פרשת כי תבוא
This week’s parsha opens with the mitzvah of biccurim. The
mitzvah requires all farmers to bring the first fruits of their havests to the
Beis HaMikdash and give them to a Kohen. Although the Chumash is very brief in
discussing the procession, the Mishnah in Biccurim chapter 3 elaborates,
teaching us that there was much fanfare over this particular mitzvah. As people
streamed into Jerusalem with their biccurim, music would play as the
city’s populace went out to greet them. There would then be a ceremony in which
the one who was offering the biccurim would proclaim in a loud voice,
bowing and expressing his gratitude to Hashem. It was an incredibly joyous
occasion. However, we must ask, what’s so special about the mitzvah of biccurim?
No other mitzvah gets this kind of attention. And besides, all that’s happening
is that some guy is giving his first fruits to a Kohen. What’s the big deal?
In order to answer this question it’s important to realize that the
foundation of this mitzvah is gratitude. Through the mitzvah of biccurim,
a person is forced to realize and declare that everything, even the produce
that grows because of his own exertion and toil is, in truth, a gift from
Hashem. Rav Aharon Kotler writes that people often struggle in recognizing the
good they receive from Hashem and others. Often this lack of gratitude is due
to arrogance. It is very easy to feel that the good things we get in life are
due to our own efforts and our own hard work, taking Hashem out of the picture.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz adds that another reason a person is reluctant to be
thankful for what he receives is that if he were to actually appreciate what
Hashem does for him, he would realize just how seriously he has to take his
service of G-d. He will feel that he needs to exert himself to his fullest
capacity and even then he will surely fall short, constantly needing to do teshuva
for every failure. Who wants that kind of stress? Additionally, the Hovos
HaLevavos says that one of the greatest detractors from appreciation of Hashem
is habit. We are used to all the good we receive and see it as normal. Seldom
do we appreciate what life would be like if Hashem removed even one of the
necessities He bestows on us constantly, and we grow numb to all the kindness
Hashem does for us. Therefore, because gratitude is such a difficult attitude
to achieve, it’s not enough to just do the mitzvah of biccurim. There
has to be a whole procession and hullabaloo over this mitzvah in order to
encourage one to fully utilize it to grow closer to Hashem and gain a deepened
sense of appreciation. This is why the whole city of Jerusalem made such a big
deal over it. Gratitude, although such a fundamental pillar of our service of
G-d, is so in need of being strengthened and encouraged.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz adds that part of the service of biccurim
looks puzzling at first. When a person arrives at the Beis HaMikdash with his
fruits, he reads a large parsha discussing the entire course of early
Jewish history. The parsha discusses how Lavan tried to kill Yaakov, how
we went down to Egypt, how we were enslaved, and ultimately how we were freed
and came to Eretz Yisrael. What does that have to do with this guy and
his basket of fruit? Rav Chaim answers that for this simple farmer, even after
all the pomp-and-circumstance, it may still seem hard to relate to his produce
as a gift from Hashem. By remembering his roots and the history of his nation,
he can’t help but see the clear demonstrations of miraculous Divine Providence.
He is easily inspired when he remembers that every moment of his existence and
even the events that preceded it were carefully orchestrated by Hashem because
of His care for him and every other Jew. Even this year’s produce, for which he
toiled hard, is just a continuation of the kindness that Hashem has been
showering upon us for generations. When a person declares this message in a
loud voice he can feel true appreciation and even be overwhelmed by the extent
to which Hashem has affected the course of his life. Through this service, a
person can feel truly thankful. For us as well, if we remember just how
expansive Hashem’s kindness has been, we can be inspired to feel the gratitude
Hashem deserves from us.
Rav Yerucham Levovitz makes another interesting note in regards to the
mitzvah of biccurim. The halacha is that even if one has a bad year and
barely produces anything, he still has an obligation to bring his first fruits
to the Beis HaMikdash and participate in the entire procession. At first it
seems weird. What does this man have to be thankful for? He only produced ten
figs this year!!! Also, does all of Jerusalem have to come out and greet this
guy? There’s not that much to celebrate. Answers Rav Yerucham, we can see from
here that in the final analysis, it doesn’t really matter how well a person’s
produce fared that year. A person is obligated to thank Hashem for whatever he
gets. Everything’s a gift! And in truth we don’t really deserve anything. Just
being alive is enough to make us completely indebted. Therefore, even when
Hashem gives a person a small gift, he must be filled with joy and gratitude.
Really, what did he do to deserve this?
When I was in yeshiva, a Rav of mine came over to me one day and told me
that there was a person he thought I should visit. It was an old man who was a
childless invalid. Confined to a wheelchair, he was constantly in pain. He was
all alone except for his helper. At first I understood that the Rav wanted me
to visit this man as a chesed. However, my Rav explained to me, “Don’t think
that this is just a chesed for him. The real chesed is for you.
If you see this man you will be shocked to see that despite his condition, he
is full of joy and honestly happy, thanking Hashem all the time. This man is an
adam gadol and from him you can learn how thankful a person can be to
Hashem.” Sadly, Hashem had other plans and I didn’t end up getting to meet this
person. I regret missing out on this experience even today and feel a lack
because of it.
I would like to end with a thought from the Hovos Levavos, who says that
the more a person gets, the more obligated he is to give thanks to Hashem. If
we think of all the kindness Hashem has done for us, we will realize that we
have a tremendous obligation to feel much gratitude to Him. However, if one
also reflects on the fact that he is a Jew, he will realize he is much more
obligated than one who is only blessed with material things. If he merits being
in yeshiva and learning Torah, all the more so!!! And especially if he is a Jew
learning Torah in Eretz Yisrael and in Jerusalem, how much more does he have to
be thankful for!!!
May we all be zoche to feel true gratitude
to Hashem!!!