Peah 2:6 - 3:1
משנה פאה ב:ו - ג:א
Seder: Zeraim | Tractate: Peah | Time4Mishna
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Mishna 2:6
משנה ב:ו
Hebrew:
מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁזָּרַע רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אִישׁ הַמִּצְפָּה לִפְנֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, וְעָלוּ לְלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית וְשָׁאָלוּ. אָמַר נַחוּם הַלַּבְלָר, מְקֻבָּל אֲנִי מֵרַבִּי מְיָאשָׁא, שֶׁקִּבֵּל מֵאַבָּא, שֶׁקִּבֵּל מִן הַזּוּגוֹת, שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ מִן הַנְּבִיאִים, הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינַי, בְּזוֹרֵעַ אֶת שָׂדֵהוּ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי חִטִּין, אִם עֲשָׂאָן גֹּרֶן אַחַת, נוֹתֵן פֵּאָה אַחַת. שְׁתֵּי גְרָנוֹת, נוֹתֵן שְׁתֵּי פֵאוֹת:
English:
It happened that Rabbi Shimon of Mitzpah planted his field [with two different kinds] and came before Rabban Gamaliel. They both went up to the Chamber of Hewn Stone and asked [about the law]. Nahum the scribe said: I have a tradition from Rabbi Meyasha, who received it from Abba, who received it from the pairs [of sages], who received it from the prophets, a halakhah of Moses from Sinai, that one who plants his field with two species of wheat, if he makes up of it one threshing-floor, he gives only one peah, but if two threshing-floors, he gives two peahs.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna presents a remarkable chain of transmission. Rabbi Shimon of Mitzpah had a practical question about two varieties of wheat. He and Rabban Gamliel went to the Chamber of Hewn Stone—the seat of the Sanhedrin in the Temple—to ask.
Nachum the Scribe responded with an extraordinary pedigree: he received this teaching from Rabbi Meyasha, who received it from Abba, who received it from the “pairs” (zugot—the pairs of sages who led the Sanhedrin), who received it from the prophets, as a “halakha l’Moshe miSinai”—a law given to Moses at Sinai.
This chain emphasizes that even seemingly minor agricultural details have ancient origins. The ruling confirms mishna 2:5: two wheat varieties are treated based on how they’re processed—one threshing floor means one peah, two means two.
Key Terms:
- לשכת הגזית (Lishkat HaGazit) = Chamber of Hewn Stone; Sanhedrin’s meeting place in the Temple
- לבלר (Lavlar) = Scribe; official who records and transmits traditions
- זוגות (Zugot) = Pairs; the five pairs of sages who led before the Tannaim
- הלכה למשה מסיני (Halakha L’Moshe MiSinai) = Law to Moses from Sinai; ancient oral tradition
Mishna 2:7
משנה ב:ז
Hebrew:
שָׂדֶה שֶׁקְּצָרוּהָ כּוּתִים, קְצָרוּהָ לִסְטִים, קִרְסְמוּהָ נְמָלִים, שְׁבָרַתָּהּ הָרוּחַ אוֹ בְהֵמָה, פְּטוּרָה. קָצַר חֶצְיָהּ וְקָצְרוּ לִסְטִים חֶצְיָהּ, פְּטוּרָה, שֶׁחוֹבַת הַפֵּאָה בַּקָּמָה:
English:
A field harvested by gentiles, or harvested by robbers, or which ants have bitten [the stalks at the roots], or which wind and cattle have broken down, is exempt from peah. If [the owner] harvested half of it and robbers harvested half, it is exempt from peah, for the obligation of peah is in the standing grain.
קלאוד על המשנה:
When is a field exempt from peah? When the owner didn’t actually harvest it. If Samaritans (Kutim) harvested it, robbers took it, ants destroyed the stalks, or wind and animals knocked it down—no peah is owed.
The key principle: “the obligation of peah is in the standing grain” (ba-kamah). Peah must be LEFT from what you harvest. If you never harvested, you can’t leave. The obligation attaches to the act of harvesting, not merely to owning a field with crops.
The half-and-half case is striking: if the owner harvested half and robbers took half, the ENTIRE field is exempt. Why? Because when the owner harvested his half, the other half was still standing (so no obligation yet). When the robbers took the other half, the owner wasn’t harvesting (so no obligation then either). The obligation never crystallized.
Key Terms:
- כותים (Kutim) = Samaritans; group with disputed Jewish status
- ליסטים (Listim) = Robbers; those who take by force
- קמה (Kamah) = Standing grain; unharvested crop still in the field
Mishna 2:8
משנה ב:ח
Hebrew:
קְצָרוּהָ לִסְטִים חֶצְיָהּ וְקָצַר הוּא חֶצְיָהּ, נוֹתֵן פֵּאָה מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּצָר. קָצַר חֶצְיָהּ וּמָכַר חֶצְיָהּ, הַלּוֹקֵחַ נוֹתֵן פֵּאָה לַכֹּל. קָצַר חֶצְיָהּ וְהִקְדִּישׁ חֶצְיָהּ, הַפּוֹדֶה מִיַּד הַגִּזְבָּר, הוּא נוֹתֵן פֵּאָה לַכֹּל:
English:
If robbers harvested half and the owner the other half, he gives peah from what he has harvested. If he harvested half and sold the other half, then the purchaser must give peah for the whole. If he harvested half and dedicated the other half, then he who redeems it from the Temple treasurer must give peah for the whole.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna explores the reverse scenarios from 2:7 and cases of transfer mid-harvest.
Case 1: Robbers harvest FIRST, then the owner harvests. Here the owner gives peah from his half only. When the robbers harvested, no obligation existed (they’re not subject to peah). When the owner harvested, he only harvested half—so he gives peah from that half.
Case 2: Owner harvests half, then SELLS the other half. The buyer gives peah for the WHOLE field. Why? The sale transferred the incomplete obligation. The buyer now “completes” the harvest and inherits responsibility for the entire field’s peah.
Case 3: Owner harvests half, then CONSECRATES the other half to the Temple. Whoever redeems it from the Temple treasurer gives peah for the whole—same logic as the sale case.
Key Terms:
- לוקח (Loke’ach) = Purchaser; one who buys
- הקדיש (Hikdish) = Consecrated; dedicated to the Temple
- פודה (Podeh) = Redeemer; one who buys back from the Temple
Mishna 3:1
משנה ג:א
Hebrew:
מַלְבְּנוֹת הַתְּבוּאָה שֶׁבֵּין הַזֵּיתִים, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, פֵּאָה מִכָּל אַחַת וְאֶחָת. בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, מֵאֶחָד עַל הַכֹּל. וּמוֹדִים, שֶׁאִם הָיוּ רָאשֵׁי שׁוּרוֹת מְעֹרָבִין, שֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן פֵּאָה מֵאֶחָד עַל הַכֹּל:
English:
Plots of grain between olive trees: Bet Shammai say: peah from each and every plot. But Bet Hillel says: one peah for them all. And they agree that if the ends of the rows enter one into the other, he gives one peah for them all.
קלאוד על המשנה:
Chapter 3 opens with a classic Beit Shammai vs. Beit Hillel dispute. The case: small rectangular plots of grain planted between rows of olive trees.
Beit Shammai: Each plot is separate—give peah from each one. The olive trees function as dividers.
Beit Hillel: All plots together require only one peah. The grain, though physically separated by trees, is functionally one crop.
Both agree: if the rows of grain overlap at their ends (the corners interweave), it’s definitely one unit requiring only one peah. The physical connection overrides any argument for separation.
This dispute reflects a broader pattern: Beit Shammai often sees distinct units where Beit Hillel sees unified wholes. The halacha follows Beit Hillel.
Key Terms:
- מלבנות (Malbenot) = Rectangular plots; small sections of planted grain
- בית שמאי (Beit Shammai) = School of Shammai; often stricter, sees distinctions
- בית הלל (Beit Hillel) = School of Hillel; often lenient, sees unity
- ראשי שורות (Rashei Shurot) = Ends of rows; where grain rows meet
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