Tell me more ×
Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 4 down vote favorite

If a worker forgot a sheave in a field, thereby making it Shich'cha (one of the gifts which the owner of the field must leave to the poor), does he have to pay back the owner?

share|improve this question
Do you have a source that a worker can effect the rule of Shih'cha? Maybe it has to be the owner. – Double AA♦ Jan 1 '12 at 22:15
@DoubleAA, see Pea chapter 5. – msh210♦ Jan 1 '12 at 22:27
@msh210, your link goes to 5:5. Shouldn't it be to 5:7? – Alex Jan 1 '12 at 22:30
@Alex, yep, it should! Thanks. (This, then, is the correct link in answer to DoubleAA's question.) – msh210♦ Jan 1 '12 at 22:46

1 Answer

up vote 3 down vote accepted

The mishna in Pea chapter 5 says, and the Rambam in Mat'nos Aniyim chapter 6 codifies, that if someone is working a field with no claim to the not-yet-reaped crops and happens to be poor enough to claim leket, then he can claim leket from the very field he's working. Since they don't mention that he must repay the field's owner for this (and I don't see it in the commentaries, either), I would hazard a guess that he does not need to do so. That's leket; while shichcha may very well be different, I have no particular reason to think so. As always, if this is a practical question, ask your rabbi.

share|improve this answer
1  
+1 for the last line! – Double AA♦ Jan 1 '12 at 23:10

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.