660. Free Corn for the Hungry

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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It was perfectly lawful for persons when hungry to help themselves to as much of their neighbor’s growing grain as they wished for food. They were not allowed to cut any, but must simply gather what was needed with the hand. “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor’s standing corn” (Deut. 23:2525When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor's standing corn. (Deuteronomy 23:25)). The Pharisees did not complain that the corn was plucked, but that it was gathered on the Sabbath.
This ancient freedom of a handful of grain for a hungry traveler is still in existence in Palestine.