| 1“When you enter the land that God, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, you must take possession of it and settle in it. |
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אוְהָיָה֙ כִּֽי־תָב֣וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֥בְתָּ בָּֽהּ: |
| וְהָיָה כִּֽי־תָבוֹא … וִֽירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּֽהּ - When you enter…you must take possession of it and settle in it. This teaches us that they were not obligated to bring the first fruits (bikurim) until they had conquered and divided up the entire land. |
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וְהָיָה כִּֽי־תָבוֹא … וִֽירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּֽהּ.
מַגִּיד שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַיְּבוּ בְּבִכּוּרִים עַד שֶׁכָּבְשׁוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְחִלְּקוּהָ (עי' קידושין ל"ז ע"ב):
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| 2Of all the first fruits of the earth that you harvest from your land that God, your God, is giving you, you must take one specimen. You must place these fruits in a basket and go to the place to which God, your God, will choose to attach His Name. |
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בוְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ מֵֽרֵאשִׁ֣ית | כָּל־פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תָּבִ֧יא מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָ֖ךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ בַטֶּ֑נֶא וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם: |
| מֵֽרֵאשִׁית - Of the first – but not all of the first, for not all produce is subject to bikurim, just the seven species. How do we know this? Here it says: “from your land,” which is superfluous, and above 1 it says: “A land of wheat, barley….” Just as there, it speaks of the seven species for which the Land of Israel is praised, so too here, the intent is to give thanks for that for which the Land of Israel is praised, which are the seven species. זֵית שֶׁמֶן – stated there is unique in this sense, as it refers to the aguri olive, whose oil is collected (אָגוּר) inside it, and – וּדְבָשׁ - stated there refers to date honey. |
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מֵֽרֵאשִׁית.
וְלֹא כָל רֵאשִׁית, שֶׁאֵין כָּל הַפֵּרוֹת חַיָּבִים בְּבִכּוּרִים אֶלָּא שִׁבְעַת הַמִּינִין בִּלְבַד, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן "אֶרֶץ" וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים ח') "אֶרֶץ חִטָּה וּשְׂעֹרָה וְגוֹ'", מַה לְּהַלָּן מִשִׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּבְּחָה בָהֶן אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַף כָּאן שֶׁבַח אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵן שִׁבְעַת מִינִין (ספרי; מנחות פ"ד) זית שמן זַיִת אֱגוֹרִי, שֶׁשַּׁמְנוֹ אָגוּר בְּתוֹכוֹ (ספרי; ברכות ל"ט) ודבש הוּא דְּבַשׁ תְּמָרִים (ספרי):
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| מֵֽרֵאשִׁית - Of the first. How is this done? A person enters his field and sees a fig that has begun to ripen; he ties it with a piece of reed to mark it, and says: “This is bikurim,” i.e. “I will take this one to Jerusalem as bikurim.” |
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מֵֽרֵאשִׁית.
אָדָם יוֹרֵד לְתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ וְרוֹאֶה תְאֵנָה שֶׁבִּכְּרָה, כוֹרֵךְ עָלֶיהָ גְּמִי לְסִימָן וְאוֹמֵר "הֲרֵי זוֹ בִכּוּרִים" (ספרי; בכורים ג'):
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| 3You must approach the priest who will be in those days and say to him, ‘I declare today to God, your God, that I have come to the land that God swore to our forefathers to give us.’ |
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גוּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽהְיֶ֖ה בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֑ם וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו הִגַּ֤דְתִּי הַיּוֹם֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כִּי־בָ֨אתִי֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה לַֽאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ לָ֥תֶת לָֽנוּ: |
| אֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם - Who will be in those days. Do not be concerned if he does not measure up spiritually to priests of former years. You only have the priest who officiates in your time, as he is. |
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אֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם.
אֵין לְךָ אֶלָּא כֹּהֵן שֶׁבְּיָמֶיךָ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא (ראש השנה כ"ה):
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| וְאָֽמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו - And say to him - that you are not ungrateful. |
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וְאָֽמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו.
שֶׁאֵינְךָ כְּפוּי טוֹבָה:
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| הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם - I declare today. Make this declaration once a year, not twice. |
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הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם.
פַּעַם אַחַת בַּשָּׁנָה וְלֹא שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים (ספרי):
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| 4The priest will take the basket from your hands, and place it before the Altar of God, your God. |
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דוְלָקַ֧ח הַכֹּהֵ֛ן הַטֶּ֖נֶא מִיָּדֶ֑ךָ וְהִ֨נִּיח֔וֹ לִפְנֵ֕י מִזְבַּ֖ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ: |
| וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן הַטֶּנֶא מִיָּדֶךָ - The priest will take the basket from your hands - to wave it. The priest places his hand on the basket lower than the hand of the owner, and waves it in the four lateral directions and up and down. |
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וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן הַטֶּנֶא מִיָּדֶךָ.
לְהָנִיף אוֹתוֹ, כֹּהֵן מַנִיחַ יָדוֹ תַּחַת יַד הַבְּעָלִים וּמֵנִיף (סוכה מ"ז):
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| 5You must raise your voice and you must say before God, your God: ‘An Aramean sought to be the destroyer of my forefather. He went down to Egypt and sojourned there with his family, a small number of people, and he became a great, mighty, and populous nation there. |
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הוְעָנִ֨יתָ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֜ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲרַמִּי֙ אֹבֵ֣ד אָבִ֔י וַיֵּ֣רֶד מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַיָּ֥גָר שָׁ֖ם בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֑ט וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֕ם לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל עָצ֥וּם וָרָֽב: |
| וְעָנִיתָ - this word denotes raising one’s voice. |
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וְעָנִיתָ.
לְשׁוֹן הֲרָמַת קוֹל (סוטה ל"ב):
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| אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי - An Aramean [sought to be] the destroyer of my forefather. He mentions the kindnesses of the Omnipresent: “The Aramean sought to be the destroyer of my forefather” – Laban wished to eradicate everything when he pursued Jacob, and since he intended to do so, the Omnipresent considered it as if he had actually done so, for regarding the nations of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, accounts an evil intention the same as He would a deed. |
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אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי.
מַזְכִּיר חַסְדֵי הַמָּקוֹם, אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי — לָבָן בִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר אֶת הַכֹּל כְּשֶׁרָדַף אַחַר יַעֲקֹב, וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁחָשַׁב לַעֲשׂוֹת חָשַׁב לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם כְּאִלּוּ עָשָׂה, שֶׁאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם חוֹשֵׁב לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַחֲשָׁבָה כְּמַעֲשֶׂה (עי' ספרי):
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| וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה - He went down to Egypt. Still others came to annihilate us, for later, Jacob went down to Egypt. |
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וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה.
וְעוֹד אֲחֵרִים בָּאוּ עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ, שֶׁאַחֲרֵי זֹאת יָרַד יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם:
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| בִּמְתֵי מְעָט - With a small number of people - i.e., with 70 souls. |
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בִּמְתֵי מְעָט.
בְּשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ (ספרי):
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| 6The Egyptians treated us cruelly, afflicted us, and imposed hard labor upon us. |
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ווַיָּרֵ֧עוּ אֹתָ֛נוּ הַמִּצְרִ֖ים וַיְעַנּ֑וּנוּ וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עֲבֹדָ֥ה קָשָֽׁה: |
| 7So we cried out to God, God of our fathers, and God heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression, |
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זוַנִּצְעַ֕ק אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיַּ֧רְא אֶת־עָנְיֵ֛נוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖נוּ וְאֶת־לַֽחֲצֵֽנוּ: |
| 8and God took us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with a great manifestation of His presence, and with signs and marvels, |
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חוַיּֽוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יְהֹוָה֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם בְּיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֹרָ֖א גָּדֹ֑ל וּבְאֹת֖וֹת וּבְמֹֽפְתִֽים: |
| 9and He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and date- and fig-honey. |
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טוַיְבִאֵ֖נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֨נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ: |
| אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה - To this place. This refers to the Holy Temple. |
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אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.
זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ:
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| וַיִּתֶּן־לָנוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ - And gave us this land - is to be understood literally. |
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וַיִּתֶּן־לָנוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ.
כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
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| 10Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the soil that You, God, have given me.’ You must then place the basket before God, your God, and prostrate yourself before God, your God. |
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יוְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֤ה הֵבֵ֨אתִי֙ אֶת־רֵאשִׁית֙ פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לִּ֖י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְהִנַּחְתּ֗וֹ לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֔יתָ לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ: |
| וְהִנַּחְתּוֹ - You must place it. This tells us that he takes the basket after the priest puts it down, holding it in his hand while making the declaration, and then waves it again. |
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וְהִנַּחְתּוֹ.
מַגִּיד שֶׁנּוֹטְלוֹ אַחַר הֲנָפַת הַכֹּהֵן וְאוֹחֲזוֹ בְיָדוֹ כְּשֶׁהוּא קוֹרֵא וְחוֹזֵר וּמֵנִיף (ספרי; סוכה מ"ז):
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| 11You will rejoice over all the good that God, your God, has granted you and your household—you, the Levite, and the convert who is among you. |
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יאוְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֣ בְכָל־הַטּ֗וֹב אֲשֶׁ֧ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּלְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ אַתָּה֙ וְהַלֵּוִ֔י וְהַגֵּ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ: |
| וְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ בְכָל־הַטּוֹב - You will rejoice over all the good. Our sages derived from here that one recites the above declaration only at a time of rejoicing, i.e., between Shavu’ot and Sukot – when a person gathers his grain, fruit, wine, and oil from the field into his storehouses – but after Sukot, he brings bikurim without reciting the declaration. |
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וְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ בְכָל־הַטּוֹב.
מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ אֵין קוֹרִין מִקְרָא בִכּוּרִים אֶלָּא בִזְמַן שִׂמְחָה, מֵעֲצֶרֶת וְעַד הֶחָג, שֶׁאָדָם מְלַקֵּט תְּבוּאָתוֹ וּפֵרוֹתָיו וְיֵינוֹ וְשַׁמְנוֹ, אֲבָל מֵהֶחָג וָאֵילָךְ מֵבִיא וְאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא (פסחים ל"ו):
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| אַתָּה וְהַלֵּוִי - You and the Levite. The Levites must also bring bikurim if they planted the relevant crops in their designated cities. |
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אַתָּה וְהַלֵּוִי.
אַף הַלֵּוִי חַיָּב בְּבִכּוּרִים אִם נָטְעוּ בְּתוֹךְ עָרֵיהֶם:
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| וְהַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ - And the convert who is among you. He brings bikurim but does not recite the declaration, for he cannot say “to our forefathers.” |
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וְהַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ.
מֵבִיא וְאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לוֹמַר לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ (תלמוד ירושלמי מ"ש פ"ה ה"ה):
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