Monday, September 19, 2016
Ki Tavo #3- Why Wait?
This week in parshat Ki Tavo Perek 26 Pussuk 1 and 2 it talks about Bikkurim, when the first fruit a farmer grows is brought as a gift to Hashem. This teaches us to be grateful for everything we have in life. This mitzvah only took place 14 years after they got to israel. 7 years to conquer the promised land and another 7 to get settled in. Rabbi Yossy Goldman questions this and says, some people got settled in faster than others, so how come those people couldn't start showing appreciation to Hashem before the others?
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Rashi explains that it means you have to be fully settled into the land until you can do the action of the mitzvah to give the first fruits to Hashem. Sifrei then comes in and explains that they should give the first fruits right away, but how does that make sense? Well he means that you must give it right away right when you are settled. So I interpreted it that until everyone is settled altogether is when you can do the mitzvah of giving the first fruits to Hashem. Because everyone is one, we all do stuff together and it is explained that WE must do it when we are all settled.
ReplyDelete-Elisheva
Rashi says that Bnei Yisrael were not obligated to give bikkurim until the fourteenth year because it did not matter when each person got settled in Eretz Yisrael. They had to wait until the entire land was conquered and the ENTIRE nation had their own portion of land and were settled in. The mitzvah of bikkurim has to be brought with complete happiness-- but a Jew cannot be fully happy until all of the other people in his nation have what they need since they are all part of Am Yisrael together.
ReplyDeleteRashi explains that it didn't matter when each shevet and family got settled into the land of Israel. Different areas were conquered at different times, and different shevatim settled at different times. However, bnai Yisroel were not considered completely settled until each and every family had a piece of land. Why? The answer is simple. Bnai Yisroel had been through so much together– leaving Egypt, the split of the Yam Soof, the giving of the Torah– that they were bonded together as one people. Until each family was settled and had a piece of land, it was as if Bnai Yisroel was not settled at all. Therefore, the first of Bnai Yisroel to settle had to wait until the rest of their people were settled, and only then when the complete nation was settled, could they begin bringing bikkurim.
ReplyDeleteThe rebbe says when the torah says this mitzvah it uses the words "And you shall rejoice with all the good that the L-rd your G‑d has given you." In order for one to fully enjoy their life and their blessings they must know if their “brothers” have be blessed as well. If one jew knew that there were others who had not yet fully settled in their land. He can not be at peace since joy is such a necessary component in the mitzvah of Bikkurim it could only be fulfilled when the whole nation is settled and is happy.
ReplyDeleteThe kli yakar explains the reason why the people who settle in eretz yisreol faster then others are not yet allowed to thank hashem, and bring bikurim to the beit hamikdash, but rather they have to wait fort he rest of bnei yisroel to settle first. This is because settling the land of eretz yisroel is a mitzvah. You only receive the land if they fulfill the mitzvah of settling in it. Once everyone settles the land then they could start the mitzvah of bikurim. Therefore they can not start showing appreciation to hashem until they completely receive the land which is once everyone is settled. Also i think that hashem wants everyone to start there cheyuv of the mitvah at the same time. It would not be so fair if some people were able to start bikurim before others. Not only that, but if some were able to start giving bikurim before others then the entire nation will not have the same goal, which is settling the land. If they do not all have the same goal that would mean that people can give bikurim before others and then not everyone will help each other settle the land together.
ReplyDelete-leora
The Or Hachaim Hakadosh says that the word "Vehaya" implies happiness, in order to do the mitzvah or bikurim correctly, the farmer must be in the state of happiness. Prior to that, there is not mitzvah of bikurim. What is required for simcha? Settlement of the land of Israel. This seems to be not only on the individual level, but on a national level. Therefor, everyone needs to be settled into their individual lands. He quotes from Tehillim Shir Hamalot, "Az yimaleh sichock pinu" that only when Beni Israel are settled in the land is there true happiness.
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