## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 297

###### Sifrei Devarim 297:1
[Sifrei Devarim 297:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:1)

(דברים כו א) **וְהָיָה כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ**, אֵין ״וְהָיָה״ אֶלָּא מִיָּד. **כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ**, עֲשֵׂה מִצְוָה הָאֲמוּרָה בָעִנְיָן שֶׁבִּשְׂכָרָהּ תִּכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(Devarim 26:1) "And it shall be when you come to the land": Perform the mitzvah mentioned herein, in whose merit you are entering the land.


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:2
[Sifrei Devarim 297:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:2)

**אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ**, מַה שֶּׁתִּירַשׁ תִּכְבֹּשׁ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"the land which the L-rd your G-d gives to you": R. Shimon says: This excludes (from the mitzvah of *bikkurim*) the land across the Jordan, which they took for themselves.


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:3
[Sifrei Devarim 297:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:3)

**וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ**, מִשֶּׁתִּירַשׁ תֵּשֵׁב.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and you shall inherit it and dwell in it: As a reward for inheriting it (by driving out the nations) you shall dwell in it.


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:4
[Sifrei Devarim 297:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:4)

(דברים כו ב) **וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה**, יָכוֹל כָּל הַפֵּרוֹת יְהוּ חַיָּבִים בַּבִּכּוּרִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **מֵרֵאשִׁית** וְלֹא כָּל רֵאשִׁית. וַעֲדַיִן אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אֵיזֶה מִין חַיָּב וְאֵיזֶה מִין פָּטוּר. הֲרֵינִי דָּן: נֶאֱמַר הָבֵא בִּכּוּרֵי צִבּוּר וְהָבֵא בִּכּוּרֵי יָחִיד, מַה בִּכּוּרֵי צִבּוּר הָאֲמוּרִים לְהַלָּן (ויקרא כג יז) מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים, אַף בִּכּוּרֵי יָחִיד הָאֲמוּרִים כָּאן מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים. מַה לְּהַלָּן חִטִּים וּשְׂעוֹרִים, אַף כָּאן חִטִּים וּשְׂעוֹרִים, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר מִינִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כג יט): ״בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ״ רִבָּה. אַחַר שֶׁרִבָּה הַכָּתוּב מִעֵט, הָא אֵין עָלֶיךָ לָדוּן אֶלָּא כַּדִּין הָרִאשׁוֹן: נֶאֱמַר הָבֵא בִּכּוּרֵי צִבּוּר וְהָבֵא בִּכּוּרֵי יָחִיד, מַה בִּכּוּרֵי צִבּוּר מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים הָאֲמוּרִים בְּשֶׁבַח הָאָרֶץ, אַף בִּכּוּרֵי יָחִיד מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים הָאֲמוּרִים בְּשֶׁבַח הָאָרֶץ. וְאֵלּוּ הֵם (דברים ח ח): ״חִטָּה וּשְׂעֹרָה וְגֶפֶן וּתְאֵנָה וְרִמּוֹן אֶרֶץ זֵית שֶׁמֶן וּדְבָשׁ״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(*Ibid*. 2) "Then you shall take of the first of all the fruits of the earth": I might think that all the fruits are subject to the mitzvah of *bikkurim*; it is, therefore, written "*of* the first," and not *all* of the first. And I still would not know *which* are subject and which are not. I, therefore, reason: Communal *bikkurim* (the *omer* and the two breads) are mentioned elsewhere (viz. Vayikra 23:17), and individual *bikkurim* are mentioned here. Just as the communal meal-offerings, mentioned elsewhere (wheat and barley) are from the seven species, so, the individual offerings, mentioned here, are from the seven species. — But why not say: Just as there, (only) wheat and barley (are mentioned), here, too, wheat and barley! Whence are the others (of the seven species) to be derived? It is, therefore, written (Shemoth 34:26) "the *bikkurim* of your land," to include (*all* of the seven species mentioned in praise of your land). Since Scripture *in*cludes (i.e., *all* of the seven species) and *ex*cludes (five of them [in the instance of communal *bikkurim*]), you revert to the original (reasoning), viz.: Individual *bikkurim* are mentioned here, and communal *bikkurim* are mentioned elsewhere. Just as the communal *bikkurim* (wheat and barley) are of the seven species mentioned in praise of the land, so, the individual *bikkurim* are of the seven species mentioned in praise of the land. And they are (*Ibid*. 8:8) ("a land of) wheat, barley, grapevine, fig, and pomegranate, a land of olive-oil and honey."


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:5
[Sifrei Devarim 297:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:5)

זַיִת זֶה זַיִת אֲגוּרִי.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"olive": the *egori* (medium-size) olive.


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:6
[Sifrei Devarim 297:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:6)

וּדְבָשׁ זֶה דְּבַשׁ תְּמָרִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"honey": date-honey.


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:7
[Sifrei Devarim 297:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:7)

**מֵרֵאשִׁית**, אֲפִלּוּ אֶשְׁכּוֹל אֶחָד וַאֲפִלּוּ גַּרְגִּיר אֶחָד.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"of the first": even one cluster, even one fig, (there being no minimum requirement.)


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:8
[Sifrei Devarim 297:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:8)

**פְּרִי**, פְּרִי אַתָּה מֵבִיא בִּכּוּרִים וְאִי אַתָּה מֵבִיא יַיִן וְשֶׁמֶן בִּכּוּרִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"of all the fruits": You bring *fruits* as *bikkurim*, but not wine and oil. It he brought grapes and trod them (into wine), whence is it derived that it is valid? From "that you *bring*" (in *any* event).


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:9
[Sifrei Devarim 297:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:9)

**הָאֲדָמָה**, פְּרָט לַעֲרִיסִים וְלַחֲכוֹרוֹת וְלַסִּקְרִיקוֹן וְלַגַּזְלָן שֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִים מִשּׁוּם אוֹתוֹ הַטַּעַם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ״. יָכוֹל אַתָּה מֵבִיא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאַתָּה קוֹרֵא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ**, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהֵם מְצוּיִים עַל פְּנֵי אַרְצְךָ. יָכוֹל שֶׁאַתָּה קוֹרֵא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאַתָּה מֵבִיא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **וְאָמַרְתָּ... וְשָׂמַחְתָּ**, אֵין קְרִיאָה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעַת שִׂמְחָה. כְּשֶׁתִּמְצָא אוֹמֵר: מֵעֲצֶרֶת וְעַד הֶחָג מֵבִיא וְקוֹרֵא, מֵהֶחָג וְעַד חֲנֻכָּה מֵבִיא וְאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָה אוֹמֵר: מֵבִיא וְקוֹרֵא.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"that you bring from your land": so long as they are found on the face of the land. I might think he may bring them before Shavuoth, it is, therefore, written (Shemoth 23:16) "And the feast of the harvest (Shavuoth) of the first-fruits of your work." From when do you bring? From Shavuoth until Channukah. I might think that you recite (the *bikkurim* formula) whenever you bring them; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 26:11) "and you shall rejoice": There is recitation only at the time of rejoicing, which implies: From Shavuoth until Succoth, one brings and recites; from Succoth until Channukah, one brings but does not recite. R. Yehudah b. Betheira says: He brings and recites.


###### Sifrei Devarim 297:10
[Sifrei Devarim 297:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/297:10)

**אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ**, פְּרָט לְנוֹטֵעַ בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ וּמַבְרִיךְ בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁל יָחִיד אוֹ בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁל רַבִּים, וְהַמַּבְרִיךְ מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל רַבִּים אוֹ מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל יָחִיד לְתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ, וְהַנּוֹטֵעַ בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ וְהַמַּבְרִיךְ בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ וְדֶרֶךְ הָרַבִּים וְדֶרֶךְ הַיָּחִיד בָּאֶמְצַע – הֲרֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בָּזֶה מֵבִיא. מֵאֵיזֶה טַעַם אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא? מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג יט): ״בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ״ – עַד שֶׁיְּהוּ כָּל הַגִּדּוּלִים מֵאַדְמָתְךָ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
If "from your land," I might think (that he may bring *bikkurim*) even if he plants in his (field) and engrafts into (another) individual's (field); or if (he plants) in a public field and engrafts from a public field; or from an individual's (field) into his own; or if he plants in his own and he engrafts into his own, with a public road or a private road intervening. It is, therefore, written (Shemoth 23:19) "the first-fruits or your soil" — All of the growths must be from your soil. For the same reason tenant-farmers, renters, holders of confiscated land, and robbers (of land) do not bring first-fruits.