Translation:Mishnah/Seder Zeraim/Tractate Peah/Chapter 1/2

Introduction

This Mishna discusses how large the corner of the field given to poor (Peah) should be.

Hebrew Text

אין פוחתין לפאה מששים.

ואף על פי שאמרו: "אין לפאה שיעור" –

הכל לפי גודל השדה,

ולפי רוב העניים,

ולפי רוב הענוה.

English Translation

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One should not make the Peah less than one-sixtieth of the entire crop,

And though there no definite amount is given for Peah.

It is all based upon the size of the field,

the number of poor who will be collecting it,

and the abundance of the crop.

Explanation

This Mishna says that when one fulfills the commandment of Peah he is obligated to give at least one-sixtieth of his crop (In Jewish law, one sixtieth is a common basis number for giving a minimum) as Peah. The Mishna goes on to say that if one has a big field with only a few poor coming to pick up food the sixtieth is based on the size of the field. If though one has a small field and more poor people coming to pick up food, one should base the sixtieth on the number of people coming. Additionally one with the later case should try to give more than the bare minimum. The Mishna concludes with the fact that one may not choose the Peah from only the inferior part of the crop and must include better produce also.