This week’s Torah reading (Parshat Mishpatim) includes the commandment of bikkurim: “The choice first fruits of your land you shall bring to the house of Hashem, your God” (Shemot 23:19). A TorahTutors student read the Sefer Hachinuch’s explanation of the “roots” of this commandment: So that even as we rejoice in our bounty, we will prioritize God’s command “and remember and know that all worldly blessings come to us from Him. Therefore, we were commanded to bring the first fruit that ripens in the trees to those who serve Him [the priests in the Beit Hamikdash]. And through this remembrance and accepting His kingship and giving thanks to Him…we will become worthy of blessing and our fruits will be blessed” (Sefer Hachinuch mitzvah #91).
From this perspective, the first fruits can be seen as a gift that keeps on giving, in more ways than one.
A Tuesday TorahTutors Tidbit: Real Torah, from real TorahTutors sessions.
