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Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Shichaha, the commandment to leave behind a forgotten sheaf of grain for the needs of the poor, is a key agriculturally based mitzvah that appears in our parasha:
When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to take it; it shall be [left] for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, so that Hashem, your G-d, will bless you in all that you do. (Sefer Devarim 24:19, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The anonymous author of the Sefer HaChinuch (13th century) sheds light upon the underlying rationale of this mitzvah, enabling us to gain a deeper appreciation of its singular import:

Regarding the fundamental basis of the commandment: When the poor and destitute... in their [grinding] poverty look at the produce [of the field] in a [desperate and] dependent manner, while gazing upon the field’s owner sheaving their sheaves...they [consequently] think in their [heart of] hearts:  “Who will give [in order] that it will be like this for me, [so that, I, too, can] gather sheaves into my house, for if I could bring [in even] one [sheaf], I would rejoice in it.” As such, [this commandment stems] from Hashem’s kindnesses towards His creatures, may He be blessed, in order to fulfill their desire when it so happens that the owner of the field forgets it [the sheaves].
(Mitzvah 592, translations, https://www.sefaria.org/, with my emendations)
 
The Sefer HaChinuch focuses upon the Almighty’s great kindness in providing for the needs of His creations, in this case, through the agency of the owner of the field. This is congruent with the celebrated pasuk in Ashrei: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing [with] its desire.” (Sefer Tehillim 145:16)  In addition, our anonymous author emphasizes the benefits that accrue to the owner of the field:

There is also a benefit for the owner of the field, in that he acquires through this a goodly soul; for truly through the trait of generosity, and a blessed soul that does not place its heart upon the forgotten sheaf and leaves it to the destitute, on those with such a soul, does the blessing of G-d descend forever.
 
The Sefer HaChinuch teaches us a profound two-fold lesson: The mitzvah of shichaha simultaneously provides for the vital needs of the most vulnerable in society and shapes the moral and spiritual persona of the one who performs this act. This is the case, since this commandment, unlike most mitzvot, takes place as a result of pure accident; that is, the owner of the field must decide to abandon the forgotten sheaf and leave it for the needy. This notion is given powerful voice in the following story found in Tosefta Peah:

The following incident occurred to a righteous individual (chasid echad) who forgot a sheaf of grain in the midst of his field. He said to his son: “Go and offer a steer as a completely burnt offering and another steer as a free-will celebratory offering in my name.” His son then said to him: “Father, what have you seen in this mitzvah that causes you to rejoice more so on its behalf than any other mitzvah that is stated in the Torah?” He responded to him: “The HaMakom (the Omnipresent One) gave us the majority of the Torah’s mitzvot to be performed l’da’atainu (in a planful manner); this commandment, [however,] was given to us to be performed solely in an unplanned scenario. This is the case, since if we purposefully [and consciously leave sheaves in the field] in order to attempt to fulfill this mitzvah before the Omnipresent, it will not account to us as a fulfillment of the commandment...
 
At this juncture, the chasid echad explains to his son the ultimate reason for his overwhelming joy in fulfilling this mitzvah:
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The Torah states concerning this commandment: “so that Hashem your G-d, will bless you in all that you do,” that is, the text establishes a [special] bracha for one who fulfills this commandment. Can we not, therefore, establish a kal v’chomer statement regarding these matters? Namely, since it is true that an individual who does not intend to acquire merit [as in shichaha] nonetheless achieves reward to the point that the Torah considers it as if this was his intention all along, all the more so would this be so regarding one who is well-aware that his actions will bring him reward [and will ultimately receive that which is promised]. (Professor Saul Lieberman edition, III:8, translation and brackets my own)
 
In sum, the chasid echad ecstatically performs the mitzvah of shichaha and expresses his joy through sacrificial offerings, since the commandment of shichaha provides proof that Hashem is He Who promises and surely fulfills.
 
With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh to emulate such bitachon--trust in Hashem in our daily lives. May the Mashiach come soon and in our time, and may we fulfill the mitzvah of shichaha once again in our land.
 
Shabbat Shalom
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Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you would like to be added, please contact me via email: mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 

Rabbi David Etengoff

ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Our parasha contains a compendium of prohibited behaviors associated with human sacrifice and the magic arts:
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When you have come to the land Hashem your G-d is giving you, you shall not learn to do like the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who passes his son or daughter through fire [Rashi: avodat hamolech], a soothsayer, a diviner of times, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, a pithom sorcerer, a yido’a sorcerer, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to Hashem, and because of these abominations, Hashem your G-d is driving them out from before you. (Sefer Devarim 18:9-12, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, brackets my own)
 
In stark contrast to this extensive listing, the Torah presents a terse statement as to how we should encounter the Almighty: “tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha—You should be wholehearted (tamim) with Hashem, your G-d.” (18:13)  
 
The Ramban (1194-1270) maintains that tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha requires us “to join our very being solely unto Him and believe that He, and He alone, does everything [in this world] and knows the truth concerning the future [for all time].” Therefore, we are to “seek information from Him alone regarding what will be from His prophets or from His righteous ones, that is from the Urim v’Tumim, and [we may not] seek this from the astrologers and others of their kind, for no matter what we must not believe them.” (Hassagote HaRamban, Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Mitzvot the Rambam Did Not Include, number eight, translations my own) In addition, he cites a pivotal pasuk in Sefer Yirmiyahu that magnifies the understanding of our verse: “So says Hashem: ‘Of the way of the nations, you shall not learn, and from the signs of the heavens [Rashi, eclipse of the sun or planets] be not dismayed, for the nations are dismayed from them.’” (10:2, translation, The Judaica press Complete Tanach) 
 
In the Ramban’s view, Yirmiyahu’s nevuah teaches us that a causal relationship obtains between our degree of closeness to Hashem, as demonstrated by our rejection of “the way of the nations,” and the future that awaits us. Little wonder he opines that Avraham Avinu achieved the highest heights of temimut when the Almighty commanded him: “hithalech lifanei v’heyeh tamim—walk before me and be wholehearted.” (Sefer Bereishit 17:1)  As a result of his unlimited dedication to the Holy One blessed be He, Avraham was promised descendants who would inherit Eretz Yisrael.
 
May we soon live in Eretz Yisrael amid permanent peace and tranquility, and may the stirring words of Yirmiyahu finally be realized with the arrival of Mashiach Tzidkeinu: “There shall again be heard… in the cities of Yehudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim… the sound of mirth and the sound of joy, the voice of a bridegroom and the voice of a bride…” (33:10-11)  V’chane yihi ratzon
 
Shabbat Shalom
​
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you would like to be added, please contact me via email: mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.