To leave the forgotten sheaves in the field for the poor

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 224) explains that leaving shikhecha shows reliance on Hashem’s blessing rather than hoarding. Forgetfulness is turned into a mitzvah, teaching that Divine providence extends even to small oversights.

Charity – צְדָקָה

• Mishnah Pe’ah 6:6 codifies shikhecha as a direct entitlement for the poor. This ensures that charity is not left to voluntary goodwill, but is mandated as part of every farmer’s harvest.

Compassion – רַחֲמִים

• Rambam (Hilchot Matanot Aniyim 1:8) emphasizes that this mitzvah provides for the most vulnerable — the stranger, orphan, and widow. Compassion here is not occasional but systematically built into agricultural life.

Justice – צֶדֶק

• Rashi (Deuteronomy 24:19) notes that the Torah’s blessing is tied to leaving forgotten sheaves. Justice is expressed in the fairness of protecting the rights of the needy to what Hashem has assigned them.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• By requiring that forgotten produce serve the disadvantaged, this mitzvah strengthens community bonds. Everyone’s field becomes a resource of blessing for society’s weakest members.

Agriculture – חַקְלָאוּת

• The mitzvah sanctifies farming by turning even unintentional acts — like forgetting a sheaf — into opportunities for holiness and mitzvah observance.

Leaving for the Poor – פֵּאָה / לֶקֶט / שִׁכְחָה

• Shikhecha completes the triad of agricultural gifts. Alongside pe’ah (corners) and leket (gleanings), it ensures no harvest is without provision for the poor.

Eretz Yisrael – אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל

• Talmud (Kiddushin 39a) establishes that shikhecha is Torah law in Israel, reflecting the land’s holiness. Outside Israel, it applies rabbinically to uphold the value of generosity.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• Leaving shikhecha is obedience to Hashem’s direct command, acknowledging His sovereignty and promise of blessing in return.

Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ

• This mitzvah also shapes how we relate to others. By embedding compassion into agriculture, it refines our character and ensures that society’s most vulnerable are supported with dignity.