In this week's parsha the Torah discusses the special mitzvah of bikurim. In the times of the Beis Hamikdash every person who had an orchard growing shivas ha’minim fruits, would mark the very first fruit to blossom and later, in gratitude to Hashem, present it to the kohen.
Bikurim were presented in a basket, nicely decorated, adorned with birds, and accompanied by great pomp and celebration. This mitzvah is so special that the midrash in Bereshis states that the entire world was worth being created for it. What is so unique and special about it?
The Fancy Basket
There is a particularly interesting halacha in hilchos bikurim. As stated, bikurim were brought in a basket - “v’samta ba’tenneh”. A wealthy man utilizes gold and silver baskets, whereas a poor man utilizes a simple, wicker basket. What happens to the baskets after the festive ceremony? Curiously, the fancy baskets of the affluent were returned to them, whereas those of the poor would not be returned.
The aforementioned halacha lead Chazal to coin the famous expression, “Poverty chases the poor” (Bava Kamma 92b). But why is this the case? Why do the rich return home with their baskets, but the poor leave behind the wicker basket for which they scraped the funds together to purchase?
Why Keep It?
The mefarshim offer various explanations. Rashi explains simply that the rich wanted their valuable baskets returned, whereas the poor who did not feel that they wanted the simple wicker baskets back. Tosfos Yom Tov explains that the rich would bring large, ripe, delicious fruits, which are a valuable gift, whereas the poor bring simple, meagre fruits. In order to make their simple gift more valuable, we add the basket. The Rambam offers a deeper explanation, that a simple basket is batel to the fruits, (like the shell of a nut or fruit), whereas the expensive basket is an independent item, to be returned.
Let us explore this on a deeper level.
Instead of Bikurim
The Medrash Tanchuma in this week's parsha relates that Moshe Rabenu saw with ruach ha’kodesh that the Beis Hamikdash would be destroyed and Klal Yisrael would no longer be able to bring bikurim. He therefore instituted that they would daven three tefilos each day instead.
Why did Moshe feel the need to replace this mitzvah more urgently than all the other mitzvos performed in the Beis Hamikdash? Also, why is tefila suitable replacement for bikurim?
When a person davens he is not simply asking Hashem for his needs, after all, Hashem knows what he needs even without him asking. The reason for tefila is to give man an opportunity to talk to his Creator thereby creating a connection and relationship with Him.
A farmer spends an entire season in his fields or orchards working hard. After the harvest his natural inclination would be to take the time to enjoy the fruits of his labor, and forget about the One who actually gave him this bounty. Bikurim was a way of ensuring that this did not happen. The first thing the farmer must do is to remain connected to Hashem, coming up to Yerushalayim, giving Him the best of his produce, and expressing his gratitude.
Once the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed Klal Yisrael no longer had the opportunity to ascend to connect to Hashem in this way. To fill this vital void Moshe instituted the tefilos which serve to connect our inner selves - our neshamos - and Hashem.
The Guf and the Neshama
The neshama which is a chelek Elokai mi’ma’al does not exist on its own, it is placed in a mundane body to lead it on a journey of transcendence. As we explained, the bikurim which are brought up to Yerushalayim to help us forge a connection with Hashem, represent the neshama which similarly seeks to transcend and connect to Hashem. But that alone is not sufficient. The bikurim must be placed in a basket just like the neshama is placed in the human guf. Our avoda is not simply to be a neshama, to be a spiritual being, for Hashem has no shortage of malachim who are entirely spiritual and have no bechira. He specifically wants us, the yiddishe neshamos, placed in a “basket” - the physical and animalistic body, to utilize our bechira, overcome the guf and thus come closer to Hashem.
The lifelong battle between of the guf and the neshama is a battle of dominance between the vessel, the basket - the mundane, physical body will its materialistic desires - and the neshama, the chelek Elokai mima’al. Will the fruits, which represent the nefesh, the spiritual part of the person prevail? Will the ruchniyus lead and pull the guf along with it and even transform it into a spiritual entity? As the Mesilas Yesharim explains, it is not simply a battle of pulling oneself up or chas v’shalom falling down. Rather, if he is successful he becomes elevated and elevates the entire word along with him, (or, Hashem yerachem, the opposite takes place).
The Golden Guf
When a wealthy person brings fruits to the Beis Hamikdash, and adorns them with a fancy golden basket, it symbolizes the neshama taking residence in a fancy, elaborate, and gashmiyusdike guf. In other words the guf did not manage to attach itself sufficiently to the neshama - it remained a mundane entity. When the wealthy man presents this to Hashem, the neshama (the fruit) is accepted but the fancy vessel is returned.
However, when a poor man brings a simple vessel - just a wicker basket - it serves no purpose of its own; it is purely a receptacle for the fruits, batel to them. This symbolizes a guf that has purely sought to serve the neshama and which has become elevated as a result. This is precious to Hashem.
Current Times
As we draw closer to the special day of Rosh Hashanah we are looking to improve our ways and do teshuva. Teshuva is commonly translated as “repentance” but in fact, it is actually derived from the word “shav”, which means to return. This is because the aim of teshuva is to return to Hashem and rebuild our relationship with Him.
How do we successfully return to Hashem?
As mentioned above, Moshe Rabbenu foresaw that in the times of galus we would not have the Beis Hamikdash and would be missing a very special tool of connecting to Hashem - bikurim. He therefore instituted three tefilos a day. If our tefilos are more than just lip service, and act as a real conversation, of expressing gratitude, asking for our needs, and talking to our dear Father in heaven, the way a son speaks to his beloved father, our relationship with Him, will grow, blossom and become the center-point of our lives.
The more we work on this relationship the stronger our neshamos will become. We will be capable of overpowering the desires of the guf, the vessel that carries the neshama. This will allow us to be transcendent, grow into better people, and become closer to Hashem.
May we merit si’ata di’shmaya to take the opportunity during these special days to develop and build this special, intimate relationship with Hashem. Let us hope to achieve complete teshuva with both our guf and returning to our beloved Father
