dency of Hillel, and which has at least the merit of serving as a record of a multitude of very ancient customs and observances which, but for it, would probably have long ago been forgotten.
Now it so happens that the very first section of the Misna is called Zeraim, and has to do with seeds and crops, and I was thus enabled, without any very prolonged search, to light upon one of the passages in question.[1] It occurs in a chapter entitled De Angulo in the Latin version, treating of the corner of the fields bearing crops which should be set aside for the poor, and of the rights of the gleaners, and may be freely rendered as follows: "The granaries of ants (Formicarum cavernulæ), which may be found in the midst of a growing crop of corn, shall belong to the owner of the crop; but, if these granaries are found after the reapers have passed, the upper part (of each heap contained in these granaries) shall go to the poor and the lower to the proprietor." And then is added: "The Rabbi Meir is of opinion that the whole should go to the poor, because whenever any doubt arises about a question of gleaning the doubt is to be given in favour of the gleaner."
The intention of this very quaint bit of legislation, or rather of the ancient custom which gave rise to it, appears to have been the following; it was to settle once and for all a nice point of conscience with refe-
- ↑ "Formicarum cavernulæ in media segete proprietarii censentur; pone messores superiore parte pauperum, inferiore proprietarii. R. Meir totum pauperum esse censet, quia quod dubium est in spicelegio, spicilegium est." And to this the following explanatory note is appended: "Formicarum cavernulæ, Frumentum inibi repertum." Misna, Sect. I. Zeraim. Cap. IV. p. 25. Latine vertit et commentario illustravit Gulielmus Guisius. Accedit Mosis Maimonidis Præfatio in Misnam, Edo. Pocockio Interprete, Oxoniæ A.D. 1690.
