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Mishnah Peah

Mishnah

About this book
Chapter 1

These are the things that have no definite quantity: The corners [of the field]. First-fruits; [The offerings brought] on appearing [at the Temple on the three pilgrimage festivals]. The performance of righteous deeds; And the study of the torah. The following are the things for which a man enjoys the fruits in this world while the principal remains for him in the world to come:⁠ Honoring one’s father and mother; The performance of righteous deeds; And the making of peace between a person and his friend; And the study of the torah is equal to them all. They should not leave peah of less than one-sixtieth [of the field]. But even though they said, “there is no measure for peah,” everything depends upon the size of the field, the number of poor people, and the extent of the yield. They may give peah at either at the beginning of the [reaping of the] field or at the middle of it. Rabbi Shimon says: as long as he gives at the end according to the set amount. Rabbi Judah says: if he leave, one stalk, he can rely on this as [fulfilling the law of] peah; and if he did not, then he only gives as ownerless property. They said a general principle concerning peah: whatever is food, and is looked after, and grows from the land, and is harvested all at the same time, and is brought in for storage, is subject to the law of pe'ah. Grain and beans are in this category. Among trees: the sumac, the carob, the nut, the almond, the grapevine, the pomegranate, the olive and the palm are subject to peah. He may always give peah and be exempt from giving tithes until he makes a stack. One who gives [to the poor] as ownerless [produce] and be exempt from giving tithes until he makes a stack. He may feed cattle, wild animals and birds and be exempt from giving tithes until he makes a stack. He may take from the threshing floor and use it as seed and be exempt from giving tithes until he makes a stack, the words of Rabbi Akiva. A priest or Levite who purchase [grain of] a threshing floor, the tithes are theirs unless [the owner] has already made a stack. One who dedicated [his crop] and redeems it [afterwards] is obligated to give tithes until the Temple treasurer has made a stack.

Texts in conversation

Compare Matthew 6:20 and Mishnah Peah 1:1

New Testament · Rabbinic

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Summary

In Matthew 6, Jesus follows Jewish tradition where good deeds like kindness and giving to the poor become treasure stored in heaven. This resembles Rabbinic tradition in the Tosefta and the Mishnah, which teaches that good deeds bring a future reward.

Passages

Matthew 6:20

New Testament
19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and devouring insect destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and devouring insect do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Matthew

Mishnah Peah 1:1

Rabbinic · Mishnah
These are the things that have no definite quantity: The corners [of the field]. First-fruits; [The offerings brought] on appearing [at the Temple on the three pilgrimage festivals]. The performance of righteous deeds; And the study of the torah. The following are the things for which a man enjoys the fruits in this world while the principal remains for him in the world to come: Honoring one’s father and mother; The performance of righteous deeds; And the making of peace between a person and his friend; And the study of the torah is equal to them all.
190–230 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Mishnah Peah

References

"... This verse contains the command: 'Habitually store up as treasure for yourselves treasures in heaven.' How would the Matthean Jesus' auditors have understood this? Consider the following: Tobit 4:8-9, regarding giving of one's possessions, says, 'So you will be laying up good treasure for yourself'; Sirach 29:10-12, regarding helping a poor man (verse 9), says, 'Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High'; 4 Ezra 6:5 - 'before those who stored up treasures of faith were sealed'; 2 Baruch 24:1 - 'the treasuries in which are brought together the righteousness of all, those who have proven themselves to be righteous'; mishnah Peah 1:1 - 'These are things whose fruits a man enjoys in this world while the capital is laid up for him in the world to come: honouring father and mother, deeds of loving kindness, making peace between a man and his fellow; and the study of the Law is equal to them all"; tosefta Peah 4:18:0 - 'My ancestors stored up treasures for this lower world, but I, through giving charity, have stored up treasures for the heavenly world above.' (Compare Matt 19:21; Luke 12:21; Hebrews 11:26.) The treasure that is laid up in heaven is one's generosity toward others. This has permanence. Moth, rust, and thieves cannot touch generosity toward others ..."
Charles H. Talbert, Reading the Sermon on the Mount: Character Formation and Decision Making in Matthew 5–7 (Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, 2004), 121–122.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Matthew 6:20 and Mishnah Peah 1:1

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