Fruit, Kings, and Why the Torah Was Not Given on Shavuot

So what's the connection between Pesach and Shavuot?

Let's keep this question in the back of our minds.

Let's start by looking at our introduction to the chag of Shavuot in Tanach

Somehow, the chag of Shavuot is intrinsically linked to the Mitzvah of Bikkurim. Why is this?

Here, again, we have the connection of Shavuot to Bikkurim - why are they intrinsically linked and what significance does that have? Let's take a dive into the mitzvah of Bikkurim to see if we understand it better.

Read first pasuk.

The Torah presents a specific connection between this mitzvah of Bikkurim and entering, possessing, and subsequent settling of the land of Israel. The Gemara in fact actualizes this distinction in the Torah in Halachah.

The connection between Bikkurim and the land of Israel is pretty obvious; you need land to have produce. Ask: But why is there a specific requirement to conquer it and settle it first?

This prerequisite of ירושה וישיבה - possessing and settling - emerges with striking similarity in Parshat Shoftim. Introducing the Parashat Hamelech, the section of the Torah describing the commandments pertaining to kings, the pasuk begins with a familiar preface. Read first pasuk:

The words of the pasuk virtually entirely mirror the language in Ki Tavo, and in fact, this is the only other time when this formulation of "Ki Tavo el Ha'aretz" "Yirishta" "ViYeshavta Bah" are found in Tanach. The pasuk once again draws a direct line between the possession and settling of the land and the mitzvah; however, in this case, the mitzvah relates to kingship, not produce. The Torah clearly connects these two subjects, Bikkurim and Melucha, but the question still remains; why are these commands so dependent on possessing and settling the land?

A deeper dive into the details of the Parashat Hamelech reveals the nature of the connection between Bikkurim and Kingship and sheds light on the significance of their relationship to ירושה וישיבה.

Generations of Gedolim have debated the nature of the “command” of Kingship. Opinions range from Malchut being a full-fledged Mitzvah to a concession by God viewed negatively in His eyes, with many differing ideas in between, but the purpose of the Parashat Hamelech is not to address this question. The pasuk states, “אָמַרְתָּ֗ אָשִׂ֤ימָה עָלַי֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ כְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְבִיבֹתָֽי,” “and you say: ‘I will set a king over myself, like all the nations around me” (Dev. 17:14). God grants the nation’s request and states “שׂ֣וֹם תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ,” “you shall set a king over you” (Dev 17:14). The pesukim are clearly ambiguous on the question of the nature of the mitzvah. God does not chastise the nation (as there is when the nation asks for a king in Shmuel I) nor does He give a direct, unprompted command to establish a king. The pasukim also lack a description of the king’s power; rather, the Parasha focuses on the restrictions on the king. Read 15 -17 of above

The Torah purposefully leaves the previous uncertainty regarding the nature of the “command” of kingship ambiguous. It assumes the existence of a king as a setup for the primary focus of the section: the limitations on the king. What's the purpose of these restrictions? Read pasuk 20 above

“לְבִלְתִּ֤י רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙ מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו,” “so that his heart will not be haughty over his brothers” (Dev. 17:20).

This phrase, “רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙,” appears in a very similar setting earlier in the Sefer, in Perek Chet, that uncovers the true significance of these restrictions on the king and in turn the commonality between Bikkurim and the Parashat Hamelech.

Just like the two sections discussed thus far, Perek Chet includes an association with entering the land: “...כִּ֚י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ מְבִֽיאֲךָ֖ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ טוֹבָ֑ה,” “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land…” (Dev. 8:7). Read 7, 12-14 Below

Here, the Torah paints a backdrop of success, prosperity, and wealth. Even without the instruction of the Torah, our own observations tell us that such success only naturally leads to haughtiness. In a similar manner, the Torah tells us, if a king were to amass wealth and other material goods, the same result would follow. Indeed, history has testified all too clearly to this phenomenon. Thus, God imposes restrictions on the king, preempting his inevitable vanity. God’s solution for “רום לבבו” requires a realization of the true Provider. By understanding that all your wealth and success in truth comes from Him, you stave off the urge of haughtiness.

However, this realization is only the first step in this process; a second, more novel step lies hidden in the pasukim.

After the delineation of the restrictions of the king in the Parashat Hamelech, the Torah describes one last command for the king. Read Parashat Hamelech p.18-19

Rashi explains that the reason for the two copies was so that one could reside in the king’s treasury, and one could stay with him wherever he went, stressing the importance of a constant connection with the Torah, an idea reinforced by the beginning of the following pasuk: “וְהָיְתָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו,” “and it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life” (Dev. 17:20). The reason for this command? “לְמַ֣עַן יִלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָה֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔יו,” “so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God,” (Dev. 17:20). In order to properly analyze the meaning of this command, we must first establish that the concept ofיראתמה’ע encoumpasses much more than the strictly defined “fear” or “reverence”; in essence, it means an awareness of God and His place above you.

At first glance, the connection between reading the Torah and developing a sense of awareness of Hashem seems obvious, but it is worth examining the exact element of the Torah that inspires this. Most would identify the various תוכחות, rebukes, that warn the nation of all the suffering that would befall them as a result of their sins. However, the fear instilled by these rebukes presupposes a certain awareness of God’s interaction with the world; without a recognition of His intervention in our lives, who would fear the punishment of God?

Rather, the true source of this ‘יראת ה, this fundamental awareness of God’s role in our lives, lies not in any rebukes nor in any commandments - it sprouts from the story itself, the memory imprinted in the mind of every Jew as he reads in the Torah of our relationship with Hashem and His role in our national development.

The commoner, just like the king, is commanded to reflect upon our shared history. This reflection begins not with Adam HaRishon nor with Matan Torah, it begins with our subjugation in Egypt, the birth of our peoplehood, the chains that bound us physically and in-turn bonded us to each other and to our God as His nation.

The same phenomenon occurs in perek Chet as well. What does God say is the consequence of having a "Rom Lev"? Read Perek Chet 14-15.

To develop humility in the face of success God tells us first to look inwards - next, to look backwards.

This same connection to our past is what Bikkurim is all about. Read Bikurrim pasuk 5.

So to recap: we saw the stark parallelism between the introductions to bikkurim and parashat hamelech, and we've seen how the themes from parashat hamelech are also expressed in perk Chet. God tells us to view him as the true source of our strength and success but not only that. He also tells us to reach back to our past and connect to it.

But why is a connection to our past essential to the solution to “רום לבבו,” to an understanding of God’s role in our lives?

The Torah portrays two situations of relative success, but a crucial common thread between the two is the individual’s status as a reflection of the success of the nation as a whole. The Torah says “ki tavo el ha’aretz... Viyirashta Viyashavta Ba,” when you’ve inhabited and conquered the land. When you’re comfortable in your surroundings. When your societal stability allows you to plant in the fall and have confidence you will harvest in the spring; when your national might prompts you to ask for a king to govern your unified society; when you are not looking to survive today but to improve tomorrow, this is when God tells you to pause, to look backwards.

So now that we've explore the meaning of Bikkurim, I think we can use this to explore the relationship between Shavuot, the chag habikkurim, and Pesach. Ask if anyone has any thoughts on this?

Pesach is our past and our communal history. Shavuot is the realization of our nation's destiny, both spiritually and materially. It as absolutely crucial that our success is tied to our beginnings and our past.

Ask: If we are to accept that Shavuot is in fact the day BEFORE matan Torah, how does this fit with our understanding so far?

Shavuot isn't as much about receiving the Torah, about reaching our peak, as it is about reaching the proper state of mind where we are ready to appreciate that success. It's about marching for 50 days, and tying each day back to where we came from. We don't count to Matan Torah. Rather, we count from Yetziyat mitrayim, so as to never lose sight of its relevance in our lives.