Bikkurim: How was it done?

(3) One only brings Bikkurim from the seven species [special to the Land of Israel, listed in Deut. 8:8], [but] not from the dates of the mountains or from fruits of the valley, nor from oil-olives that are not of the highest quality. One does not bring Bikkurim before Atseret [ Shavuot, the harvest festival]. People from Har Tsevo'im brought their Bikkurim and they [the priests] did not accept [the fruits] because of the verse in the Torah, (Exodus 23:16) "And the harvest festival, the first fruits of your labor that you plant in the field."

(1) How does one designate the Bikkurim [first-fruits that must be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem and given to the Kohen]? A person goes to one's field and sees a date that is bearing fruit, a bunch [of grapes] that is bearing fruit, or a pomegranate that is bearing fruit, and ties it with a string and says, "Behold these are Bikkurim." Rabbi Shimon says, even so, he reiterates and declares them Bikkurim once they have been picked from the ground.

(2) How do they bring the Bikkurim up [to Jerusalem]? All the cities of a Ma'amad [one of the 24 divisions in the Land of Israel that each sent an Israelite representation to the Temple to watch the public sacrifices] would go into [central] city of the Ma'amad and sleep in the streets of that city without going into the houses. When they arose, the supervisor would say, "Arise! Let us go up to Zion, to the house of the Lord our God!"

(3) Those who were close would bring dates and grapes and the far ones would bring dried figs and raisins. A bull would go before them and its horns would be plated with gold and it would have a olive wreath around its head. The flute would play before them until they got close to Jerusalem. Once they got close to Jerusalem, they would send ahead of them [a messenger] and adorned their Bikkurim. The overseers and the officers and the treasurers would go out to greet them; in accordance with the stature of those coming in would they go out. All the artisans of Jerusalem would stand before them and greet them, "Our brothers from so-and-so, come in peace!"

(4) The flute would continue playing before them until they arrived at the Temple Mount. Once they arrived at the Temple Mount, even Agripas the King would carry his basket on his shoulder and enter until he reached the courtyard. Once they got to the courtyard, the Levites would speak in song (Psalms 30:2), "I will extol you, O Lord, because you have raised me and not allowed my enemies to rejoice over me."

(5) The young birds on the baskets would be Olot [offerings burnt entirely upon the altar] and what was in their hands, they gave to the Kohanim.

(6) With the basket still on one's shoulder, one would recite from "I declare today to the Lord my God" (Deuteronomy 26:3-10) until finishing the entire passage. Rabbi Judah says, until "My father was a wandering Aramean" (Deut. 26:5). Once one gets to "My father was a wandering Aramean", one takes the basket off one's shoulder and holds it by one's lip. The priest places his hand under it and waves it. He then recites from "My father was a wandering Aramean" until finishing the entire passage and rests [the basket] beside the altar and prostrates and leaves.

(6) With the basket still on one's shoulder, one would recite from "I declare today to the Lord my God" (Deuteronomy 26:3-10) until finishing the entire passage. Rabbi Judah says, until "My father was a wandering Aramean" (Deut. 26:5). Once one gets to "My father was a wandering Aramean", one takes the basket off one's shoulder and holds it by one's lip. The priest places his hand under it and waves it. He then recites from "My father was a wandering Aramean" until finishing the entire passage and rests [the basket] beside the altar and prostrates and leaves.

(7) In the beginning, anyone who knew how to read would read and anyone else would have it read for him. [Then,] people were reticent to bring and they declared that it would be read for those who know how to read and those who do not know.

(8) Wealthy people would bring their Bikkurim in baskets of silver and of gold. Poor people would bring theirs in reed baskets of woven willow stems. Both the baskets and the Bikkurim were given to the priests.

(9) Rabbi Shimon ben Nanas said, one may adorn the Bikkurim [basket with species] outside of the seven species. Rabbi Akiva said, the Bikkurim may be adorned only with the seven species.