Mesechtas Peah

Mesechtas Peah is the second tractate in the Order of Zeraim. Like all tractates in the Order of Zeraim (except for Tractate Berachot), this tractate has no Babylonian Talmud but only Mishnah, Tosefta, and Jerusalem Talmud. The tractate deals with the mitzvah of Peah (setting aside part of the standing crop in the field (before harvesting) for the poor of the nation) and other gifts for the poor. The tractate details the halachot related to this mitzvah, such as who is permitted to take from the Peah, what size portion should be allocated for Peah, when the poor are allowed to take from the Peah, and so on. In the Jerusalem Talmud, the first chapter of this tractate includes halachot of Torah study and lashon hara, and mainly contains ethical teachings.

Beginning and End of the Tractate

At the beginning of the tractate is the well-known Mishnah concerning "These are the things for which a person eats their fruits in this world while the principal remains for the World to Come." According to the Rambam's explanation, this refers to mitzvot where one is good to people and good to Heaven. Therefore, unlike other mitzvot where the principal only remains for the World to Come, with these mitzvot, because they are good for people, one also eats their fruits in this world.

The tractate concludes with the statement that anyone who needs to take from charity but does not take will not die of old age until they support others from their own resources, as it is stated, "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem, and Hashem will be his trust."

According to certain versions, there is an additional section about a judge who judges truthfully and its opposite, and the commentators have already struggled with this according to the well-known principle that one should end with something good, offering explanations and refuting them.

In practice, in the Mishnah book that according to tradition was copied from the Rambam's handwriting, the Mishnah ends with "anyone who needs to take but does not take," while the other part is from a baraita that was mistakenly inserted.

Blessed is the Man

The Rambam brings the mentioned halacha, but according to his approach, the proof is from the beginning of the verse "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem," while he does not quote the end of the verse.

To explain this matter, the Rebbe first addresses that it is already difficult to understand from where the Mishnah derives proof for the second part of the promise "he will not die until he supports others from his own resources." Some want to explain that the proof is from the continuation of the verses "and shall not cease from yielding fruit," and the concept of fruits is like a tree that supports others, although this explanation is forced, since in our version "etc." is not mentioned.

According to the Rambam's version mentioned above, the proof is not even from the continuation of the verse "and Hashem will be his trust" but from its beginning - "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem." The Rebbe explains that the proof is specifically from the word "Blessed." This is because the concept of blessing is a new blessing and additional abundance, not in a measure-for-measure manner.

The Rebbe's Explanations on the Tractate

• Chapter 1, Mishnah 1. That a person eats their fruits in this world. Sichot Kodesh 5738 Part 1, p. 17 (p. 42)
• Chapter 8, Mishnah 9. Anyone who needs to take but does not take, will not die of old age until he supports others from his own resources. Sichot Kodesh 5738 Part 1, p. 14 (p. 75)
• Chapter 8, Mishnah 9. True and honest judgment. Torat Menachem 5719 - 20, p. 69 (p. 94)

Explanations of Chabad Rebbes

• Tzemach Tzedek, "Tractate Peah," Tzemach Tzedek on the Shas, Brooklyn, 5755, pages 35-38, on HebrewBooks website

External Links

• Tractate Peah