Our Gemara on Amud Aleph cites the verse that instructs Jewish farmers to leave aside certain produce from the vineyard: the peret (grapes that drop during the harvest), the olelos (undeveloped clusters that grow singly rather than on branches), forgotten clusters, and pe’ah (the corner of the vineyard or field left for the poor). It states in Vayikra (19:9–10):

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick olelos, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard (peret); you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I the Eternal am your God.”

Noam Elimelech (Kedoshim 10) offers a beautiful allegorical reading of these verses that is relevant to the Yamim Noraim. Land symbolizes the material world; the edges of the field represent the far edge of the physical-to-spiritual continuum—that is, the soul. The verse therefore reads: When you cut down your physicality—repenting and eliminating sins through fasting and other self-imposed diminishment of bodily habits and lusts—do not overdo it. Leave over a portion of your field; leave enough strength and self-care so that the life force of your soul is not weakened (which would impair your ability to serve Hashem).

The vineyard is symbolic of one’s deeds. Like a vineyard, deeds are the product of extensive cultivation and are subject to many subtle positive and negative influences that affect their quality. Peret is a homonym of the Hebrew perat, meaning details or specifications; here it would refer to listing the details of one’s spiritual accomplishments. olelos are a specific kind of grape that the Sages (Mishnah Peah 7:4) defined as not forming a cluster: they lack a wide upper part (katef, literally “shoulder”) and a cone-shaped lower part (natef, literally “dripping”). olelos is also a homonym for the Hebrew word for child (olel, Eichah 2:11), connoting immature foolishness. Do not take olelos—clusters that have neither katef nor natef—but leave them for the needy. In this allegory it means: do not boast or specify your accomplishments, which would turn good deeds into foolishness, unless they have “shoulders” or “drippings”—that is, unless they provide genuine inspiration (natef) and support (katef) to others. Relating these accomplishments should be reserved for those who need them.

The entire allegory therefore reads as follows: As one matures, and as one repents by removing and distancing physicality and lust while harvesting the good deeds of a lifetime, care must be taken not to go to extremes and thereby weaken the life force. As one begins to reap the harvest of good deeds, do not aggrandize yourself; share those accomplishments only with people who will be inspired and supported by them.