As individual efforts were insufficient, the Bible turned to a more realistic approach through the practical legislation that demanded that the corner of the fields and the gleanings be left for the poor and the stranger(Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22; Deut. 24:19-21; amplified in Jud. 8.2; Is. 17:5-6; 24:13; Jer. 49:9; Mic. 7:1; Ruth 2:3, where we see that this legislation was indeed followed). This simple system helped the poor and was psychologically effective because it was not a dole: the crops were harvested by the poor and the stranger. These laws represented an entitlement, forced each farmer take the appropriate action and were far reaching. The system seems to have been effective in a simple agricultural setting and solved the problem for the rural poor. It depended, of course, upon the vagaries of the weather and the problems of grain storage. The success of this system along with the need to deal with numerous details can be seen in the legislation of the Mishnah and the two Talmuds . Much of what has been spelled out there must already have existed as law or custom earlier, as the simple biblical statements provide few details.’
Another way of solving a portion of the problem was the tithe; it was initially intended as a gift to God , as exemplified by the young patriarch Jacob who promised one tenth to God (Gen.28:18-22). The later legislation specified that“seed from the ground and fruit from the tree” along with herd and flock were to be tithed(Lev. 27:30 ff). There is some confusion about the use of the tithe, but a portion was designated for the poor.*
The tithe was clearly part of Israelite life until the destruction of the Temple. Rabbinic literature, both early and late, especially the midrashim, sought to devote it entirely to alleviate poverty. The ideal of providing ten percent of one’s income for the poor remained and was important in Judaism as well as later in Christianity . There was considerable talmudic discussion about