During the past week, we observed the yahrzeit of Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook on the 16th of Elul. It is fitting to bring some words of his Torah on the verse from our parsha, “When it will come to pass that you will go into the Land” (Devarim 26:1). The Torah thus introduces the details of the mitzvah and the ritual of bringing bikkurim, which every person in Bnei Yisrael is obligated to do.
Rav Kook undertook to write a commentary on the aggadot, or allegorical passages in the Talmud, inspired in part by the classic text Ein Yaakov. Rav Kook named his book, Ein Aya (The Eye of the Falcon, also an acronym for his name). Unfortunately, he only managed to complete the commentaries on the first two tractates in the Babylonian Talmud, Berachot and Shabbat. However, Rav Kook also provided commentaries on other tractates from Seder Zeraim, including Bikkurim, which deals with this mitzvah that our parsha begins with. Here we can only summarize its principal themes, but it is certainly worthwhile to study all of this material in depth.
Rav Kook emphasizes that the essence and the import of the mitzvah of bikkurim is to embody the unity of Israel. This is an idea he returns to throughout his commentary on the Mishna’s account of the rituals surrounding the bringing of bikkurim during the era when the Beit HaMikdash was standing. But, Rav Kook explains, the bikkurim don’t just unify Israel – they exemplify what makes us unique among nations and precious to G-d. It is common among the nations of the world, particularly among those where agriculture is prominent, for the owners of farms and their workers to come together in markets to sell and trade their wares. This happens in Israel as well, and Rav Kook asserts that it’s very important that Israel produce goods and work the land. This productivity and trading of goods on the international market is good for the character and reputation of Israel, and also keeps us grounded in the practicalities that underlie our efforts to grow in spirituality.
However, the true national essence of Israel is not found in our markets, whether domestic or for export. In fact, Hashem made us with all the capabilities we require to subsist and even to thrive in our Land, which He endowed with all the ingredients we require to prosper. Ultimately, what defines the national character of Israel is our unity of purpose in serving Hashem and in coming together at the Beit HaMikdash in Yerushalayim on our holidays, especially for the purpose of bringing bikkurim. By means of the bikkurim – and the act of bringing the bikkurim joyously in communities traveling together – Israel comes to embody and fulfill everything that makes us special and that singles us out for praise and blessing from among the nations.
But as Rav Kook points out, the mitzvah of bikkurim is not only a national and collective observance; it is obligatory for every Jew who is capable of fulfilling it to do so personally. The Mishna relates that even Agrippas the King, when trying to demonstrate his Jewish bona fides, personally brought a basket of bikkurim to the Beit HaMikdash (Bikkurim 3:4). Rav Kook explains that another aspect of the unique glory of Israel is that even when we act as a collective, we still value every individual, and the contribution and the intention of every individual are essential to the success of our endeavor. It is impressive and was undoubtedly inspiring to see the large groups of celebratory pilgrims traveling to Yerushalayim with their bikkurim, but the most important focus of all is the experience of being one of those people engaged joyously in fulfilling Hashem’s commandment to him personally.
Similarly, Rav Kook points out that the Mishna emphasizes the sanctity and glory of Israel when the pilgrims arrived, and the majesty of the Beit HaMikdash atop its mountain, to show that the true impact of the event came from the sanctity of Yerushalayim. Yerushalayim was also described by David HaMelech as “the City which has been joined together” (Tehillim 122:3). When those ascending the Temple Mount are inspired by the unity inherent in the place designated by Hashem for His presence to rest there permanently, this further cements the unity between all the disparate individuals who have ascended together in common purpose. As inspiring as the masses of celebrants must have been – with all their music and pageantry – when they arrived in Yerushalayim they were still awed by the majesty of the city herself.
The true embodiment of the unique glory of Israel is our unity – not only for its own sake or as a consequence of our resourcefulness and enterprise, but in conforming ourselves to the will of Hashem and bestirring ourselves to perform mitzvot publicly with great joy.