Glean

Gleaning was the practice of gathering grain or grapes left behind by harvesters, and the Mosaic law mandated that farmers leave a portion of their fields and vineyards unharvested for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner (Lev. 19:9–10; 23:22; Deut. 24:19–21). This provision established a structural form of social welfare built into the agricultural calendar rather than depending on ad hoc charity. The book of Ruth provides the most detailed narrative illustration of gleaning: Ruth gleaned in Boaz's barley and wheat fields at harvest time, ultimately leading to her redemption and marriage to Boaz (Ruth 2). The practice shaped Israel's understanding of God's care for the vulnerable.