Bikkurim

Bikkurim, from the Hebrew bikkur meaning “first fruits,” refers to the ancient Israelite commandment and ceremony of bringing the first ripe fruits of the land of Israel to the Temple in Jerusalem as an offering to God. The practice centers on the first fruits from the land and is associated with the seven species singled out in the biblical text (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates). The biblical basis for the rite is found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, notably Leviticus 23:10-14 and Deuteronomy 26:1-11, which describe presenting the first fruits and reciting a special declaration acknowledging God’s gifts of the land.

Practice in the Temple era involved the farmer bringing a basket of the first fruits to the priest, who would receive them and oversee the ceremony. A public declaration was part of the ritual, typically recited by the farmer: “This is the first fruits of the land which the Lord has given me,” tying the harvest to gratitude and acknowledgment of God as the giver of the land. The ceremony was integrated into the agricultural calendar and reflected the central role of the Temple in national worship and festival life.

Since the destruction of the Second Temple, the formal ritual of bikkurim is no longer practiced in its original form, and the commandment is not observed as a temple service. Nonetheless, bikkurim remains a significant concept in Jewish tradition, symbolizing gratitude for the land’s bounty and the relationship between the people, the land of Israel, and God. It is discussed in rabbinic literature and appears in liturgical and legal discussions about biblical agricultural laws and the Temple service.