‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the ger: I am the Lord your God.’ ”
What Does It Say?
No, that's not a typo, this verse is almost identical to Leviticus 19:10. This time it comes directly after a list of regulations for the Feast of Weeks, aka Shavuot. It's part of a chapter 23's descriptions of all the various holidays of the Hebrew calendar.
The Feast of Weeks is also sometimes called the Feast of Reaping, as it takes place during the time of the wheat harvest. That's likely why the commandment is repeated here: it's a reminder to make provisions for the poor and the stranger as we celebrate the bounty God has given to us.
As such, it serves as a good reminder that our blessings come from God, and that God wants us to love others as He has loved us. Our treatment of other people should be a reflection of how we believe God treats us.
Is our God a loving God? Then we should be loving. Is our God a just God? Then we must not pervert justice in favor of the poor or in favor of the rich. We make provisions for those who cannot feed themselves just as God feeds us, those who depend on Him.
Next: Leviticus 24
No comments:
Post a Comment