Yitzchak Coffer asked:
In describing Leket, the first line [of Background to the Daf] reads, "Leket refers to individual (one or two) stalks that have fallen from the sickle..."
My question is, since all produce that is reaped has to "fall" before it is collected, would the above translation perforce mean that everything is Leket?
May we speedily witness binyan ha'Bais Shlishi.
Yitzchak Coffer, Thornhill, Canada
The Kollel replies:
If one holds the stalks while cutting them on bottom with a hand-sickle, Leket is what falls from his hand upon cutting.
However, if does not hold the stalks when cutting them, but simply cuts everything and then collects it, the Chazon Ish writes (Ma'asros 7:10) that stalks that fall removed from the rest are Leket, if they are less than three.
Dov Zupnik