## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 301

###### Sifrei Devarim 301:1
[Sifrei Devarim 301:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:1)

(דברים כו ה) **וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ**, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן עֲנִיָּה וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן עֲנִיָּה, מַה עֲנִיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ אַף עֲנִיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה כָּאן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 301**³⁰
1. “Then you should *respond*, saying” (Dt. 26:5).
Here, *response* is mentioned (Dt. 26:5),
and elsewhere, *response* is mentioned (Dt. 27:14).
Just as the *response* mentioned elsewhere (Dt. 27:14)
refers to a *response* in the sacral language,³¹ This term is commonly rendered as “Holy Tongue.” In most rabbinic contexts, as here, it refers to the scriptural texts that are recited aloud in the course of ritual exercises of speech. Cf. *Pisqa’* 291.2.
so, too, the *response* mentioned here (Dt. 26:5)
must refer to a response in the sacral language.

footnotes:
³⁰ H:290-291;JN2:276-279.
³¹ Heb. leshon haqodesh.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:2
[Sifrei Devarim 301:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:2)

מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת קוֹרֵא, וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת מַקְרִים אוֹתוֹ. נִמְנְעוּ מִלְּהָבִיא. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מַקְרִים אֶת הַיּוֹדֵעַ וְאֶת מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ. סָמְכוּ עַל הַמִּקְרָא: **וְעָנִית**, אֵין עֲנִיָּה אֶלָּא מִפִּי אֲחֵרִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
On this basis they taught:
**In the olden days,**
**whoever knew how to declaim**³²n this case, the sense is to deliver a text aloud in *leshon haqodesh* from a written transcript such as a scriptural scroll. **would declaim,**
**and whoever did not know how to declaim—**
**they would declaim for him.**
**When people hesitated to bring the First-fruits**
**[lest they expose their ignorance,]**
**sages ordained that:**
**whether one knows how [to declaim] or not,**
**they shall declaim for him.** ³³
They based this [innovation in the rite] on the verse:
“Then *you* should *respond*” (Dt. 26:5)—
Actually, *response* implies [prompting] from the mouths of others.

footnotes:
³² Heb: liqr’ot. I
³³ // M/Bik.3:7


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:3
[Sifrei Devarim 301:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:3)

**וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי**, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב לַאֲרָם אֶלָּא עַל מְנָת לֵאָבֵד, וּמַעֲלֶה עַל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי כְּאִלּוּ אִבְּדוֹ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. “Saying³⁴ 301.2 closely parallels the text of the Passover Hagaddah. In general the Sifre version is briefer than that of the Haggadah, although it does as well contain some material that is absent from the Haggadah’s version. For details, see the critical apparatus of F:319, ls. 5ff. and M. Kasher, *A Critical Edition of the Passover Haggadah*, pp. 32-43. before HASHEM your God:
an *Aramaean* [desired] to *destroy* my father” (Dt. 26:5).³⁵
This teaches that
Father Jacob descended [from the Land] to Aram
only on the condition that he be *destroyed* (*li’abeid*),³⁶ (“to be lost” or “to destroy”) is the textual hook that enables the midrashist to read the figure of Laban into the narrative of the declaration as the “Aramean” who “sought to destroy” Jacob.
and that Laban, the Aramaean, be considered
as if he *had destroyed* him (*‘ybedo*).

footnotes:
³⁴ Pisqa’
³⁵ Cf. the translation of JPS: “My father was a fugitive Aramean” and the following note.
³⁶ The dual connotation of the root, ‘-b-d


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:4
[Sifrei Devarim 301:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:4)

**וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה**, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד לְהִשְׁתַּקֵּעַ אֶלָּא לָגוּר שָׁם, שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר שֶׁיָּרַד לִטֹּל כֶּתֶר מַלְכוּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **וַיָּגָר שָׁם**. יָכוֹל בְּאוּכְלוּסִים הַרְבֵּה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **בִּמְתֵי מְעָט**, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י כב): ״בְּשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ יָרְדוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ מִצְרָיְמָה״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“But he *descended* to Egypt” (Dt. 26:5)—
this teaches that he did not [intend to] descend permanently,
but only for temporary asylum.³⁷
Would you insist that he descended
in order to seize the royal crown?
The Teaching states:
“Taking *asylum* there” (Dt. 26:5).
Is it possible to say that
he brought along a vast population?
The Teaching states:
“With a *few* men” (Dt. 26:5)—
in accordance with what was said:
“With *seventy persons* did your ancestors descend to Egypt” (Dt. 10:22).

footnotes:
³⁷ This passage, poorly attested in copies of Sifre, also not found in the Haggadah.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:5
[Sifrei Devarim 301:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:5)

**וַיְהִי שָׁם לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל**, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצֻיָּנִים שָׁם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And they grew there into a *great* people” (Dt. 26:5)—
this teaches that Israel *stood out* there.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:6
[Sifrei Devarim 301:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:6)

**וַיַּרְא אֶת עָנְיֵנוּ**, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם א טז): ״וּרְאִיתֶן עַל הָאָבְנָיִם״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And He saw our *suffering*” (Dt. 26:7)—
for it is stated:
“When you examine their birthing-stools, if it is a boy, then *kill him*” (Ex. 1:16).


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:7
[Sifrei Devarim 301:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:7)

**וְאֶת עֲמָלֵנוּ**, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות א כב): ״כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ״ וְכוּ׳.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And our *toil*” (Dt. 26:7)—
[*toil* is the waste of our fertility,]
for it is stated:
“Every *son* born shall be thrown into the river” (Ex. 1:22).
{“But HASHEM took us out of Egypt . . .
amidst powerful signs and prodigious wonders” (Dt. 26:8)—}³⁸

footnotes:
³⁸ Dt. 26:8 appears in the text of the Haggadah, but is lacking in versions of Sifre. I supply it here for intelligibility.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:8
[Sifrei Devarim 301:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:8)

[גדול ועצום. כמה שנאמר, ובני ישראל פרו וישרצו וירבו ויעצמו במאד מאד, ותמלא הארץ אותם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"great and mighty": as it is written (Shemoth 1:7) "And the children of Israel were fruitful and teemed and multiplied and became exceedingly strong, and the land was filled with them."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:9
[Sifrei Devarim 301:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:9)

ורב. כמה שנאמר, רבבה כצמח השדה נתתיך, ותרבי ותגדלי ותבאי בעדי עדיים וגו'].

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and populous": as it is written (Ezekiel 16:7) "I made you as numerous as the plants of the field; you increased and grew, and you entered the prime, etc."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:10
[Sifrei Devarim 301:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:10)

וירעו אותנו המצרים. כמ"ש הבה נתחכמה לו פן ירבה, והיה כי תקראנה מלחמה וגו'.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
(Devarim, *Ibid*. 6) "And Egypt wrought evil unto us": as it is written (Shemoth 1:10) "Come, let us outsmart it, lest it become numerous, and it be, that if a war break out, etc."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:11
[Sifrei Devarim 301:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:11)

ויענונו. כמ"ש וישימו עליו שרי מסים למען ענותו בסבלותם, ויבן ערי מסכנות לפרעה וגו'.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and they afflicted us": as it is written (*Ibid*. 11) "And they appointed taskmasters over it in order to afflict it with their toils, and they built treasure cities for Pharaoh."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:12
[Sifrei Devarim 301:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:12)

ויתנו עלינו עבודה קשה. כמ"ש ויעבידו מצרים את בני ישראל בפרך, וימררו את חייבם בעבודה קשה בחומר ובלבנים ובכל עבודה בשדה, את כל עבודתם אשר עבדו בהם בפרך.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and they placed us under hard labor": as it is written (*Ibid*. 1:13-14) "And Egypt worked the children of Israel with (back-) breaking labor. And they embittered their lives with hard toil: with mortar, and with brick, and with all the labor of the field; all of the labor with which they worked them was (back-) breaking."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:13
[Sifrei Devarim 301:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:13)

ונצעק אל ה' א-להי אבותינו. כמ"ש ויהי בימים הרבים ההם וימת מלך מצרים, ויאנחו בני ישראל מן העבודה ויזעקו וגו'.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
(Devarim, *Ibid*. 7) "And we cried out to the L-rd, the G-d of our fathers": as it is written (Shemoth 2:23) "And it was in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel moaned under the toil, and they cried out, etc."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:14
[Sifrei Devarim 301:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:14)

וישמע ה' את קולנו. כמ"ש וישמע א-להים את נאקתם וגו'.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and the L-rd heard our voices": as it is written (Shemoth, *Ibid*. 24) "And G-d heard their outcry."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:15
[Sifrei Devarim 301:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:15)

וירא את ענינו. זו פרישות דרך ארץ, כמ"ש וירא א-להים את בני ישראל וידע א-להים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"And He saw *our affliction*": This refers to (enforced) separation from conjugal relations, as it is written (Shemoth, *Ibid*. 25) "… and G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew (i.e., He "took it to heart.")


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:16
[Sifrei Devarim 301:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:16)

ואת עמלנו. אלו הבנים, כמ"ש כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכהו וכל הבת תחיון.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and our *toil*": the children, viz. (Shemoth 1:22) "Every son that is born, into the Nile shall you throw him, and every daughter shall you keep alive."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:17
[Sifrei Devarim 301:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:17)

ואת לחצנו. זו הדחק, כמ"ש וגם ראיתי את הלחץ אשר מצרים לוחצים אותם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and our *lachatz*": This is oppression, viz. (Shemoth 3:9): "and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:18
[Sifrei Devarim 301:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:18)

ויוציאנו ה'. לא ע"י מלאך ולא ע"י שרף ולא ע"י שליח, כמה שנאמר ועברתי בארץ מצרים בלילה הזה והכיתי וגו'. ועברתי בארץ מצרים, אני ולא מלאך. והכיתי כל בכור, אני ולא שרף. ובכל אלהי מצרים אעשה שפטים, אני ולא השליח. אני ה'.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
(Devarim, *Ibid*. 8) "And the L-rd took us out": not through an angel, and not through a seraph, and not through a messenger, as it is written (Shemoth 12:12) "And I shall pass through the land of Egypt in this night, and I shall smite, etc.": "And I shall pass through the land of Egypt" — I, and not an angel. "and I shall smite every first-born" — I, and not a seraph. "and upon all the gods of Egypt I shall wreak judgments" — I, and not a messenger, "I am the L-rd."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:19
[Sifrei Devarim 301:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:19)

ביד חזקה. זו הדבר, כמ"ש הנה יד ה' הויה במקנך אשר בשדה וגו'.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
(Devarim, *Ibid*.) "with a strong hand": This is the pestilence, as it is written (Shemoth 9:3) "Behold, the *hand* of the L-rd is in your cattle in the field … a very sore *pestilence*."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:20
[Sifrei Devarim 301:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:20)

ובזרוע נטויה. זו החרב, כמ"ש וחרבו שלופה בידו נטויה וגו'.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and with an outstretched arm": This is the sword, as it is written (Joshua 5:13) "with his sword *sh'lufah* in his hand": ("*sh'lufah*" =) outstretched.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:21
[Sifrei Devarim 301:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:21)

ובמורא גדול. זו גלוי שכינה, כמ"ש או הנסה א-להים לבוא לקחת לו גוי מקרב גוי, במסות באותות ובמופתים ובמלחמה וביד חזקה ובזרוע נטויה ובמוראים גדולים, ככל אשר עשה לכם ה' א-להיכם במצרים לעיניך.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and with great fear": This is *revelation* of the Shechinah, as it is written (Devarim 4:34) "Or has a god ever done miracles to come and take for himself a nation with trials, with signs, and with wonders, and with war, and with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and *with great fears, before your eyes*?"


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:22
[Sifrei Devarim 301:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:22)

ובאותות. זה המטה, כמ"ש ואת המטה הזה תקח בידך, אשר תעשה בו את האותות.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and with signs": This is the staff, as it is written (Shemoth 4:17) "And this staff you shall take in your hand, wherewith you shall do the signs."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:23
[Sifrei Devarim 301:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:23)

ובמופתים. זה הדם, כמ"ש ונתתי מופתים בשמים ובארץ, דם ואש ותמרות עשן.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
"and with wonders": This is the blood: as it is written (*Joel* 3:3) "And I will set wonders in heaven and earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke."


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:24
[Sifrei Devarim 301:24](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:24)

דבר אחר - ביד חזקה, שתים. ובזרוע נטויה, שתים. ובמורא גדול, שתים. ובאותות, שתים. ובמופתים, שתים. אלו עשר מכות שהביא הקב"ה על המצרים: דם, צפרדע, כנים, ערוב, דבר, שחין, ברד, ארבה, חשך, מכת בכורות].

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
Variantly: "with a strong hand": two. "with an outstretched arm: two. "and with great fears": two. "and with signs": two. "and with wonders": two. These are the ten plagues that the Holy One Blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:25
[Sifrei Devarim 301:25](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:25)

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָיָה נוֹתֵן בָּהֶם סִימָן: דְּצַ״ךְ עֲדַ״שׁ בְּאַחַ״ב.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
R. Judah would create a mnemonic for them,
pronouncing their initial letters [as an acrostic]:
DaTZaK, `ADaSH, B’AKHaB .³⁹ (see Jastrow, s.v.). The solution to the present example is: *Dam* (blood), *TZefardei`a* (frogs), *Kinim* (lice),*`Arov* (wild beasts), *Dever* (cattle fever), *SHekhin* (boils), *Barad* (hail),*‘Arbeh* (locusts), *KHoshek* (darkness), *Bechorot* (death of the Firstlings).

footnotes:
³⁹ The acrostic, composed of the initial letters of lists of technical terms and the like, is a common mnemonic technique of scribal elites in the ancient Mesopotramian and Mediterranean world. In Rabbinic scholasticism, the acrostic is known by the Greek term, notariqon


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:26
[Sifrei Devarim 301:26](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:26)

(דברים כו ט) **וַיְבִאֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה**, זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. אוֹ יָכוֹל זֶה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר **וַיִּתֶּן לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת**, הֲרֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמוּרָה. וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר **וַיְבִאֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה**? בִּשְׂכַר בִּיאָתֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
3. “Then He brought us to *this* place” (Dt. 26:9)—
*this* implies the Holy Abode.
Or: is it [equally] possible to say that
*this* implies the Land of Israel?
When He says [in the same verse]:
“And He gave to us *this* Land” (Dt. 26:9)—
indeed, the topic here is the Land of Israel!
What, then, does the Teaching convey by
“Then He brought us to *this* place” (Dt. 26:9)?
As a reward for our arrival at *this* place, [the Holy Abode],
He has given us *this* Land.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:27
[Sifrei Devarim 301:27](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:27)

**אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ**, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן **אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ** וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (שמות יג ה) ״אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ״, מָה ״אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ״ הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן חֲמֵשֶׁת עֲמָמִים אַף **אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ** הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶרֶץ חֲמֵשֶׁת עֲמָמִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: אֵין מְבִיאִים בִּכּוּרִים מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן, שֶׁאֵינוֹ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“A Land dripping with milk and honey” (Dt. 26:9).
Here we find the phrase,
“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Dt. 26:9);
and elsewhere we find the phrase,
“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Ex. 13:5).
Just as elsewhere, the phrase,
“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Ex. 13:5),
refers to [the territory of] the five nations
[i.e., Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites],
so, too, here, the phrase,
“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Dt. 26:9),
must refer to [the territory of] the five nations.
**R. Yose the Galilean says:**
**they do not bring First-fruits from Trans-Jordan,**
**for it does *not* drip with milk and honey!**⁴⁰ 299.2.

footnotes:
⁴⁰ //M. Bik.1:10. Cf. Pisqa’


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:28
[Sifrei Devarim 301:28](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:28)

(דברים כו י) **וְעַתָּה**, מִיָּד.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
4. {“And, *now*, *indeed*, I *have brought*” (Dt. 26:10).}⁴¹
**“Now”—immediately.**

footnotes:
⁴¹ The quotation of Dt. 26:10 does not appear in texts of Sifre. I’ve interpolated it within brackets for the sake of intelligibility.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:29
[Sifrei Devarim 301:29](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:29)

**הִנֵּה**, בְּשִׂמְחָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“Indeed”—enthusiastically.**


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:30
[Sifrei Devarim 301:30](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:30)

**הֵבֵאתִי**, מִשֶּׁלִּי.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“I have brought”—from my own [soil]**.⁴²

footnotes:
⁴² Cf. Sifre Nu., 117, Sifre Nu. 119.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:31
[Sifrei Devarim 301:31](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:31)

**אֶת רֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה**, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: יוֹרֵד אָדָם לְתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ וְרוֹאֶה תְּאֵנָה שֶׁבִּכְּרָה, אֶשְׁכּוֹל שֶׁבִּכֵּר, רִמּוֹן שֶׁבִּכֵּר, קוֹשְׁרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּגֶמִי וְאוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ בִּכּוּרִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“The first and finest of *all* the fruit of the soil” (Dt. 26:10).
On this basis they taught:
**A person may go down to his field**
**and see an *early-ripening* fig,**
**an *early-ripening* grape-cluster,**
**or an *early-ripening* pomegranate,**
**tie some reed-grass around it,**
**and say:**
**These are *indeed* the First-fruits!**⁴³

footnotes:
⁴³ =M.Bik.3:1.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:32
[Sifrei Devarim 301:32](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:32)

**אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִּי ה׳**, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: הָאַפּוֹטְרוֹפִּיס וְהָעֶבֶד וְהַשָּׁלִיחַ אִשָּׁה וְטוּמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס מְבִיאִים וְלֹא קוֹרִים, שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִים לוֹמַר ״אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִּי ה׳״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Which you have given *me*, HASHEM” (Dt. 26:10).
On this basis they taught:
**Administrators [of property],**
**[Hebrew] slaves,**
**court-appointed messengers,**⁴⁴
**women,**
**persons with ill-defined genitalia,**⁴⁵; “one whose sex is obscure.”
**and those with both sets of genitalia,**⁴⁶ “androgyne.” This second group of three, because they are women or inconclusively male, are precluded by biological destiny from uttering the confession that includes acknowledgement of the Land as *theirs*.
**bring the First-fruits, but do *not* declaim—**
**for they are unable to say:**
**“Which you have given *me*, HASHEM” (Dt. 26:10)** ⁴⁷
**[since their status prevents them from owning land].**

footnotes:
⁴⁴ The first three listed are temporarily landless as a condition of fulfilling certain social roles and therefore cannot truthfully acknowledge the Land as theirs.
⁴⁵ Heb: tumtum
⁴⁶ Gr: ‘androgynos;”
⁴⁷ =M.Bik.1:5.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:33
[Sifrei Devarim 301:33](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:33)

**וְהִנַּחְתּוֹ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ**, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁטְּעוּנִים הַנָּחָה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים, אַחַת בִּשְׁעַת קְרִיאָה וְאַחַת בִּשְׁעַת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
5. “And *set* it before HASHEM . . ., and *prostrate* yourself before HASHEM your God” (Dt. 26:10)—
this teaches that
*settings* should be performed twice—
one at the time of the declamation,
and one at the time of the prostration.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:34
[Sifrei Devarim 301:34](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:34)

(דברים כו יא) **וְשָׂמַחְתָּ**, בְּכָל מִינֵי שְׂמָחוֹת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And you shall *rejoice*” (Dt. 26:11)—
with as many kinds of *rejoicing* as possible.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:35
[Sifrei Devarim 301:35](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:35)

**בְּכָל הַטּוֹב**, זֶה הַשִּׁיר.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“In all the *good*” (Dt. 26:11)—**
**this is by means of the song**


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:36
[Sifrei Devarim 301:36](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:36)

**אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לְךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּלְבֵיתֶךָ**, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָדָם מֵבִיא בִּכּוּרִים מִנִּכְסֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְקוֹרֵא.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**[offerred as an expression of joy during the rite]**.⁴⁸
“Which HASHEM your God has bestowed upon your *household*” (Dt. 26:11)—
this teaches that
a person may bring the First-fruits
from his *wife’s* property and then declaim [on her behalf].

footnotes:
⁴⁸ // M. Bik. 2:4. The “song” in question, according to M. Bik.3:4, appears to be Ps. 30.


###### Sifrei Devarim 301:37
[Sifrei Devarim 301:37](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/301:37)

**אַתָּה וְהַלֵּוִי וְהַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבֶּךָ**, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמְזֵרִים מִתְוַדִּים, אֲבָל לֹא גֵּרִים וַעֲבָדִים מְשֻׁחְרָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“You, and the Levite, and the migrant who is in your midst.” (Dt. 26:11)
On this basis they taught:
**Israelites of impaired lineage**
**make the confession,**
**but not proselytes, or freed [gentile] slaves**
**[who have been naturalized as Israelites].**
**for they have no [ancestral] share in the Land.**⁴⁹

footnotes:
⁴⁹ //M.MS.5:14.