Elevating Creation Through Bikkurim

בתנחומא בפ' היום הזה ה' כו' מצוך

In the Midrash Tanchuma, in Parshas Ki Tavo, on the words "This day Hashem your God commands you" (Devarim 26:16) and so forth.

The Sfas Emes opens by citing the Midrash Tanchuma on the parsha's opening verse about the day Hashem commands the mitzvos.

בואו נשתחוה כו' צפה מרע"ה שביכורים עתידין להתבטל תיקן שלש תפלות בכל יום ע"ש

On the verse "Come, let us bow down" (Tehillim 95:6) and so forth: Moshe Rabbeinu foresaw that the mitzvah of bikkurim was destined to be nullified, so he instituted the three daily tefillos. See there.

The Midrash teaches that Moshe Rabbeinu, seeing that bikkurim would one day cease, established the three daily tefillos as a replacement for raising up the reishis.

כי מצות הביכורים הוא שבנ"י יעלו הכל אל השורש בכח הראשית

For the mitzvah of bikkurim is that Bnei Yisrael should raise everything up to its root through the power of the reishis, the first and primary point.

The essence of bikkurim is that Bnei Yisrael lift all of creation back to its source through the power of the first and primary point, the reishis.

כמ"ש בראשית ברא כו' דרשו חז"ל בשביל בנ"י שנק' ראשית ובזכות תרומות ומעשרות כו'

As is written, "In the beginning (reishis) Hashem created" (Bereishis 1:1), which Chazal expounded: for the sake of Bnei Yisrael, who are called "reishis," and in the merit of terumos and maasros, and so forth.

He brings Rashi's teaching that the world was created for the sake of Bnei Yisrael and the mitzvos called "reishis," such as bikkurim, terumos, and maasros.

והכל א' כי הקב"ה ברא העולם באופן זה שע"י שיהי' עליות הראשיות אליו ית' יתקיים כל המשויר

And it is all one and the same matter, for Hakadosh Baruch Hu created the world in such a way that through the raising up of the first portions to Him, may He be blessed, all that remains is sustained.

All these ideas are one: Hashem built the world so that when the first portions are elevated to Him, the remainder is thereby sustained.

ולא כל הרוצה ליטול השם יטול

Yet not everyone who wishes to take this title may simply take it.

But this power of elevation is not available to just anyone who wishes to claim it.

ורק בנ"י הם יכולין להעלות הראשית אליו ית'

Only Bnei Yisrael are able to raise up the reishis to Him, may He be blessed.

It is specifically Bnei Yisrael who possess the ability to raise the reishis up to Hashem.

ובזה מקיימין כל העולם וע"ז אמרו ליתן שכר טוב לצדיקים שמקיימין העולם כו'

And through this they sustain the entire world, and concerning this Chazal said that good reward is given to the tzaddikim who sustain the world, and so forth.

By doing so they uphold the whole world, which is why Chazal speak of the reward given to the tzaddikim who sustain it.

והקב"ה וב"ש השליט בנ"י על כל התחתונים כדי שיוכלו להעלות כולם אליו ית'

And Hakadosh Baruch Hu, may He be blessed, gave Bnei Yisrael dominion over all the lower creations so that they should be able to raise them all up to Him, may He be blessed.

Hashem granted Bnei Yisrael mastery over the lower creations precisely so they could elevate all of them back to Him.

ובנ"י המה ממליכים אותו ית' ומשליטין אותו על הכל

And Bnei Yisrael are the ones who crown Him, may He be blessed, as King, and grant Him dominion over all.

Bnei Yisrael are the ones who crown Hashem as King and establish His dominion over everything.

וז"ש את ה' האמרת כו' וה' האמירך וכ' היום שבכל יום יש ב' אלו הפעולות שעושין בנ"י את הקב"ה חטיבה א' בק"ש ה' אחד

This is the meaning of "You have distinguished Hashem... and Hashem has distinguished you... this day" (Devarim 26:17-18): that every day there are these two acts, in which Bnei Yisrael make Hakadosh Baruch Hu into a single, distinct unity through Krias Shema, "Hashem is One."

This is the meaning of the mutual "distinguishing" in the verses: each day Bnei Yisrael declare Hashem a single unity through Krias Shema.

וכמו כן הקב"ה עושה אותם חטיבה אחת וכל השפע באה רק להם וממילא המה שולטין על כל

And in like manner, Hakadosh Baruch Hu makes them into a single, distinct unity, and all the shefa comes only to them, and consequently they hold dominion over all.

Correspondingly, Hashem makes Bnei Yisrael a single unity, directing all shefa to them so that they in turn rule over all.

וזהו התפלה אד' שפתי תפתח והיא בחי' ה' האמירך כנ"ל

And this is the tefillah, "Hashem, open my lips" (Tehillim 51:17), which is the aspect of "and Hashem has distinguished you," as explained above.

The tefillah "Hashem, open my lips" expresses this reciprocal elevation, the aspect of Hashem distinguishing Bnei Yisrael.

וכשבהמ"ק הי' קיים הי' נגלה כ"ז גם בחצוניות והיו מעלין ג"כ הראשית בגשמיות

And when the Beis HaMikdash was standing, all of this was revealed even outwardly, and they would likewise raise up the reishis in a physical sense.

While the Beis HaMikdash stood, this whole inner process was openly visible, and the reishis was elevated even in physical, tangible form.

מראשית כל פרי האד' הוא כולל כל פרי אדמה ממש ע"י אשר תביא מארצך כו'

"Of the first of all the fruit of the ground" (Devarim 26:2) includes literally all the fruit of the ground, by means of "which you shall bring in from your land" (Devarim 26:2) and so forth.

The verse's phrase "the first of all the fruit" sweeps in literally every fruit of the ground, all brought in from one's land.

כי א"י היא הראשית מכל ארצות ומשם מביאין ראשית למקדש ועתה מתקיים בפנימיות נפשות בנ"י עבודה שבלב זו תפלה:

For Eretz Yisrael is the reishis of all lands, and from there they would bring the reishis to the Mikdash; and now this is fulfilled in the inner depths of the souls of Bnei Yisrael, the avodah of the heart, which is tefillah.

Since Eretz Yisrael is the reishis of all lands, its first fruits were brought to the Mikdash; today this elevation lives on inwardly through tefillah, the avodah of the heart.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains that the mitzvah of bikkurim embodies the deeper avodah of Bnei Yisrael raising all of creation back to its root through the power of the reishis, the first and primary point. Hashem fashioned the world so that elevating the first portion sustains everything that remains, and this power belongs uniquely to Bnei Yisrael, who thereby uphold the world and crown Hashem as King over all. The mutual "distinguishing" of the verses reflects a daily reciprocity: Bnei Yisrael declare Hashem one through Krias Shema, and in turn Hashem makes them a single unity, channeling all shefa to them. When the Beis HaMikdash stood, this elevation was expressed openly and physically through the first fruits of Eretz Yisrael, the reishis of all lands. Now that the Mikdash is gone, the same avodah is fulfilled inwardly within the souls of Bnei Yisrael through tefillah, the service of the heart.