Parashat Kedoshim

by Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon

Founder and Board Chairman, JobKatif

In this week’s parasha there is a paragraph that discusses two mitzvot that are seemingly unrelated.

It says in Vayikra 19:5-10

“And when you offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it that you may be accepted. It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the morrow; and if any remain until the third day, it shall be burnt with fire. And if is eaten at all on the third day, it is a vile thing; it shall not be accepted. But every one that eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from his people.

And when you reap the harvest of your land, you should not wholly reap the corner of your field, neither should you gather the gleaning of your harvest. And you should not glean your vineyard, neither should you gather the fallen fruit of thy vineyard; you should leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.”

The first mitzvah that the pasukim address is the mitzvah of Korban Shlamim, the peace-offering. This sacrifice must be given to G-d in a way that will be desirable to Him. Here it is mentioned that one is only allowed to eat it up until, but not including the third day.  If any is left over, it must be burnt.

 

 

The second mitzvah is about the following categories of Peah- leaving it in the corner of one’s field; Leket- not gathering produce that falls on the ground during the gathering, Ol’laloteand Prat (which pertain specifically to vineyards).

 

What is the connection between these two mitzvot of Korban Shlamim and the aforementioned categories of gathering?

 

To answer this question let us try and clarify why the Torah specifically mentions Korban Shlamim here, since it was already mentioned back in chapter seven of Vayikra.

 

Korban Shlamim is a sacrifice in which the person who brings it also may eat part of it. The food at this feast has to be finished quickly, so one must invite others to participate in eating it to insure that there is nothing left over. This creates a large “feast” with others.

 

This feast is indeed grand and beautiful, but this person must also remember the poor amongst his nation. As much as a person wants to “dine” with G-d, he also needs to be sensitive and “dine” with the poor. This mitzvah pertaining to the poor is unique because the owner of the field or vineyard does not give the gifts to the them. The poor come, and gather side by side with the owner of the field.

 

The connection between these two feasts is that one “eats with G-d” on the one hand, and gathers produce with the poor on the other hand. This is the ultimate goal – to exalt oneself by accepting the mitzvot, and to care for other people at the same time.

 

Shabbat Shalom!