Corners of Your Field

I've been doing my morning tefillah regularly now for over two weeks, and am struck by the passage that lists the mitzvot "for which no fixed measure is prescribed," or, as I read it, that you can do as much as you want, and it won't be too much. The first in the list is one that has long captured my imagination: leaving the corners of your field for the poor.

This is not only a measure of tzedakah, but it is also one of dignity for the poor and of recognition of who truly owns the land. I don't know if this was ever practiced in ancient Israel, but I like to think about how we could practice it today. Most of us don't own fields anymore, but we do own property or shares of companies. We could set aside a corner of our houses that could serve as temporary shelter for the homeless, for example. I'm still thinking on this one, but it seems like a mitzvah that is worth following...