Rashi on TanakhDeuteronomy 26

When it happens that you come . . . and you inherit it and settle it. This teaches that they were not obligated to bring the first fruits until they conquered the land and apportioned it.

Of the first. But not all the first, as not all fruits are subject to the first fruit obligation, but only the seven species. The phrase here is “the land,” and the phrase there is “A ‘land’ of wheat, barley, etc.” Just as the reference there is to the seven species by which Eretz Yisroel is extolled, so, too, is the reference here to the extollment of Eretz Yisroel, meaning the seven species.

The oil olive. The aguri olive, with its oil gathered inside.

Honey. This refers to date honey.

Of the first. When a man enters his field and notices the first fig to mature, he wraps a papyrus strip around it as a marking symbol, and declares, “This is bikurim.”

Who shall be [of service] during those days. You have no one except the kohein who serves during your days, as he may be.

And you will say to him. That you are not ungrateful.

I ascertain today. Once each year, not twice.

The kohein shall then take the basket from your hand. In order to wave it — the kohein places his hand below the owner’s hand and waves.

You shall then proclaim. This denotes a loud proclamation.

The Aramite destroyed my forefather. He cites the Omnipresent’s benevolence. The Aramite destroyed my forefather — Lavan sought to uproot everything when he pursued Yaakov, because he intended to act, the Omnipresent considered it as if he had actually acted; for with the nations, the Omnipresent equates the [evil] intent with the deed.

Then he descended to Egypt. Yet others fell upon us to annihilate us, for after this Yaakov descended to Egypt.

With a tiny community. With seventy souls.

To this place. This refers to the Beis Hamikdosh.

And He gave us this land. As indicated by the plain connotation.

You shall then place it. This teaches that he takes it after the kohein’s waving, holds it in his hand while reciting, and then waves it again.

You shall rejoice with all the good. From here they derive that one does not recite the first-fruit reading except during the time of rejoicing — from the Atzeres-Shavuos holiday until the Succos celebration, when a man gathers his grain, fruit, wine, and oil. However, from Succos and onward, he brings without reciting.

You, the Levi. The Levi, too, is subject to the first obligation — if they planted in their cities.

And the proselyte in your midst — who brings without reciting, as he is unable to say, “to our forefathers.”

When you finish tithing all the tithes of your produce in the third year. When you finish setting aside the tithes of the third year, designate the time for the divesture and the recitation on the eve of Pesach of the fourth year, as it is said, “At the end of three years you shall remove, etc.” Here, “at the end of” is said, and below, “at the end of seven years” is said, concerning Hakhel. Just as, there, [it refers to] a festival, so here, [it refers to] a festival. Perhaps, just as there [it refers to] the Succos festival, so here, [it refers to] the Succos festival? The Torah therefore teaches, ‘When you complete tithing the tithes of the third year’ — the festival during which the tithes are completed, which is Pesach, since there are many trees which are harvested after Succos. Thus, the tithes of the third [year] are completed at Pesach of the fourth [year], and if anyone delayed his tithes, Scripture requires that he divest his property of them.

The year of the tithe. The year when the tithing obligation is for only one of the two tithes which were applicable during the two preceding years; during the first and second years of the Shemittah cycle, the obligation is for the first tithe — as it is said, “. . .when you take, from the Israelites, the tithe...” — and the second tithe, as it is said, “You shall eat, before Adonoy your God, the tithe of your grain, wine, and oil.” Hence, there are two tithes. Here the teaching is that, during the third year, there is an obligation only for one of those two tithes — which one? The first tithe, and in place of the second tithe, he must give the tithe for the indigent. For it is said here, “You have given to the Levi,” his due — thus, the first tithe. “To the proselyte, orphan, and widow” — this is the tithe for the indigent.

So that they may eat within your portals to their satisfaction. Supply them with enough to satisfy them. We derive from here that one may not reduce the gift to the poor person at the threshing area to less than half a kav of wheat.

You shall declare before Adonoy, your God. Acknowledge that you gave your tithes.

I have divested my estate of sacred material. This refers to the second tithe and the fourth-year fruit, and teaches you that if one tarried with his two year tithes, and did not bring them up to Jerusalem, he must bring them up now.

And have also presented it to the Levi. This refers to the first tithe. Also. This includes the terumah-gift, and the first fruits.

The proselyte, the orphan, and the widow. This refers to the indigent tithe.

Totally according to Your command. I gave them in their proper order — I did not give precedence to the terumah-gift over the first fruits, or to the tithe over the terumah, or to the second [tithe] over the first; for terumah is entitled “the first,” as it is first after becoming grain. And it is written, “Your fully ripened produce and your terumah gift, do not delay” — do not change the order.

I did not transgress Your commandments. I did not set aside the tithe of one species for another, nor of the new crop for the old (or of detached fruits for those still growing, or of growing fruits for those detached).

Nor did I forget. To bless you for the setting aside of tithes.

I did not eat of it when grieving. From here we derive that it is forbidden during grief.

Nor did I devour it when ritually defiled. Whether I was defiled and it was clean, or I was clean and it was defiled. Where is the admonition concerning this? “You may not eat in your cities” — this refers to eating during defilement, as it is said concerning disqualified sacred offerings, “You may eat it in your cities, the defiled and the clean, etc.” But this, you may not eat after the manner of the eating in your cities mentioned elsewhere.

Nor did I make use of it for the dead. To make a casket or shrouds.

I have heeded the voice of Adonoy my God. I have brought it to the Temple.

I have fulfilled everything that You commanded me. I rejoiced, and brought joy with it.

View, from Your sacred residence. We have fulfilled what You decreed for us — now You fulfill what is incumbent upon You to do, as You said, “If you follow My decrees, etc., I shall give you rain at the proper time.”

Which You have given us, as You swore to our forefathers. To give to us, and You fulfilled — a land flowing with milk and honey.

This very day, Adonoy, your God, commands you. Each day let them appear novel to you, as if, on that very day, you had been commanded to perform them.

You shall observe and perform them. A heavenly echo blesses him; ‘You have brought the first fruits on this day — may you reiterate next year.’

You have distinguished . . . He has distinguished you. There is no compelling evidence concerning these words in Scripture; but it appears to me that the word denotes setting aside, distinguishing — you have distinguished Him, from the alien gods, to be your God, and He set you aside, for Himself, from the peoples of the earth, to be His treasured people. (Another interpretation, to which I have found evidence; it denotes glory, as in “All evildoers glorify themselves.”)

As He said to you. “You shall be My treasure.”

And, so that you may be a people sanctified as He said. “You shall be sanctified to me.”