parashas Ki Savo: First Fruits

[Shimon]

 parashas Ki Savo

(Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8) 

“Thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which thou shalt bring in from thy land that H’Shem thy G-d giveth thee; and thou shalt put it in a basket and shalt go unto the place which HShem thy G-d shall choose to cause His name to dwell there.

• - Deuteronomy 26:2, JPS 1917 Tanach

“A land of wheat and barley, and [grape] vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and [date] honey.

• - Deuteronomy 8:8, JPS 1917 Tanach

Moses instructed the Children of Israel, that when they would enter Eretz Canaan, and establish themselves there, they were to bring the bikurim (first fruits) of their yield to the place which HShem thy G-d shall choose to cause His name to dwell there (Deuteronomy 26:2). The bikurim were taken from the seven species native to Israel: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

“And it will be, when you enter the land, begins with the Hebrew word vayehi , indicating joy; the Ohr HaChaim compares this to the verse, then our mouths will be filled with laughter (Psalm 126:2). As the experience of joy would be upon Bnei Yisrael when they first entered the Promised Land, so shall we rejoice when we return to Israel at the time of the Messianic Era: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy (Psalm 126:5, JPS 1917 Tanach). The footsteps of the Mashiach will be like this. Every good thing will come out of pain and distress (Kol HaTor).

“For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers birth pains until now — and not only creation, but even ourselves. We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Ruach [Spirit], groan inwardly as we eagerly wait for adoption—the redemption of our body.”

• - Romans 8:22-23, Tree of Life Version

Thou has counted my wanderings; put Thou my tears into Thy bottle; are they not in Thy book?” (Psalm 56:9, JPS 1917 Tanach). Our tears are being stored in the Book of Life; our troubles are regarded from Shomayim (Heaven). The sorrows in this life will eventually give way to joy that we will receive in Malchus Elokim (the Kingdom of G-d).

At the time of the Ingathering, when the “first fruits” of Moshiach, will be brought into the land, He will send out his angels with a great shofar, and they will gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matisyahu 24:31, CJB).

“And ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great horn [shofar] shall be blown. “

• - Isaiah 27:12-13, JPS 1917 Tanach

“Hark, thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see, eye to eye, the L-RD returning to Zion.”

• - Isaiah 52:8, JPS 1917 Tanach