Torah Portion: Kedoshim
“לקט קצירך לא תלקט, לעני ולגר תעזוב אותם” (ויקרא יט ט-י)
It is a positive commandment to leave the Leket, ungathered stalks, for the poor. “Leket” refers to the stalks that fall from the sickle or hand during harvest. It is thus written: Do not gather the [random] ungathered stalks of your harvest… for the poor and the proselyte shall you leave them (Vayikra 19:9-10).
The root idea of the mitzvah is the same as what was written above with regard to the mitzvah of Pe’ah.
This mitzvah applies to both men and women, whether an Israelite, Kohen or Levi. It applies only in the Land of Israel, when the Jewish people reside there, as the case with Terumah and Ma’aser.
“לקט קצירך לא תלקט” (ויקרא יט ט)
It is a negative commandment to not take the stalks that fall [randomly] during the harvest; rather, we are to leave them for the poor, as it is written, Do not gather the [random] ungathered stalks of your harvest (Vayikra 19:9). This negative commandment, as well, can be rectified by fulfilling a positive commandment: if the person did collect the stalks, he must return and distribute the gathered stalks to the poor.
This mitzvah applies to both men and women, whether an Israelite, Kohen or Levi. It applies only in the Land of Israel, when the Jewish people reside there, as the case with Terumah and Ma’aser.
