Troublesome TopicShow Compassion When Harvesting

You might recall the story of Ruth, and how she went to glean (gather leftovers) in the fields of Boaz. This was possible because, when God set up the social framework for a new society, called Israel, He built into it the elements of compassion and mercy. A farmer could not harvest the very corners of the field but had to leave them standing. The corners were for the widows, the orphans, and the foreigners. A harvester could not go back and pick up anything he had dropped; everything that had been dropped was for the widows, the orphans, and the foreigners. Deut. 24:19-21 explain other aspects of these regulations.

Deuteronomy 24:19

Translation

When you reap the harvest in your field and you forget a sheaf

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in the field, do not go back to fetch it; it shall be for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that YHVH your ELOHIM (read Adonai your Elohim)  may bless you abundantly

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in all the work of your hands.

Paraphrase

If you are harvesting a field of grain (one of your key staples) and you leave behind a big pile of it and later you are made aware of it, do not go back to get it; leave it there for those who have trouble finding jobs, and those who have no close relatives to care for them. Treat others well so that THE ETERNAL AND PERSONAL GOD who is YOUR CREATOR AND RULER will treat you well also.

Deuteronomy 24:20

Translation

When you beat your olive trees, do not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows.

Paraphrase

When you are shaking the branches of your olive trees to remove the olives (which are your primary source of the oil used in cooking and several other things), do not recheck the boughs a second time; what remains on the tree must be left there for

those who have trouble finding work, and those who have no close relatives to care for them.

Deuteronomy 24:21

Translation

When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not later collect what is leftover;

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it shall be for the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows.

Paraphrase

When you are in your vineyard picking grapes (which are your primary source of something safe to drink), do not check the vines again after you have picked them once; what is left behind must remain there for those who have trouble finding work and for

those who have no close relatives to care for them.

Following these covenant stipulations required a bit of faith, and the recognition that I am not the only one on this planet. God’s people were forced to think of others. Isn’t it wonderful that God structured their society in such a way that the needy among them would be cared for by the community as a whole by giving them opportunities to gather food?

The poor had to work for what they got; it was not handed to them for free. It would not be large amounts, but it could keep a family alive for a few days until the next opportunity arose. Notice also that God planned it so that the primary needs of the poor (grain, oil and something safe to drink) would be available if they were willing to gather it and carry it home. The community was not expected to carry the poor, but they were expected to show compassion for them. They even had to plan ahead with compassion for the poor in mind.

The next lesson in the short series on Covenants i So How Did This Work?

The next lesson in the medium series on Covenants is The Year of Jubilee Taught Respect and Priorities

The next lesson in the full series on Covenants is Respect Goats and Birds

Footnotes

1

What is a sheaf? When harvesting grains, they used to cut the stalks of grain close to the ground and tie a bunch of the stalks together. Then they would stand the bunch of stalks upright; that is called a sheaf. They would place a number of sheaves together and then lay a few sheaves across the top so that water would not get directly on all the grain heads, but they would get some moisture on them and lots of sun. They would let the sheaves stand in the fields this way for 7 to 10 days.

Why? They would do this (and the Amish still do) in order to allow the grains to begin to germinate and their enzymes to be released to do their job. That is the healthiest way to eat grains because those enzymes work with our bodies to make grains easier to digest. Even the gluten in the partially germinated (sprouted) grains is easier to digest. I am almost certain that there was no intolerance to gluten before man stopped using this ancient method.

2

The verb for “bless” is an intensified form here, so it is not just “bless” but “bless abundantly.”

3

This is called “gleaning.”