. We need to have empathy for the needy individual and his problems. For this reason, the Torah expresses concern for the poor person's time and his sense of self-respect. He shouldn't have to wait for days until the owner finally decides to give him peah.

In short, the foundation of Jewish charity is duty, but the element of empathy is also a necessary ingredient, in order that its true goal may be achieved.

3. Social mores serve to protect the weak and the destitute. Some people give because they are embarrassed to be looked upon as stingy and uncaring. Also, society honors generous donors and benefactors.

The first two aspects mentioned, moral obligation and empathy, comprise our inner incentive to help the poor. Only taking into account these aspects, however, could diminish the importance of society's external impetus to support the needy. The individual who is fully aware of the ethical significance of charity does not require the motivation of social pressure. Not everyone, however, achieves this level of enlightenment. For the good of society as a whole, the Torah affirms the importance of social obligations to give and help. With regard to the mitzvah of peah, this is expressed by our concern that society may unjustly place suspicions on individuals who in fact did set aside peah.

4. The fourth problem — closing off a potential loop-hole for swindlers — only applies to the lowest, most corrupt segments of society. Nonetheless, this is a sufficient reason to obligate all members of society. There exists an organic unity in society. People are influenced by one other; enlightened individuals cannot claim they are impervious to the moral deterioration that such a loop-hole might bring about in society's lower elements.

(adapted from Ein Eyah vol. III, pp.74-75)