The 36th Anniversary Gala held at Chabad on Sunday was fantastic, with delicious food, first class entertainment and wonderful company. The effusive feedback I’ve been hearing all week centered around how enjoyable the evening was, and I’m thankful to all who were able to join us in celebrating this special milestone. Please enjoy the photo album here.
In this week’s parsha we learn about the mitzvah of Bikkurim. Owning an orchard in the Land of Israel comes with many obligations. When a Jew noticed the first fruits budding, he wrapped a red string around the stems designating the first and best fruits as consecrated gifts to G-d called Bikkurim.
During the summer months entire communities made the pilgrimage to the Holy Temple with much fanfare. Holding the consecrated Bikkurim fruits in baskets adorned with doves, Jerusalem’s finest greeted the pilgrims as they marched to the Holy Temple with music, pomp and ceremony.
After placing the baskets near the altar the orchard owner offered a prayer of 63 words describing the slavery and exodus from Egypt and gratitude to G-d for gifting us the Holy Land. The fruits were then given to the Kohanim (priests) to enjoy with their families.
Bikkurim is not the only agricultural tax one needed to separate in order to partake from the harvest, but its seeming contradictory uniqueness teaches us a profound lesson in Jewish living today.
All other food taxes were given directly to the beneficiaries and not brought to the Holy Temple. All other consecrated foods brought to the Holy Temple were either entirely or partially consumed by the altar’s fire, whereas the Bikkurim fruits were not burned at all and instead fully enjoyed by the Kohanim. See the contradiction here?
Additionally, one can argue that although giving fruits to the Kohanim may be understandable, why must it be the choicest of my crop? Doesn't common sense dictate I deserve to enjoy the best fruits of my labor? It also dictates that spirituality should be devoid of physical enjoyment (represented by the altar’s fire burning up sacrifices) and physicality is not the forum for spiritual elevation or self improvement. Changing our attitude about the best fruits can give us a better perspective on the relationship between the spiritual and the physical.
The prayer recited with Bikkurim concluded “And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground which you, O L-rd, have given to me.” When we appreciate the truth that all we have is from G-d, it becomes obvious that the choicest fruits must be given to G-d and the physical can become holy as well. Fasting and frugality are not the only routes to spiritual refinement. The best the world can offer, when used with the right attitude, brings us closer to G-d as well.
Kosher cuisine can be delicious, synagogues should be stunning and Jewish celebrations ought to be first class. That’s the Bikkurim way of doing Judaism.