"Then you shall call out and say before Hashem, your G-d, "An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather." (26:5)
The first fruits of the 7 species for which Israel is famed (wheat, barley, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates) are brought to Jerusalem, and presented to the Kohan. This Mitzvah is known as "Bikkurim". When the Bikkurim is being presented, a declaration is being made by the owner of the fruits. It starts off with the following: "An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather." Rashi comments that the Aramean here is specifically referring to Lavon (Jacob's father-in-law) who chased after Jacob with the intent to destroy him. (Please refer to Genesis 31 for further details.) A question can be asked, why is it so important to mention Lavon at the Bikkurim celebration? What is the connection between Bikkurim and the incident with Lavon? I would like to propose , Bezrat Hashem, the following original answer:
Parashas Ki Savo – Appreciating our Fruitful History
This week we have parashas Ki Savo which gives over more preparatory mitzvahs to the nation who are on the verge of entering Eretz Yisrael. Amongst these mitzvahs are those of the בכורים/bikkurim, which was the bringing of the first fruits and also the very interesting commandment for the elders of the people to inscribe the entire Torah on twelve huge stones which were to be placed on Mount Ebal. Mount Ebal together with Mount Gerizim was then the scene for the famous declarations of the blessings and curses which make up the majority of the rest of the sedra which are rich in prophecy and detail on the future of the Jewish people. Parashas Ki Savo then concludes with the beginning of Moshe's final charge to the people which takes up most of the remainder of the Torah
Not so simple!
Two weeks to go! Two weeks and the world stands to be judged!
The righteous have been trembling from before Elul, worried at the impending judgement that is to befall the world.
Yet Rabbi Shimon Ben Lakish said, even the empty ones of Israel are as full of Mitzvot as a pomegranate is filled with seeds.” (Eruvin19). So it seems that we all have Mitzvot behind us and we have nothing to worry about when it comes to Rosh Hashanah!?
Not only are we full of Mitzvot, but our sins also seem to be watered down.
Rabenu Yona says in Shaarei Teshuva (1:9) that when a person has remorse and sorrow over having performed a sin, then this helps reduce the effect of that sin.
So what are we all worried about? We have done so many Mitzvot, and as for all the sins, well I am sure that we regret having performed them. Hashem is guaranteed to give us a great year!? Or perhaps the picture isn’t so rosy…
The pasuk (26:7) reports our crying out to HaShem during the slavery in Egypt. However, the pasuk does not say that HaShem heard our prayers, but rather ‘HaShem heard our voices.’ The Chofetz Chaim remarks from here that it is the ‘mere’ crying out in times of trouble/danger that is accepted. And, the Chofetz Chaim adds, the main thing is to daven for the nation (not just for yourself) and to do so immediately after one has performed a mitzvah, hence. the harachaman requests which we make after Birkas Hamazon.
Every time reward (and punishment) appears in the Torah, they are always stated in physical form. For example, if we are good then the Torah promises rain in its correct time, good crops, etc. Why does the Torah not speak about the real reward for keeping mitzvos; Olam Haba? The Kli Yakar (Vayikra 26:12) has a great piece summarising seven approaches to this question found in the Rishonim. We shall briefly mention them all.
a) The physical rewards here are the ‘expenses account.’ HaShem tells us that if we perform his mitzvos then He will take care of our financial situation so we will be able to devote more time to Torah and mitzvos (Rambam hilchos Teshuva 9:1)
b) HaShem hid the real reward because we would not understand it with our physical and material constructs (Ibn Ezra Devarim 32:39)
c) The Torah does hint at the spiritual rewards via the opposite scenarios (e.g. kareis for certain sins) (Ramban and Rabeinu Bachayei)
d) These physical rewards are mentioned in the Torah to show HaShem’s hashgacha (complete supervision and control) in this world - that HaShem responds to our actions and deals with us accordingly (Kuzari 1:104-106, Ran)
e) Before the Torah was given, there used to be certain forms of idolatry which promised to bring rain and further the development of crops. So when HaShem banned idolatry, He promised rain, etc. for keeping the Torah instead. But the Torah never needed to mention anything about the reward in the Next World (Rav Sa’adya Ga’on and Moreh Nevuchim)
f) The Torah hints to spiritual rewards via the fact that HaShem rested His Shechinah in the Mishkan. If HaShem shows His Presence to some degree in this physical world, how much more so will we enjoy the pleasure of His Presence in the Next World (Kuzari, Ran)
g) Reward in this world is based on the majority - if most people perform mitzvos then there will be ample rain, and this is what the Torah details. But reward in the Next World is calculated on an individual basis (Sefer HaIkrim, Ramban Devarim 11:13)
The pasuk at the beginning of the parsha of bikurim says וענית ואמרת (Hebrew- very cool, right?) "And you will anwser and say". Rashi comments that the phrase "And you will answer" instructs the person to declare his piece out loud.
The Chanukas Habayis HaChadash asks, why does he have to say it in a loud voice? Secondly, the Gemara in Brachos says that one who utters a tefilla out loud lacks proper faith in Hashem because it appears that he is intimating Hashem can only hear a loud prayer, which is false, of course, because we know Hashem can track our deepest thoughts. Based on this, how can the person bringing the Bikurim say his Vidui out loud?
He answers based on the text which the person says. It describes how Lavan wished to destroy Yaakov Avinu and how Hashem foiled his plans. Now, Lavan never
Our sedra is one for those with ‘moodswings!’ It opens with the simcha-filled bikkurim; ‘and you shall rejoice at all the good that HaShem has given to you… (26;11),’ and the opening word of the sedra (‘vehaya’) means simcha [1]. Later on in the sedra, however, we have the curses on Har Eival. And perek 28 tells both of the blessings that we will enjoy should we follow HaShem, and the (extensive) converse that we will suffer if we are not loyal to Him. The part that we shall focus on is these blessings and curses of perek 28.
The outline is that if we follow HaShem, then us and our material possessions will be blessed with security and prosperity, and other nations will fear harming us. If, however, we do not follow HaShem, there are bitter consequences (poverty, disease, war, etc.) - it does not take an historian to see that these consequences
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Moshe Shlomo ben R'Shmuel | Shlomo ben R'Chaim | Aryeh Leib ben Pinchas Tzvi
