Rabbi Yehudah says, [with respect to] a place (i.e., a vineyard) that typically produces Olelet (defective clusters), a poor person [selling wine in a location near the vineyard] is believed to say, "This wine is from Olelet" and that he gathered it as part of his gathering. [If he said,] "I and my brother," or "I and my close relative [gathered these grapes]" [he is also believed], but he is not believed to say "From such-and-such Gentile I bought it," [or] "From such-and-such a Samaritan man I bought it." The poor among the Samaritans are like the poor among the Jews [in this respect], but the poor among the Gentiles are not believed in any matter.

We do not reduce [the agricultural gifts] to the poor during the years of of the poor person's tithe* to less than half a kav of wheat or a kav of barley (Peah 8:5). In what context does this apply? [For grain that has been brought in to] the threshing floor, but [for grain brought] inside his house, we give [the poor person] any amount*, and we are not concerned [that it is too little]. And as to the remainder of the priestly and levitical gifts, we give any amount, and we are not concerned [that it is too little]. [If he is saving some to give to his poor relatives (Peah 8:6)], he can save half and give half. Abba Yosa ben Dostai said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer, "[If he] wants, he [can] place before [the poor people] a third and retain two-thirds for his [poor] relatives."

Kohanim and Levites that were standing around by the threshing floor, and other Kohanim came and stood [with them], they (i.e., the newcomers) cannot take [the priestly gifts] from their hands. Said Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel, Kohanim used to comport themselves generously, to not send away their brothers empty-handed, but took from their [own] share and gave to them. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, if they came before the cycle [of donations] was repeated*, they stand there until the following [cycle] and they take [at that time].

Women and slaves do not have a portion for them on the threshing floor, but we give them priestly and levitical gifts as a favor.

Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel says, "Just as the the presumptive status for the priesthood [is established by] the distribution of Terumah on the threshing floors, so too, is the presumptive status for the Levites [established by] the distribution of the first tithe on the threshing floors. [However,] the distribution in the court does not [establish] for him the presumption of the priesthood (Ketubot 26a:7).

There are two presumptions [to establish a putative Kohen's status in the priesthood] in the Land of Israel: the Lifting of the Hands [for the Priestly Benediction] and the distribution [of Terumah] on the threshing floors (see Ketubot 25b:2). And in Syria, and until the places that the messengers of the new month would arrive, [a putative Kohen's status is established by] the Lifting of the Hands, but not by the distribution on the threshing floors. And Bavel is like Syria. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, "So too, in Alexandria, in earlier times when it had a [Jewish] court."

[There is] a stringency with holy things in the Temple (i.e., sacrifices offered in the Temple) that does not exist with holy things in the outlying areas*, and [a stringency] with holy things in the outlying areas that does not exist with holy things in the Temple.* [In regards to] holy things in the outlying areas, minors have a share in them, and impure persons have a share in them, and they distribute them in a state of impurity*, and they weigh one against another*. [In regards to holy things] in the Temple, [the Kohen himself] is responsible for them and must take care of them, and take them to the Chosen House. [In regards to] holy things in the outlying area, [Kohanim] may only give them to a chaver, [while in regards to] holy things in the Temple, they [may additionally] give them to priests of the guard*.

They may not give a poor person wandering from place to place less than a loaf worth a pundion at a time when four seahs [of wheat cost] one sela*. If he spends the night [at a place], they must give him the cost of what he needs for the night, oil and pulse. If he stays over Shabbat they must give him enough food for three meals, oil, pulse, fish, and vegetables. In what case does this apply? [It applies] when they do not know him, but when they do know him, they even clothe him (Y. Peah VIII.6.8). [But] if he [is someone who] is just going around to all the entrances [i.e., begging from door to door], they do not get involved with him* in every thing.

[We give to the poor from] the charity dish the whole day, [and from] the communal fund from Sabbath eve to Sabbath eve. [We give from] the charity dish to every person, [and from] the communal fund to people from the same town. If [a particular poor person] was there for thirty days, behold, he is like the people of the town [for purposes of] the communal fund, and [we provide him] clothing for six months. [However], to the poor people of the city [we provide] clothing for twelve months.

A poor person who gave a perutah (a small copper coin) to the communal fund and a piece of bread to the charity plate, we accept it from him. If he doesn't give, we don't require him to give. [If] they gave him new [clothes] and he returned to them [worn out] clothes, we accept it from him. If he didn't give [anything], we do not require him to give. [If] he was used to silk clothes, we give him silk clothes (cf. Y. Peah VIII.7.5). [If he was accustomed to having] a ma'ah, we give him a ma'ah; [similarly, if he is accustomed to having] dough, we give him dough, bread we give him bread, to be fed inside his mouth we feed him inside his mouth, as it says (Deut. 15:8), "[pledge to him] sufficient for his lack that is lacking to him (לו)." Even a slave, even a horse. "To him (לו)" -- this [refers to] a wife, as it says (Gen. 2:18), "I will make for him (לו) a help-mate opposite him." It so happened with Hillel the Elder, he obtained for a poor person of noble descent a horse upon which to ride and a servant to run in front of him. And moreover, it so happened with the people of the Galilee that they would bring a Sepphoris pound of meat to one old man every day.*

[If a poor person] was accustomed to using golden vessels [and presumably still has the vessels but no money], he sells them and uses silver utensils. [If he was accustomed to] silver vessels, he sells them and uses copper vessels. [If he was accustomed to] copper vessels, he sells them and uses glass vessels. They said, a family of Beit Nevaltah was in Jerusalem that was descended from the sons of Ornan the Jebusite (see I Chron. 21:20). The Sages brought to them (or they brought to the Sages) six hundred golden shekels* but they did not want to take them outside of Jerusalem*

One who says, "I shall not be provided for by others," [we nonetheless] persevere on him and we support him and [first] we give it to him as a loan, and we return and [then] we give it to him as a gift, the words of Rabbi Meier. Rabbi Shimon says, we say to him, "bring collateral," to give him the impression [that he is not receiving charity, see Ketubot 67b:9].

If someone was saying, "I am unable to provide for myself," [we nonetheless] persevere on him, and we support him, and [first] give it to him as a present and [then] we return and collect it from him as a loan.

One who [pretends to] blind his eyes or who swells his legs or blows up his belly [feigning illness] does not leave this world until it really happens to him.*

Charity collectors may not spread out from each other [each one collecting in a different place, see Bava Batra 8b:16, Steinsaltz tr.]. [Moreover,] even if his friend gave him money that he owed him, even if he found money on the road, he does not have the right to take it with him [as others may mistakenly believe that he is enriching himself with communal funds], as it is said (Num. 32:22, Fox tr.), "and you will be clear [of obligation] before YHWH and before Israel." However, [charity collectors] may spread out from each other inside a courtyard or inside a store and collect [separately].

[With respect to] the poor person's tithe [alt., "second tithe"], we do not pay back a loan or a debt from it, and we do not compensate [others for their good] deeds from it, and we do not redeem captives with it, and we do not make wedding gifts from it, and we do not give from it as an act of charity. However, we may send it as an act of lovingkindness, [as long as we] inform [the person that it is from tithes], and we may give it to a chaver of the town as a favor.

[If someone] said, [he would] give [charity], and he gave, we give him a reward for his word and a reward for his act. [If he] said [he would] give, and he did not have enough in his hand to give, we give him the reward of his word, as if it was the reward of his act. [If he] did not say [he would] give, but he said to others, "Give!", we give him the reward, as it is said (Deut. 15:10), "[You are to give, yes, give to him, your heart is not to be ill-disposed in your giving to him], for on account of this matter, YHWH your God will bless you [in all your doings]." [If he] did not say to others, "Give!" but he comforts him (נוח לו following Lieberman) with good words/deeds, we give him a reward on that, as it is said, "for on account of this matter [etc.]."

There was an incident involving King Munbaz, who went and gave away all of his treasures [to the poor] in the years of drought, and his brothers said to him, "Your ancestors stored up treasures, and added to those of their fathers, and you went and gave away all your treasures, and those of your fathers." He said to them, "My ancestors stored treasures below, but I stored treasures above, as it is written (Ps. 85:12), 'Truth will spring out of the earth [and righteousness (tzedek) will look down from heaven].' My ancestors stored treasures in a place that a [human] hand can reach, but I stored treasures in a place that no hand can reach, as it says (Ps. 89:15), 'Righteousness (tzedek) and justice are the foundation of Your throne.' My ancestors stored treasures that do not bear fruit (i.e., generate profit), but I stored treasures that do bear fruit, as it says (Is. 3:10), 'Say of the righteous (tzaddik), that it shall be well [with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings].' My ancestors stored treasures of money, whereas I am storing treasures of souls, as it says (Prov. 11:30), 'The fruit of the righteous (tzaddik) is a tree of life, and he that wins souls is wise.' My ancestors stored treasures for others, whereas I am storing treasures for myself, as it says (Deut. 24:13), 'And it shall be as righteousness (tzedakah) to you before Hashem your God.' My ancestors stored treasures for this world, whereas I am storing treasures for the world to come, as it says (Is. 58:8), 'And your righteousness (tzid'kecha) shall go before you, [the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard].'" Charity (tzedakah) and kind deeds are as important as all commandments of the Torah. Charity applies to the living, works of lovingkindness apply to the living and the dead. Charity applies to the poor, works of lovingkindness apply to the poor and the rich. Charity is [performed] through a person's money, works of lovingkindness through his money and his person.*

Said Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Karha, "From where [do we learn] that everyone that turns his eyes away from [one seeking] charity is considered as if he worships idols? As it is written (Deut. 15:9), 'Beware that there be not a base (bliya'al) thought in your heart... [and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing].' And moreover it states (Deut. 13:14), 'Certain base (bliya'al) men have gone out […and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods].' Just as the "baseness" spoken of there is idolatry, so too the "baseness" spoken of here is [compared to] idolatry."*

Said Rabbi Elazar bar Yosei, "From where [do we learn] that charity and acts of kindness [make] a great peace and are great intercessors between the Jewish people and their Father in heaven? As it is written (Jer. 16:5), 'So said the Lord, enter not into a house of mourning[, neither go to lament nor bemoan them, for I have taken away My peace from this people, says the Lord, both kindness and mercy].' 'Kindness' -- this refers to acts of lovingkindness. And 'mercy' -- this refers to charity, in order to teach that charity and acts of lovingkindness [bring] peace and are great intercessors between Israel and their Father in heaven."