leket

Leket (Hebrew: לֶקֶט) is a Hebrew term meaning "gleanings" or "leftovers." In biblical law it designates the portion of grain or produce that is left in the field or on the ground during harvest and is reserved for the poor.

The concept appears in Deuteronomy 24:19–22, which also mentions pe'ah (the corner of the field) and shikcha (the forgotten sheaf). The law directs the landowner not to retrieve these leftovers; instead, they are designated for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. In practice, leket covers the parts that fall or are left behind during harvesting and are not gathered by the reapers. It is one of several harvest-related provisions intended to assist the poor.

Rabbinic literature expands on leket, clarifying its application to fields, orchards, and vineyards, and discussing how ownership and access by the needy are balanced with property rights and agricultural practice. The framework of leket, together with pe'ah and shikcha (and the related concept priyah sadeh), forms part of the broader biblical ethic of social welfare and acts of charity tied to agricultural activity.

In contemporary usage, lekôt is also a general term for gleanings or food leftovers and is used as the name of charitable organizations in Israel that rescue surplus food and distribute it to those in need. Leket Israel is a prominent nonprofit that coordinates food rescue and redistribution to welfare agencies, shelters, and soup kitchens.

See also: Pe'ah, Shikcha, Priyah sadeh, Gleaning.