John Kitto Morning Bible Devotions: July 5

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John Kitto Morning Bible Devotions: July 5

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Gleaning

Salutations

Rth_2:1-4

It was the commencement of the barley harvest when the two women came to Bethlehem. In that part of the country this is usually in the middle of April. Note: The first fruits of the barley harvest were, as we know, presented at the passover, before which it as not lawful to begin the harvest. In Egypt the harvest was a little earlier than in Judea—in Phoenicia a little later—and in both countries they began cutting their barley as soon as the cuckoo was heard. Hence the comedian calls that bird the king of Egypt and Phoenicia (Aristoph. in Avibus). Even with us this bird is heard in April—sometimes as early as the 9^th, but not usually until a fortnight later. We are thus at once introduced into the most engaging scenes of the active season of agricultural labor. The fact suggested to Ruth that she might contribute something to their mutual subsistence by going forth to glean. Naomi cheerfully consented to this—knowing that the law of Moses, and the usage founded on it, gave the poor a right to glean in the harvest fields: and they were poor indeed. This right of gleaning was one of the legal provisions for the poor of Israel—and as the landholders were not subject to money taxes for the support of the poor, this claim was liberally construed by them. Yet still, as its rude assertion by the poor as a right, might subject the operations of the field to serious inconvenience, and occasion undue pressure upon particular fields, it appears that the proprietor retained the power of nominating the persons who were to glean after his reapers. In other words, the poor applied to the proprietors for permission to glean in their fields. Hence Ruth did not enter abruptly, and commence gleaning where she chose; but asked permission of the overseer, who very kindly and readily gave it. Some have thought this right of gleaning so absolute, that they incline to ascribe Ruth’s demeanor to her being a foreigner, not well acquainted with the nature of this right in Israel; but it is to be observed that Naomi herself sanctioned her impression that she was going to glean in the fields of him “in whose sight she should find grace;” and that on Ruth’s return, she herself ascribed the success of her daughter-in-law to the favor of the master of the field.

This Mosaical institution, founded upon the absence of any regular legal provision for the poor, no doubt gave rise to the popular notion as to the right of the poor to glean the fields after the harvest in this country also, which did formerly, and does still to a great extent, prevail in our rural districts. It is probable that, had no compulsory provision for the poor by rates been made, the right of gleaning would never have been questioned. But since then it has been questioned in the courts of law; and the decision has been against it as a matter of right. A case, which has been regarded as settling question, is reported in the law books. It was a solemn judgment in the Court of Common Pleas, that no such right could be claimed at common law. Mr. Justice Gould, however, dissented, quoting the passages in the Levitical law which bore on the subject, Note: Lev_19:9-10; Lev_23:22. Deu_24:19-21. together with a recognition of the custom or privilege in the private enclosure act of Basingstoke parish. The other judges, however, were of opinion, that it would be dangerous and impolitic to admit gleaning to be a right, and would, in fact, be prejudicial to the poor themselves, now provided for under various positive statutes. They also remarked, that the custom of gleaning was various in different places, and was in many places restricted to particular kinds of corn, and could not, therefore, be set up as a universal common-law right; that it would be opening a tempting door to fraud and idleness, and had never been specially recognized by any judicial determination.

Nevertheless, gleaning seems to be still regarded by the rural poor as one of their rights, and is generally exercised, by consent of the farmer as to the persons. Some farmers, however, resist it, excluding the gleaners, and after the harvest raking the fields themselves. We have had occasion to witness the resentment, amounting to animosity, felt and expressed against the one farmer, in a rural district not more than twenty-five miles from London, who followed this practice.

It is said that not “the field,” but “the part of the field,” to which Ruth was providentially directed, belonged to Boaz, a near kinsman of Naomi’s late husband. This is explained by what we have already had occasion to mention, that the lands of the respective proprietors are not separated by enclosures, but the whole cultivated in one unbroken field, the separate lots being distinguished only by land-marks and narrow trenches, seldom visible when the corn is grown up.

By-and-bye the master himself came to the field from Bethlehem. The salutations exchanged between him and his reapers, strike us forcibly as beautiful indications of the pious and simple courtesy of a people brought up under the Law. The manner in which this impresses us, arises much from the unhappy lack of similar usages among ourselves; for in the East such salutations, both between equals, and between superiors and inferiors, are still common. Under the same circumstances, a master in the same land would still say to his men—“Peace be to you;” and they would answer—“To thee be peace, and the mercy of God, and his blessing.” It is to be regretted that we, whose law enjoins us to “be courteous,” should suffer even Mohammedans to outdo us in this respect. These common courtesies, especially when clothed in the expression of a pious wish, are of more real importance than we are apt to suppose. They are in fact of more real importance to us than they would be to any people. The tendency of our civilization—and it is a great evil among the many benefits this civilization has produced—is to segregate the classes, and widen the distance between them; and it therefore the more behooves us to cultivate the amenities which may keep before the mind a consciousness of the fact, that there is a link between man and man in the brotherhood of a common faith and a common nature. It would do no harm. The servile demeanor of the poor in this country is hateful to every well-ordered mind. It has grown out of circumstances which there has been too little effort to resist; and we may go to the East to learn how the poor may be treated with courtesy and attention, and be continually reminded, in every passing form of speech, of their natural and religious brotherhood, without being thereby encouraged to disrespect or insubordination, but by which rather a cheerful and willing character is imparted to their obedience.

Among the Moslems, the salutation, as above given, is used by all classes, and is a sign of their brotherhood in religion, and their actual equality before God. It is therefore not in the same form used to those who are known to be of another religion. Whether this restriction exited among the Hebrews or not, there is no authority that informs us directly; but it is probable, from the nature of things, that it did. We find among the Mohammedan books, that the Jews of Arabia in Mohammed’s time, always used a different salutation to Moslems from that in use among themselves, often changing it into a malediction. Hence Mohammed directs—“When a Jew makes a salam to you, and he says, Al-sámo âlaica; Note: So near in sound to the salutation of peace, Al-salámo-âlaica, that it might pass by an unobservant ear for it, but sam means death, and the meaning, is, “May you die.” then do you answer, O-âlaica.” Note: That is, “Be the same to you.” When a Moslem discovers that he has inadvertently given the salutation of peace to one not a Moslem, he usually revokes the salutation, saying, “Peace be on us, and on [all] the right worshippers of God.” The giving it by one Moslem to another is a duty; but one that may be omitted without sin, though the returning the salutation of another is absolutely obligatory. The chief rules respecting salutation, given by Mohammed, and usually followed by modern Moslems, are—The person riding is to salute first him who is on foot; and he who passes by, the persons who are sitting down or standing still; and a small party, or one belonging to such a party, should give the salutation to a large party; and the young to the aged. It may be observed, that these rules are irrespective of any social difference between the persons. The Orientals have modes of indicating such differences; but not in the salutation of peace, which is the same for all. We have before us a book of the acts and sayings of Mohammed, as reported by his associates, from which one or two illustrations of his own views and practice, which regulate those of his followers, may be drawn—“A man asked his majesty [Mohammed], ‘What quality is the best of a Musleman?’ he said, ‘Giving food to others, and returning the salutation of acquaintance or strangers.’” “Anas said, Verily his majesty passed by some boys, and made a salam to them.” The khalif Ali reports, that he heard Mohammed say—“There are six duties from one Musleman to another: To salute each other when they meet; to accept each other’s invitations to dinner; to say, God have mercy upon you, after sneezing; Note: This illustration has escaped the notice of those who have written on the antiquities of sneezing, and of the universal custom, not extinct among ourselves, of blessing the person who sneezes. The account of the subject given by Mohammed is copied, with some little alteration, from the Rabbins, who state that—“Sneezing was a mortal sign even from the first man, until it was taken off by the special application of Jacob. From this, as a thankful acknowledgment, thus salutation first began, and was afterwards continued by the expression Tobim Chaiim, or vita bona, by by-standers upon all occasions of sneezing.” (Buxtorff, Lex. Chald.) It is in this doubtless that Mohammed gives his history of Adam’s first sneeze. The custom also prevailed among the heathen, and is still found in the East. The subject is curiously illustrated in Brand’s Popular Antiquities. to visit the sick; to follow each other’s biers when dead; and for one Musleman to wish for to another what he wishes for himself.” Jabir reports: “Verily, his highness passed by a party of women, and made a salam to them;” but on this the commentators add—“This practice was peculiar to his highness; for it is bad for a man to make a salam to a stranger woman, or a woman to a strange man, unless it be an old woman.” Abuhurairah reports that he heard Mohammed say—“You will not enter into paradise until you believe; and you will not complete your faith until you love one another; and that is shown by making salam to friends and strangers.” A Moslem generally accompanies the verbal salutation, whether as given or returned, by the very graceful motion of laying his right hand upon his breast; or else by touching his lips, and then his forehead or turban by the same hand. This was not the custom of the Jews, though they had some equivalent motion; for Mohammed says—“That person is not of us who likens himself to another. Do not copy the Jews or Christians; because a Jew’s salam is making a sign with his fingers; and that of a Christian with the palm of his hand.”