## 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.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 297**¹
1. **“*Now it shall be*, when you enter the Land” (Dt. 26:1)—**
**actually, *now it shall be* suggests *immediately thereafter*.**
**“When you *enter* the Land” (Dt. 26:1)—**
**perform the commandment specified in this context,**
**because, as a reward for it, you shall *enter* the Land.**

footnotes:
¹ H:287-288;JN2:269-272.


###### 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.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“Which HASHEM your God has *bequeathed* to you,**
**and you shall *inherit it,* and *settle* it*” (Dt. 26:1)—***
**that is, you will *inherit it* by conquest.**


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

**וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ**, מִשֶּׁתִּירַשׁ תֵּשֵׁב.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“And you shall . . . *settle* it” (Dt. 26:1)—**
**what *you inherit* you shall be able *to settle***.² 297.1 is closely paralleled several times in Sifre (e.g., *Pisqa’ot* 2.2, 296.1 and 57.1).

footnotes:
² Pisqa’


###### 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״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. “Then you shall take from the *first and finest*³, as here, can imply both “the first” in order and “the finest” qualitatively.of *all* the fruit of the soil” (Dt. 26:2).
Is it possible to say that
*all fruits* stand under obligation for the First-fruits offering?⁴ literally, “early ripening fruit” The offering of these fruits is discussed in Dt. 26:5-11
The Teaching states:
“*From* the first and finest” (Dt. 26:2)—
but *not all* of the finest
[since many species are under no obligation].
And I’m still unclear about
what kind *does* stand under obligation
and what kind is exempt!
Consider my argument:
**We are informed to bring First-fruits as a community,**
**and to bring First-fruits as individuals.**
**Just as the communal First-fruits**
**mentioned elsewhere (Lv. 23:17-19)**
**are from the seven species**
**[for which the Land is praised],**
**so, too, the individual’s First-fruits,**
**mentioned here (Dt. 26:2),**
**must come from the seven species!**⁵
And just as elsewhere,
[we are informed to bring] *wheat and barley* (Lv. 23:19-20),⁶).
here, too, [we are informed to bring] *wheat and barley* (Dt. 26:2)!
On what basis, then,
should I know to include[the] other [five] species?
The Teaching states:
“The *First-fruits* of *your soil*” (Ex. 23:19)—
an expansive scriptural expression,
[like *your soil*,]
which follows another expansive expression,
[like *First-fruits*,]
implies a limitation,
[namely, wheat and barley *must* be offered,
but not every type of produce is under obligation].
See?
You only need [my] first argument, namely:
**We are informed to bring First-fruits as a community,**
**and to bring First-fruits as individuals.**
**Just as the communal First-fruits,**
**mentioned elsewhere (Lv. 23:17-20),**
**are from the seven species**
**for which the Land is praised,**
**so, too, the individual’s First-fruits,**
**mentioned here (Dt. 26:2),**
**must come from the seven species**
**for which the Land is praised!**⁷
And here they are:
“Wheat, barley, the grape-vine, the fig, the pomegranate—
a Land [bearing] oil-olives, and honey” (Dt. 8:8)—

footnotes:
³ Heb: r’eishit
⁴ Heb: bikurim;
⁵ Cf. M. Bik.1:10.
⁶ That is, the two loaves of new grain offered on the Closure-festival (`atzeret
⁷ Cf. M. Bik.1:10.


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

זַיִת זֶה זַיִת אֲגוּרִי.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
as for *olives,* these are [the superior] olives that store up their oil;


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

וּדְבָשׁ זֶה דְּבַשׁ תְּמָרִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
as for *honey*, this is 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.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
3. “From the *first and finest*” (Dt. 26:2)—
even if this includes only
a single cluster or a single grape!⁸

footnotes:
⁸ Thus, there is neither a maximum nor a minimum amount of produce that must be offered. See M. Pe’ah 1:1: “These things have no measure: . . . the First-fruits offering, etc.”


###### 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.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“Fruit” (Dt. 26:2)—**
**you bring [fresh] fruit as First-fruits**
**[such as grapes or olives],**
**but you don’t bring wine or oil as First-fruits**.⁹

footnotes:
⁹ Cf. M. Ter.11:3: “For giving Threshing-floor offering and Second-tithe, they neither make dates into honey nor from apples wine. And they do not alter their natural state.”


###### 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.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“The soil” (Dt. 26:2)—**
**this excludes [from the rule] the soil of**
**share-croppers, tenant-farmers, extortionists, and robbers.**
**And all for the same reason,**
**as it is stated:**
**“The finest of the First-fruits of *your* soil” (Ex. 23:19)—**
**[but none of these individuals owns his soil].**¹⁰ 2.
4. Is it possible to say that
you may bring First-fruits as long as you are
[entitled] to declaim¹¹; literally, “to recite aloud.” See *Pisqa’* 291.2. [the Torah’s confession (Dt. 26:2ff.)]?
The Teaching states:
“Which you *shall bring from your* Land” (Dt. 26:2)—
[the declamation is required only as long as
the fruit is still available in the owner’s fields].
Is it possible to say that
you may declaim as long as you are
[entitled] to bring the First-fruits?
The Teaching states:
“And you shall recite” (Dt. 26:3),
“And you shall rejoice” (Dt. 26:11)—
declamation is restricted to
times of rejoicing [such as harvest-time].
You might conceivably say:
**From the Closure-festival**¹² literally, “stopping.” The festival is often known as “the First-fruits Festival” (*khag habikurim*) and “the Feast of Weeks” (*shavuot*). ****[in early summer]**
**until the Festival**¹³; literally, “festival.” A common rabbinic abbreviation of the autumn “Festival of Huts” (*khag hasukot*) **[of Huts in the autumn]**
**one brings the First-fruits**
**and declaims [the Torah’s confession].**
**From the Festival until [the winter] Feast of Dedication,**¹⁴ A mid-winter celebration of the founding of the Hasmonean dynasty in the second century BCE. In rabbinic communities it was also known as the “Festival of Lights” (*khag ha’urim*) because of the custom of burning oil lamps in the eight evenings of the festival’s duration.
**one brings the First-fruits, but does not declaim.**
**R. Judah b. Betyra says:**
**One brings and declaims [all year].**¹⁵

footnotes:
¹⁰ //M.Bik.1:2; cf. Mechilta Ishmael, kaspa’,
¹¹ Heb: qor’ei
¹² Heb: `atzeret;
¹³ Heb: khag
¹⁴ Heb: khanukah.
¹⁵ // M.Bik.1:6.


###### 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.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
5. “Which HASHEM your God has given *you*” (Dt. 26:2).
This excludes:
**One who plants trees within his own orchard,**
**or trains a shoot to sprout from his own field**
**into that of another individual**
**or into a public thoroughfare.**
**Or one who plants trees within his own orchard**
**or trains a shoot to sprout from his own field**
**into a public thoroughfare,**
**with a private path between them—**
**indeed, such a person doesn’t bring**
**[because the fruit is no longer considered from *his* field].**
**R. Judah says:**
**a fellow like this *does* bring**
**[because the fruit *originates* in his field].**¹⁶
**On what grounds would he *not* bring?**
**Because it is stated:**
**“The First-fruits of *your* soil” (Ex. 23:19)—**
**don’t bring unless the *entire* growth**
**is from *your* soil.**¹⁷

footnotes:
¹⁶ //M.Bik.1:1.
¹⁷ =M.Bik.1:2.