Not to retrieve them (forgotten sheaves)

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 225) explains that once a sheaf is forgotten, it must be left behind. Observing this mitzvah expresses faith that Hashem provides blessing not through clinging to every stalk, but by obeying His command.

Charity – צְדָקָה

• Mishnah Pe’ah 6:6 codifies shikhecha as a right of the poor. This prohibition guarantees that charity is not just voluntary kindness but an obligation within the Torah’s framework of agricultural law.

Compassion – רַחֲמִים

• Rambam (Hilchot Matanot Aniyim 1:8) emphasizes that this mitzvah ensures sustenance for the vulnerable — the stranger, orphan, and widow. Compassion is built into the structure of farming itself.

Justice – צֶדֶק

• Rashi (Deuteronomy 24:19) connects the mitzvah with Divine blessing, showing that justice for the poor is not merely social fairness but also a condition for Hashem’s continued favor.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• By mandating that forgotten sheaves belong to the needy, the mitzvah strengthens communal bonds. The blessings of the field are shared across society, ensuring no one is excluded.

Agriculture – חַקְלָאוּת

• This mitzvah sanctifies farming by turning even accidental acts — like forgetting sheaves — into mitzvot. The field becomes a place where holiness is expressed through restraint.

Leaving for the Poor – פֵּאָה / לֶקֶט / שִׁכְחָה

• Together with pe’ah (corners) and leket (gleanings), shikhecha forms a triad of agricultural gifts, ensuring multiple access points for the poor to benefit from the harvest.

Eretz Yisrael – אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל

• Talmud (Kiddushin 39a) rules that shikhecha is Torah law in the Land of Israel. Outside Israel, it is kept rabbinically, preserving the ethical and spiritual lessons of the mitzvah.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• Obeying this prohibition acknowledges Hashem’s ownership of the land and His authority over its produce. It is a direct act of loyalty to His will.

Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ

• The mitzvah refines how we relate to others by ensuring the poor have rightful claim to what was left behind. It trains us in fairness, humility, and compassion toward fellow human beings.