Returning Endings To Beginnings

מצות ביכורים הי' הכנה לר"ה כי הוא מעצרת עד החג ומסתמא רוב ביכורים הי' קודם ר"ה שאחר הסוף מפירות השנה היו מחזירין הראשית להשי"ת והוא התדבקות אחרית הדבר בראשיתו

The mitzvah of bikkurim was a preparation for Rosh Hashanah, for the season of bringing them extends from Shavuos until Sukkos, and presumably most bikkurim were brought before Rosh Hashanah; for after the close of the fruits of the year, Bnei Yisrael would return the first portion to Hashem, and this is the attachment of the end of a thing back to its beginning.

Bikkurim served as a lead-up to Rosh Hashanah because most were brought before it, and the act of returning the first fruits to Hashem reconnects the year's end back to its source.

לכן הביכורים נק' ראשית ואחז"ל בראשית ברא בשביל מצות ביכורים ע"ש

Therefore the bikkurim are called 'reishis' (the first), and Chazal expounded on 'Bereishis bara' (In the beginning He created) that the world was created for the sake of the mitzvah of bikkurim, see there.

Because bikkurim represent 'the first,' Chazal taught that the entire creation, hinted in the word 'Bereishis,' was for the sake of this mitzvah.

כי זה קיום העולם מה שמעוררין תמיד ראשית הכח שבא מהש"י

For this is the very sustaining of the world, that one constantly awakens the first source of strength that comes from Hashem.

The world endures specifically through our constant act of reawakening the original Divine strength that flows from Hashem.

ולכן הי' המצוה אחר שבאו לא"י יזכרו הראשית שהש"י הוציאנו ממצרים ועשה לנו ניסים עד שהביאנו לא"י שהוא תכלית התיקון

And therefore the mitzvah was placed after they came into Eretz Yisrael, so that they would recall the beginning, that Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim and performed miracles for us until He brought us into Eretz Yisrael, which is the ultimate purpose of the rectification.

The mitzvah was given upon entry into Eretz Yisrael so that Bnei Yisrael would remember the beginning of their story, the Exodus and the miracles that led to the land, which is the goal of all rectification.

ועתה הנה הבאתי כו'

And now, behold, I have brought (Devarim 26:10).

This cites the declaration recited when bringing the first fruits, 'And now, behold, I have brought.'

ועתה לשון תשובה שבוודאי אחר השגת האמת צריכין לשוב בתשובה כי עיקר התשובה היא התדבקות בראשית

The word 've'atah' (and now) is a language of teshuvah, for surely after attaining the truth one must return in teshuvah, since the essence of teshuvah is attachment to the beginning.

The word 've'atah' signals teshuvah, because once a person grasps the truth he must return, and true teshuvah is reattaching oneself to the original source.

ושורש הראשית ניתן לבנ"י כמ"ש שנק' ראשית תבואתו והיינו שיש להם הכח להתדבק תמיד בראשית

And the root of this 'reishis' was given to Bnei Yisrael, as it is written that they are called 'the first of His produce' (Yirmiyahu 2:3), meaning that they possess the power to constantly cleave to the beginning.

Bnei Yisrael themselves are called 'the first of His produce,' meaning they carry the inner power to always cleave to that beginning.

וז"ש ונתנך ה"א עליון כו' כמ"ש במד' שדומין לשמן שצף למעלה כו'

And this is the meaning of 'And Hashem your God will set you supreme' (Devarim 26:19), as the Midrash states that they are compared to oil that floats above, and so on.

The verse promising that Hashem will set Bnei Yisrael supreme is explained by the Midrash through the image of oil that always rises to the top.

ועתה שאין לנו ביכורים בפועל צריכין לתקן הכל בתשובה בלב:

And now, when we have no bikkurim in actual practice, we must rectify everything through teshuvah in the heart.

Since we can no longer bring bikkurim in practice today, we accomplish the same rectification through heartfelt teshuvah.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains that the mitzvah of bikkurim is a preparation for Rosh Hashanah, since returning the first fruits to Hashem at the year's end reconnects the conclusion of a thing back to its beginning. This is why bikkurim are called 'reishis,' and why Chazal said the world was created for this mitzvah, for the world is sustained by constantly reawakening the original Divine strength. The mitzvah was given upon entry into Eretz Yisrael so that Bnei Yisrael would recall their beginning in Mitzrayim and the miracles that led them to the land, the goal of all rectification. The word 've'atah' in the declaration teaches that grasping this truth must lead to teshuvah, which is itself a reattachment to the beginning, a power uniquely given to Bnei Yisrael who are 'the first of His produce.' Today, lacking actual bikkurim, we achieve this same rectification through heartfelt teshuvah.