The ancient idea of an "otzar beit din" (storehouse of the rabbinical court) is mentioned in the Tosefta ("Sheviit" 8, 1). Under an "otzar beit din", a community rabbinical court supervises harvesting by hiring workers to harvest, store, and distribute food to the community. Members of the community pay the "beth din", but this payment represents only a contribution for services, and not a purchase or sale of the food. This Talmudic device was revived in modern times as an alternative to the "heter mechira".