Among the 613 mitzvot of the Torah, there is one that stands apart. While most mitzvot are performed intentionally—lighting Shabbat candles, giving tzedakah, studying Torah—the mitzvah of shikchah, leaving the forgotten sheaf, can never be done on purpose. It is a mitzvah born of forgetfulness:

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 the L-rd, your G‑d, will bless you in all that you do.1

Even if the farmer takes the forgotten sheaf and processes it into flour or bread, he must still hand it over to the poor. The forgotten produce is no longer his—it belongs to those in need.

The mitzvah extends to other produce as well:

When you beat your olive tree, you shall not deglorify it [by picking all its fruit] after you; it shall be [left] for the stranger, the orphan and the widow.

When you pick the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean after you: it shall be [left] for the stranger, the orphan and the widow.2

Of note, the Torah promises a reward for this act: leaving the forgotten produce invokes Divine blessing for one’s efforts. The Sages explain that the mitzvah of shikchah (like the related gifts of pe’ah – leaving the edge of one’s field, and leket – leaving fallen gleanings) helps foster empathy and generosity. If G‑d blessed you with a bountiful harvest, rather than hoarding it all, you should share with those less fortunate. It trains a person to be open-handed.

Below, we will explore some of the details of this unique mitzvah.

Is it one of the 613?

Rabbinic authorities differ on how to enumerate shikchah in the count of the 613 mitzvot. Maimonides and Sefer Hachinuch count leaving the forgotten sheaf as a positive mitzvah,3 and not taking it back as a negative mitzvah.4 However, the Baal Halachot Gedolot lists the cases of grain, vineyard, and olive tree as three separate positive mitzvahs.5 The Sefer Mitzvot Katan does not include shikchah in the count at all, maintaining that it falls into the broader mitzvah of supporting the poor.

Regardless, the halachah is clear that forgetting harvest produce and leaving it for the poor fulfills a positive command, and actively returning to retrieve what was forgotten violates a prohibition.

To What Does it Apply?

The mitzvah of shikchah applies not only to sheaves of harvested grain, but also to standing stalks (kama). If part of the crop is forgotten and left unharvested, it belongs to the poor. This is derived from the verse, “in the field,”6 which includes not only gathered sheaves but also standing grain.7

Moreover, shikchah applies not only to grain and similar produce, but also to fruit trees. The phrase “after you,” in the verse, “ … you shall not deglorify it [by picking all its fruit] after you,”8 is understood to mean forgotten fruit left behind. Just as the Torah instructs “do not go back to take it” regarding grain, the same applies to trees: anything left behind must be kept for the poor.

How Many Sheaves Count as Shikchah?

The mitzvah of shikchah applies when only a small number of bundles are forgotten. But what is considered small? The Sages disagreed:

Beit Hillel rules that if a farmer forgot two sheaves, this is shikchah and must be left for the poor. But if he forgot three, that is not considered shikchah. The same applies to other produce: Two piles of harvested olives, two piles of carobs, or two bundles of flax stalks—these are shikchah. But if three were forgotten, they are not.

Beit Shammai disagrees. In their view, even three forgotten sheaves are considered shikchah; only if four or more are forgotten does the mitzvah no longer apply.9

The law follows Beit Hillel: two sheaves are shikchah, three are not.

A Sheaf Too Large to Forget

If a forgotten sheaf is unusually large—containing the volume of two se’ah (a substantial biblical measure)—it is not considered shikchah. This rule applies even if every sheaf in the field is that size.

Why?

Two explanations are given:

The Torah states: “When you reap your harvest … you shall not go back to take it.”10 The words “do not go back to take it” imply something that can be carried away in one motion. A normal-sized sheaf can be lifted at once onto the shoulder, but an oversized sheaf of two se’ah cannot. Since it cannot be picked up and taken in one trip, it is excluded from the category of shikchah.11

Others base the distinction on the wording “and you forget a sheaf (omer).” A massive bundle of two se’ah is no longer considered an omer—a sheaf—but rather a gaddish, a full stack. The law of shikchah applies only to a typical sheaf, not to a heap.12

It is also important to note that if the forgotten bundles are attached or lying together, they are considered one unit, and the laws of shikchah do not apply, since the total size would likely be above the limit.

Who Must Forget?

The Torah says, “your harvest … and you forget,”13 implying that the owner of the field—the one responsible for the harvest—must be the one who forgot. If the workers forget a sheaf, it does not count as shikchah.

On the other hand, if the landowner forgets the sheaf but the workers are aware of it, it is also not considered shikchah. The verse specifies, “when you reap and forget,” indicating that the person actually performing the harvesting must be the one who forgets.

What if the workers forget a sheaf, and the landowner initially remembers it and only later forgets? The law depends on where the owner is at the time:

If he is in the city, and says, “I know that my workers forgot a sheaf in the field,” but later forgets it himself—this is shikchah.

But if he is in the field when it happened, and then forgets, it is not considered shikchah.14

The difference is based on the Torah’s wording, “and you forget a sheaf in the field.” The sages understand that in the field, forgetfulness must be complete from the outset. But in the city, even if he remembers at first and only later forgets, it is still counted as shikchah.

When and Where Does This Mitzvah Apply?

According to the Torah, all of the agricultural gifts for the poor—such as pe’ah (leaving the edge of the field), leket (leaving forgotten individual stalks), and shikchah—apply only in the Land of Israel. This is derived from verses such as, “When you reap the harvest of your land.”15

Nevertheless, the Talmud explains that the mitzvah of pe’ah must also be observed outside of Israel by rabbinic decree. Based on this, Maimonides and later authorities extend the same principle to all of the other agricultural gifts for the poor. In the Diaspora, they are rabbinic obligations.16

The Code of Jewish Law rules that if there are no Jewish poor in a given area, there is no obligation to leave these gifts, since their purpose is to support needy members of the community.17

Mitzvot Beyond Choice

This mitzvah is unique in that it cannot be fulfilled by human choice or intention, but only without one’s awareness. Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains that most mitzvot are connected to human will because their spiritual root lies in G‑d’s supernal will. But mitzvot that cannot depend on human choice draw from a level beyond will altogether, from the Divine “surrounding light” (makif). This parallels the idea expressed in Chassidism that G‑d’s “desire” to create a dwelling in the lowest realms is beyond reason and beyond will.

A mitzvah based on intellect draws down Divine wisdom. A mitzvah that engages our will draws down G‑d’s will. But a mitzvah that is beyond human will connects to a level higher than will itself.18

The Rebbe expands on this concept, explaining that it also applies when one Jew influences another. The success of such efforts does not depend on the desire of the one who reaches out, but on the willingness of the other to listen and accept. Thus, helping another Jew in spiritual matters taps into the same level “beyond will.”

Moreover, helping another Jew is a form of spiritual charity, which, similar to shikchah, depends on the fact that you are often reaching out to whose Divine spark is in a state of “forgetfulness”—hidden or dormant. By awakening them, you elevate that forgotten spark and return it to life.19