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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 5:9 and Mishnah Peah 1

New Testament · Rabbinic

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Summary

In Matthew's description of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus blesses peacemakers, similar to later Rabbinic tradition in Mishnah Peah, which teaches that making peace between people is rewarded in the world to come.

Passages

Matthew 5:9

New Testament
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Matthew

Mishnah Peah 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. 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.
190–230 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Mishnah Peah

References

"... Another foundational principle of Hillel was the pursuit of peace. He taught “Love and pursue peace” and “Increase peace” (Mishnah Avot 1:12, 2:8; compare Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; Ephesians 2:17). Hillel overcame his adversaries by gentleness and humility (Babylonian Talmud Eruvin 13b) and even lowered himself to the position of a slave in order to serve his fellow man (Tosefta Peah 4:10; Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 67b; compare John 13:4–17; Philippians 2:5–7). This approach to conflict may have been learned from his teachers, Shemiah and Avtalion, who advised making peace with Herod the Great when he was besieging Jerusalem (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 15:1–3). Under this influence, his students taught, “Thus if someone curses [you, then you] should answer with the blessing, ‘Peace be upon you’” (Kallah Rabbati 3; compare Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14) ..."
Michael D. Palmer, “G'meelut Chasadim (Deeds of Kindness),” in The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Religion and Social Justice, ed. Michael D. Palmer and Stanley M. Burgess, Wiley-Blackwell Companions to Religion (Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012), 292–305.

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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  • Were there jails in heaven on 2nd and 5th floors as said in Enoch 2?

    Beth, January 28, 2023

Matthew 5:9 and Mishnah Peah 1

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