Ki Tavo 5786 | Rabbi Dani Zuckerman

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── Shiur Outline ──
(0:08) Bikkurim and the Specialness of Eretz Yisrael
(1:29) Kesef Mishneh on the Mishnah’s Derabbanan Status
(3:33) Three Layers of Kedusha in Eretz Yisrael
(6:28) Bikkurim as a Personal Offering for All Israel

AI-Generated Summary (AI can be inaccurate. Check important information):

The central question of this shiur addresses why the Rambam rules that bringing Bikkurim from the east side of the Jordan River is only a rabbinic obligation, despite the broad national borders of Eretz Yisrael. The speaker suggests that the Rambam identifies three distinct levels of sanctity in the land: agricultural sanctity, national-political status, and Kedushas HaShechinah, which emanates from the Holy of Holies. Because Bikkurim are categorized in the Mishnah alongside the Omer and Shtei HaLechem, they depend specifically on this third level of sanctity, which is restricted to the land west of the Jordan. Consequently, the mitzvah of Bikkurim offers every individual Jew a unique opportunity to connect produce grown within the presence of the Shechinah back to its source in the Beis HaMikdash.

1. The scope of Bikkurim — While the Mishnah in Bikkurim records a dispute regarding whether produce from the east side of the Jordan (Ever Hayarden) is eligible for Bikkurim, the Rambam rules that it is only a mi-derabbanan (rabbinic) obligation.
2. Three levels of Kedusha — The sanctity of Eretz Yisrael is comprised of three distinct facets: kedushas karka (sanctity of the soil), shem Eretz Yisrael (national/political status), and kedushas HaShechinah (the presence of the Divine).
3. National vs. Agricultural borders — Certain mitzvos like Egla Arufa and Semicha depend on the broad national borders of Israel, whereas Bikkurim is uniquely tied to the specific area where the Shechinah rests.
4. Concentric circles of holiness — The Mishnah in Kelim describes ten levels of sanctity emanating from the Kodesh Hakodashim (Holy of Holies), identifying Eretz Yisrael as the outermost circle of this Divine radiation.
5. The uniqueness of the West Bank — Following the view of the Ramban and others, the Rambam implies that the kedushas HaShechinah—the direct resting of the Divine presence—is primarily manifest on the west side of the Jordan River.
6. Bikkurim as a personal connection — Unlike the Omer and Shtei HaLechem which are communal offerings, Bikkurim allows every individual Jew to personally bring produce from the "land of the Shechinah" back to its source in the Beis HaMikdash.

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In this week's פרשה *parsha*,

פרשת כי תבוא *Parshat Ki Savo*,

we read about the ביכורים *Bikkurim* and there is a fascinating discussion about ביכורים

*Bikkurim* that can help us appreciate one of the facets of what is so

special about ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*.

From where does one bring ביכורים *Bikkurim*?

So the משנה *Mishnah* in כלים *Kelim* says that one of the aspects of

קדושת ארץ ישראל *Kedushas Eretz Yisrael*,

which makes it more קדוש *kadosh* than the rest of the world,

is that we only bring ביכורים *Bikkurim* from ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*.

From which part of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* do we bring ביכורים *Bikkurim*?

רבי יוסי הגלילי *Rabbi Yosei HaGlili* says in the משנה *Mishnah* in ביכורים *Bikkurim*

that we do not bring ביכורים *Bikkurim* from עבר הירדן *Ever Hayarden* because it's

not called the ארץ זבת חלב ודבש *Eretz Zavat Chalav U'dvash*.

We only bring from the west side of the ירדן *Yarden* because that is

the ארץ זבת חלב ודבש *Eretz Zavat Chalav U'dvash* that is described in this

week's פרשה *parsha*.

However,

the תנא קמא *Tanna Kamma* there disagrees.

The רמב"ם *Rambam* in פירוש המשניות *Perush Hamishnayos* there in ביכורים *Bikkurim* says that

the הלכה *halacha* is not like רבי יוסי הגלילי *Rabbi Yosei HaGlili* but rather

like the תנא קמא *Tanna Kamma*.

Therefore,

we would expect that the רמב"ם *Rambam* in משנה תורה *Mishneh Torah* would פסקן

*pasken* that we bring ביכורים *Bikkurim* from ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* including עבר הירדן

*Ever Hayarden*,

including the east side of the Jordan River.

However,

the רמב"ם *Rambam* in הלכות ביכורים *Hilchos Bikkurim* פרק ב *Perek Bais* הלכה א

*Halacha Aleph* פסקן *paskens* that we only bring ביכורים *Bikkurim* מדאורייתא *mi-d'Oraisa* from the

west side of the ירדן *Yarden* and from the east side of the ירדן

*Yarden*,

from ארץ סיחון ועוג *Eretz Sichon Ve'Og*,

ביכורים *Bikkurim* is only a חיוב מדרבנן *chiyuv mi-derabbanan*.

The כסף משנה *Kesef Mishneh* there explains in the name of the מהרי"ק *Maharik*

that the רמב"ם *Rambam* learns the מחלוקת *machlokes* between the תנא קמא *Tanna Kamma*

and רבי יוסי הגלילי *Rabbi Yosei HaGlili* is only a מחלוקת מדרבנן *machlokes mi-derabbanan*.

But really מדאורייתא *mi-d'Oraisa* everybody agrees that ביכורים *Bikkurim* are not brought from the

east side of the Jordan River.

And the question is why not?

The question is why not?

After all,

the רמב"ם *Rambam* holds in a few places,

including when it comes to עגלה ערופה *Egla Arufa* and סמיכה *semicha*,

that the שם ארץ ישראל *shem Eretz Yisrael*,

the borders of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* for various non-agricultural מצוות *mitzvos*,

are broad and include the entire area conquered by the עולי מצרים *Olim Mitzrayim*,

the entire area conquered from the time of משה רבנו *Moshe Rabbeinu* and יהושע

בן נון *Yehoshua Bin Nun* up through דוד המלך *David HaMelech* and שלמה המלך

*Shlomo HaMelech*.

That entire area was given the title of שם ארץ ישראל *shem Eretz Yisrael*,

was given the title of the borders of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*,

and the הלכות *halachos* of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* that are not agricultural in

nature,

meaning not the הלכות *halachos* of תרומות ומעשרות *terumos u'ma'asros*,

but rather things like עגלה ערופה *Egla Arufa*,

things like סמיכה *semicha*,

they apply in the broader area of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*.

So ביכורים *Bikkurim*,

even though ביכורים *Bikkurim* grow out of the ground,

but it's not a מצווה תלויה בארץ *mitzvah teluyah ba'aretz* as תוספות *Tosafos* says

in בבא בתרא *Bava Basra*.

It's not a מצווה תלויה בארץ *mitzvah teluyah ba'aretz*.

It's rather a הלכה *halacha* that one brings produce to the בית המקדש *Beis

HaMikdash*.

Why would the רמב"ם *Rambam* פסקן *pasken* that it does not apply in עבר

הירדן *Ever Hayarden*?

We would expect that if the broader non-agricultural borders of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*

include עבר הירדן *Ever Hayarden*,

we would expect that ביכורים *Bikkurim* should be brought even from עבר הירדן *Ever

Hayarden*.

So why does the רמב"ם *Rambam* learn the משנה *Mishnah* in ביכורים *Bikkurim* such

that all תנאים *Tanna'im* agree that we don't מדאורייתא *mi-d'Oraisa* bring ביכורים *Bikkurim* from

עבר הירדן *Ever Hayarden*?

So it could be that the רמב"ם *Rambam* learns from the משנה *Mishnah* in

כלים *Kelim*,

the משנה *Mishnah* in כלים *Kelim* that we referenced before,

which says that ביכורים *Bikkurim* together with עומר *Omer* and שתי הלחם *Shtei HaLechem*

are only brought from ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*.

And that's an expression of what makes ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* קדוש *kadosh* compared

to the rest of the world.

Perhaps the רמב"ם *Rambam* learned from that משנה *Mishnah* something crucial about what makes

ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* so special.

Until now,

we've mentioned that there is a קדושה *kedusha* to the ground of ארץ ישראל

*Eretz Yisrael*,

the קדושת קרקע *kedushas karka* of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* that makes ארץ ישראל

*Eretz Yisrael* קדוש *kadosh* for תרומות ומעשרות *terumos u'ma'asros* and מצוות התלויות בארץ *mitzvos

ha-teluyos ba'aretz*.

We've mentioned that ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* has a שם ארץ ישראל *shem Eretz

Yisrael* as a national political entity that is important for מצוות *mitzvos* like עגלה

ערופה *Egla Arufa* and סמיכה *semicha*.

But there's a third aspect.

That משנה *Mishnah* in כלים *Kelim* is actually part of a set of משניות

*mishnayos* which is describing the concentric circles of קדושה *kedusha* that emanate out from

the קודש הקודשים *Kodesh Hakodashim*.

The משניות *mishnayos* in כלים *Kelim* go through ten levels of קדושה *kedusha* that

start from ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* going inward to ירושלים *Yerushalayim*,

and within ירושלים *Yerushalayim* to the הר הבית *Har HaBayis*,

and within the הר הבית *Har HaBayis* to different levels of קדושה *kedusha* as

one goes further and further and closer and closer to the מקום *makom* of

the קודש הקודשים *Kodesh Hakodashim*.

The מקום *makom* of the קודש הקודשים *Kodesh Hakodashim* is the center point of

what the רמב"ם *Rambam* calls elsewhere the שכינה *Shechinah*,

the קדושת השכינה *kedushas HaShechinah* in this world is centered in the קודש הקודשים

*Kodesh Hakodashim*.

That קדושת השכינה *kedushas HaShechinah* emanates outward in levels with more,

with levels of קולא *kula* as you go out from the קודש הקודשים *Kodesh

Hakodashim*.

It goes out in levels to the borders of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*.

Beyond the borders of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*,

there are no more הלכות *halachos* that depend on קדושת השכינה *kedushas HaShechinah*.

But there are three הלכות *halachos* listed in that משנה *Mishnah* in כלים *Kelim*

that are expressions of the קדושת השכינה *kedushas HaShechinah* which is שורה *shoreh* in

ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael*.

That קדושת השכינה *kedushas HaShechinah* is what governs the הלכות *halachos* of עומר *Omer*,

שתי הלחם *Shtei HaLechem*.

and ביכורים *Bikkurim*.

The עומר *Omer* and שתי הלחם *Shtei Halechem* can only be brought from grain

that grew in the land of ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* which is קדוש *kadosh*

בקדושת השכינה *bikedushas HaShechina* and the ביכורים *Bikkurim*,

the ביכורים *Bikkurim* can only be brought from the part of ארץ ישראל *Eretz

Yisrael* which is קדוש *kadosh* בקדושת השכינה *bikedushas HaShechina*.

And therefore that could explain the רמב"ם *Rambam*,

that the רמב"ם *Rambam* says ביכורים *Bikkurim* according to all the תנאים *Tannaim*,

ביכורים *Bikkurim* can only be brought from the land which has קדושת השכינה *Kedushas

HaShechina*.

And that שכינה *Shechina* perhaps the רמב"ם *Rambam* holds as other ראשונים *Rishonim* hold

like the רמב"ן *Ramban* and the ר"ן *Ran* and others hold that the קדושת

השכינה *Kedushas HaShechina* is only on the west side of the Jordan River.

What we learn from here perhaps something astounding,

that first of all that there are three elements of קדושת ארץ ישראל *Kedushas

Eretz Yisrael*,

there's קדושת הקרקע *Kedushas Hakarka*,

there's the שם ישראל *Shem Yisrael*,

the national political sovereignty,

and there is also קדושת השכינה *Kedushas HaShechina*,

the place which is the outermost expression of the שכינה *Shechina* which resides in

the מקדש *Mikdash*,

in the קודש הקדשים *Kodesh HaKodashim*.

But we also see from here something amazing about ביכורים *Bikkurim*.

Because עומר *Omer* and שתי הלחם *Shtei Halechem* are national מצוות *mitzvos*.

עומר *Omer* and שתי הלחם *Shtei Halechem* are one קרבן *korban* brought on behalf

of all כלל ישראל *Klal Yisrael*.

So the כהנים *kohanim* who are עוסק *osek* in עומר *Omer* and שתי הלחם

*Shtei Halechem*,

they have the opportunity to bring that קרבן *korban* and that קרבן *korban* is

something which you take grain which grows in a place which is related to

קדושת השכינה *Kedushas HaShechina*,

a place which is as it were a recipient if you will of the

קדושת השכינה *Kedushas HaShechina* and brings it to ירושלים *Yerushalayim*.

But the ביכורים *Bikkurim* is for all כלל ישראל *Klal Yisrael*.

This week's פרשה *Parsha* tells us that there's a קרבן *korban*,

a type of קרבן *korban*,

a ביכורים *Bikkurim* which is not exactly a קרבן *korban*,

it's a הבאה *hava'ah*.

There's a type of הבאה *hava'ah*,

a type of offering that every single Jew could do.

Every single Jew has the opportunity to take something and appreciate that this item

is growing in the place of the שכינה *Shechina* and he wants to take

that and bring it with him to the source of that קדושת השכינה *Kedushas

HaShechina* to the בית המקדש *Beis Hamikdash* to bring it לפני השם *lifnei HaShem*.

It's an astounding מצוה *mitzvah* and one which helps us appreciate what a special

place we have in ארץ ישראל *Eretz Yisrael* and one that בעזרת השם *be’ezras

HaShem* we all hope to be able to be מקיים *mekayeim* בפועל *bepoal* במהרה

בימינו *bimheira beyameinu*.