THEOSISClement of Alexandria
The benevolent Logos, boundless in His humanity, instructs that it is not only prohibited to uproot what has been sown by humans and to damage crops prior to their harvesting, but also to harm the fruits of the earth or the souls nurtured by humanity. The divine law also disallows the devastation of adversarial territories. This law benefits novice cultivators, as it directs them to diligently care for young plants for three years, to prune away excess growth, ensuring the trees do not succumb to their own heaviness or weaken from insufficient sustenance. They are also instructed to tend to the soil surrounding these plants to prevent weeds from obstructing their growth. Furthermore, the law prohibits the harvesting of immature fruits from these young trees; only after three years, in the fourth year, should the initial fruits be presented to God (See Leviticus 19:23-25).