The commandment of recital over the first-fruits: That we commanded when bringing the first-fruits to the Temple to recite these verses in this section over them; and they are from, “My father was a wandering Aramean” (Deuteronomy 26:5), until “behold I have brought the first of the fruit of the land that the Lord gave me” (Deuteronomy 26:10). And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 26:5), “And you will answer and you will say in front of the Lord, your God, etc.” And they, may their memory be blessed, called this commandment, (Sotah 32a), “the recital of the first-fruits.” I have written about the commandment of bringing them in the Order of Mishpatim (Sefer HaChinukh 91); and the commandment to bring them is likewise repeated in this section. And we already know that many of the commandments are repeated in the Torah; and all of them are for a great matter or necessity.
It is from the root of the commandment [that it is] since a man arouses his thoughts and draws the truth in his heart with the power of the words of his mouth. Therefore, in that God did good to him, and in that He blessed him and his land to bear fruits, and he merited to bring the fruits to the House of our God; it is appropriate for him to arouse his heart with the words of his mouth and ponder that everything arrived to him from the Master of the universe, and he recount His kindnesses, may He be blessed, upon us and upon the people of Israel, more generally. Therefore, he begins with the subject of Yaakov, our father, whom God rescued from the hand of Lavan, and the subject of the slavery of the Egyptians over us, and His, blessed be He, rescuing us from their hand. And following the praise, he requests from Him to eternally bestow the blessing on him. And from the arousal of his soul with the praise of God and His goodness, he will merit that his land be blessed. Therefore, God commanded us about this, since He desires kindness.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:5) that the obligation of the commandment of the recital of the first-fruits is not upon all that bring first-fruits to the Temple, as there are those that bring [them] but do not recite. And these are them: a woman; a tumtum; and an androginos (the latter two being those the sex of which is in doubt) — since these are not able to say, from “the land that the Lord gave me,” as the land was only distributed to definite males. And so [too,] trustees do not recite, as they bring first-fruits for the sake of others. And so [too,] the slave and the agent do not recite, as they also cannot say, You “gave me” — as the land is not theirs.
And from this matter we should learn to be very exacting, and to be careful about the language in our prayers and supplications in front of God, blessed be He — not to say anything in front of God without great precision. And remember this, my son, and keep it.
And they, may their memory be blessed, also said (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:4) about this matter that converts bring them and recite, even though the land was not distributed to them. As it was given to Avraham first, and he was called “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4) — meaning to say that anyone who converts is considered like his son.
And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:6) that one who acquires two trees within his fellow’s field brings [them] but does not recite, as they were in doubt in the Gemara (Bava Kamma 81b) whether one who acquires two trees [receives] the land or not. But one who acquires three [trees] brings and recites. [These] and the rest of the details of the commandment are elucidated in Tractate Bikkurim and in the seventh chapter of Sotah.
And this commandment is practiced at the time that the Temple is in existence, but only in the Land of Israel — as it is stated (Exodus 23:19), “The first fruits of your land you shall bring to the House of the Lord, your God” — by males, but not by females, as we have said. And rabbinically, they would bring first-fruits at the time of the [Temple] from the cities of Sichon and Og and from Syria. And one who transgresses this and brings first-fruits, but does not recite over them at that time, has violated this positive commandment.
מִצְוַת קְרִיאָה עַל הַבִּכּוּרִים – שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ בַּהֲבִיאֵנוּ הַבִּכּוּרִים לַמִּקְדָּשׁ לִקְרוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם הַכְּתוּבִים אֵלּוּ הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ, וְהֵן, מֵאֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי עַד הִנֵּה הֵבֵאתִי אֶת רֵאשִׁית פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה לִּי יְיָ. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים כו ה) וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ'. וְזֹאת הַמִּצְוָה יִקְרְאוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה לב א) מִקְרָא בִּכּוּרִים. וּמִצְוַת הֲבָאָתָן כְּתַבְתִּיו בְּסֵדֶר מִשְׁפָּטִים בְּמִצְוַת הֲבָאַת הַבִּכּוּרִים (מצוה עב), וְנִכְפְּלָה הַמִּצְוָה לַהֲבִיאָן כְּמוֹ כֵן בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ, וּכְבָר נוֹדַע כִּי הַרְבֵּה מִן הַמִּצְוֹת נִכְפָּלוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה, וְכֻלָּן לְעִנְיָן וּלְצֹרֶךְ גָּדוֹל.
The commandment of recital over the first-fruits: That we commanded when bringing the first-fruits to the Temple to recite these verses in this section over them; and they are from, “My father was a wandering Aramean” (Deuteronomy 26:5), until “behold I have brought the first of the fruit of the land that the Lord gave me” (Deuteronomy 26:10). And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 26:5), “And you will answer and you will say in front of the Lord, your God, etc.” And they, may their memory be blessed, called this commandment, (Sotah 32a), “the recital of the first-fruits.” I have written about the commandment of bringing them in the Order of Mishpatim (Sefer HaChinukh 91); and the commandment to bring them is likewise repeated in this section. And we already know that many of the commandments are repeated in the Torah; and all of them are for a great matter or necessity.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהָאָדָם מְעוֹרֵר מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו וּמְצַיֵּר בִּלְבָבוֹ הָאֱמֶת בְּכֹחַ דִּבְרֵי פִּיו, עַל כֵּן, בְּהֵיטִיב אֵלָיו הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבְבָרְכוֹ אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת אַדְמָתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת וְזָכָה לַהֲבִיאָם לְבֵית אֱלֹהֵינוּ רָאוּי לוֹ לְעוֹרֵר לִבּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי פִּיהוּ וְלַחְשֹׁב כִּי הַכֹּל הִגִּיעַ אֵלָיו מֵאֵת אֲדוֹן הָעוֹלָם, וִיסַפֵּר חֲסָדָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל דֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל, וְעַל כֵּן, מַתְחִיל בְּעִנְיַן יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ שֶׁחִלְּצוֹ הָאֵל מִיַּד לָבָן, וְעִנְיַן עֲבוֹדַת הַמִּצְרִיִּים בָּנוּ, וְהִצִּילָנוּ הוּא בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִיָּדָם, וְאַחַר הַשֶּׁבַח מְבַקֵּשׁ מִלְּפָנָיו לְהַתְמִיד הַבְּרָכָה עָלָיו, וּמִתּוֹךְ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת נַפְשׁוֹ בְּשֶׁבַח הַשֵּׁם וּבְטוּבוֹ זוֹכֶה וּמִתְבָּרֶכֶת אַרְצוֹ, וְעַל כֵּן צִוָּנוּ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל זֶה, כִּי חָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא.
It is from the root of the commandment [that it is] since a man arouses his thoughts and draws the truth in his heart with the power of the words of his mouth. Therefore, in that God did good to him, and in that He blessed him and his land to bear fruits, and he merited to bring the fruits to the House of our God; it is appropriate for him to arouse his heart with the words of his mouth and ponder that everything arrived to him from the Master of the universe, and he recount His kindnesses, may He be blessed, upon us and upon the people of Israel, more generally. Therefore, he begins with the subject of Yaakov, our father, whom God rescued from the hand of Lavan, and the subject of the slavery of the Egyptians over us, and His, blessed be He, rescuing us from their hand. And following the praise, he requests from Him to eternally bestow the blessing on him. And from the arousal of his soul with the praise of God and His goodness, he will merit that his land be blessed. Therefore, God commanded us about this, since He desires kindness.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בכורים א, ה), שֶׁאֵין חִיּוּב מִצְוַת מִקְרָא בִּכּוּרִים עַל כָּל מֵבִיא בִּכּוּרִים בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ מְבִיאִין וְאֵינָן קוֹרִין, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: הָאִשָּׁה וְהַטֻּמְטוּם וְהָאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לוֹמַר מִן הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִּי, כִּי הָאָרֶץ לֹא נִתְחַלְּקָה אֶלָּא לִזְכָרִים וַדָּאִין. וְכֵן הָאַפּוֹטְרוֹפִּין אֵינָן קוֹרִין, שֶׁמְּבִיאִין בִּכּוּרִים בִּשְׁבִיל אֲחֵרִים, וְכֵן הָעֶבֶד וְהַשָּׁלִיחַ אֵינָן קוֹרִין, שֶׁאֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לוֹמַר גַּם כֵּן אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִי, שֶׁהָאָרֶץ אֵינָהּ שֶׁלָּהֶם.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:5) that the obligation of the commandment of the recital of the first-fruits is not upon all that bring first-fruits to the Temple, as there are those that bring [them] but do not recite. And these are them: a woman; a tumtum; and an androginos (the latter two being those the sex of which is in doubt) — since these are not able to say, from “the land that the Lord gave me,” as the land was only distributed to definite males. And so [too,] trustees do not recite, as they bring first-fruits for the sake of others. And so [too,] the slave and the agent do not recite, as they also cannot say, You “gave me” — as the land is not theirs.
וּמִן הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה יֵשׁ לָנוּ לִלְמֹד בִּתְפִלּוֹתֵינוּ וְתַחֲנוּנֵינוּ לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְדַקְדֵּק מְאֹד וּלְהִזָּהֵר בַּלָּשׁוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא לוֹמַר דָּבָר לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם כִּי אִם בְּדִקְדּוּק גָּדוֹל, וּזְכֹר זֶה בְּנִי וְשָׁמְרֵהוּ.
And from this matter we should learn to be very exacting, and to be careful about the language in our prayers and supplications in front of God, blessed be He — not to say anything in front of God without great precision. And remember this, my son, and keep it.
וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם מ"ד) בְּעִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁהַגֵּרִים אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַלְּקָה לָהֶם הָאָרֶץ מְבִיאִין וְקוֹרִין, כִּי לְאַבְרָהָם נִתְּנָה תְּחִלָּה וְהוּא נִקְרָא אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם (בראשית יז ד), כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁכָּל הַמִּתְגַּיֵּר נֶחְשָׁב לוֹ כְּבֵן.
And they, may their memory be blessed, also said (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:4) about this matter that converts bring them and recite, even though the land was not distributed to them. As it was given to Avraham first, and he was called “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4) — meaning to say that anyone who converts is considered like his son.
וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם מ"ו) שֶׁהַקּוֹנֶה שְׁנֵי אִילָנוֹת בְּתוֹךְ שְׂדֵה חֲבֵרוֹ מֵבִיא וְאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא, לְפִי שֶׁנִּסְתַּפְּקוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (ב"ב פא, ב) אִם יֵשׁ לְקוֹנֶה שְׁנֵי אִילָנוֹת קַרְקַע אִם לֹא, אֲבָל הַקּוֹנֶה שְׁלֹשָׁה מֵבִיא וְקוֹרֵא. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה, מְבֹאָרִין בְּמַסֶּכֶת בִּכּוּרִים וּבְפֶרֶק שְׁבִיעִי מִסּוֹטָה.
And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:6) that one who acquires two trees within his fellow’s field brings [them] but does not recite, as they were in doubt in the Gemara (Bava Kamma 81b) whether one who acquires two trees [receives] the land or not. But one who acquires three [trees] brings and recites. [These] and the rest of the details of the commandment are elucidated in Tractate Bikkurim and in the seventh chapter of Sotah.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ, בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם, וּבְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל דַּוְקָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג יט) רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ תָּבִיא בֵּית יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וּבִזְכָרִים וְלֹא בִּנְקֵבוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ. וּמִדְּרַבָּנָן הָיוּ מְבִיאִים בִּכּוּרִים בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת מֵעָרֵי סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג וּמִסּוּרְיָא. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְהֵבִיא בִּכּוּרִים וְלֹא קָרָא עֲלֵיהֶן בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה.
And this commandment is practiced at the time that the Temple is in existence, but only in the Land of Israel — as it is stated (Exodus 23:19), “The first fruits of your land you shall bring to the House of the Lord, your God” — by males, but not by females, as we have said. And rabbinically, they would bring first-fruits at the time of the [Temple] from the cities of Sichon and Og and from Syria. And one who transgresses this and brings first-fruits, but does not recite over them at that time, has violated this positive commandment.