Bikkurim in Mishnayos A Listing of Mishnayos Mentioning Bikkurim

(1) These are the things that have no measure: Peah [corner of the field which, while harvesting, must be left for the poor], Bikurim [First-fruits that must be brought to the Temple and given to the priest], the appearance-sacrifice [brought to the Temple on Pilgrimage Festivals], acts of kindness, and the study of the Torah. These are things the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, acts of kindness, and bringing peace between a man and his fellow. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.

(7) From where [do we derive] that [the setting aside of] Bikurim must precede Terumah, seeing that this one is called “Terumah” and “the first” and the other is [also] called “Terumah” and “the first”? Rather Bikurim take precedence since they are the first-fruits of all produce. And Terumah precedes Ma'aser Rishon because it is called “first.” And Ma'aser Rishon precedes Ma'aser Sheni because it includes that which is called “first” [Terumat Ma'aser].

(4) The growths of Terumah [seeds] are Terumah, but the growths of their growths are Chulin [non-sacred produce]. But non-tithed produce, and Ma'aser Rishon [first tithe, which must be given to the Levite], and after-growths from the Sabbatical year, and Terumah grown in Chutz La'Aretz [outside the Land of Israel], and mixtures that are Demai [produce from which it is uncertain if tithes were already taken] and Bikurim [first-fruits that must be given to the priest]—their growths are Chulin. The growths of Hekdesh [consecrated donation] and Ma'aser Sheni [second tithe, which must be eaten in Jerusalem] are Chulin, and one redeems them at the time when they are planted.

(3) One must not make dates into honey, apples into wine, winter grapes into vinegar, or change any other kind of fruit from their natural state in [a case where they are] Terumah or Ma'aser Sheni [second tithe, which must be eaten in Jerusalem], except olives and grapes alone. One does not receive forty lashes on account of Orlah [fruits in the first three years after their planting, which may not be eaten], except for that which comes out of olives and out of grapes. One may not bring liquids as Bikurim [first-fruits that must be given to the priest], except for that which comes out of olives and out of grapes. And it [fruit juice] is not susceptible to impurity as liquids, except for that which comes out of olives and out of grapes. And [fruit juice] cannot be offered on the altar, except for that which comes out of olives and out of grapes.

(6) The day before the first holiday day of Passover of the fourth and seventh years of the Sabbatical cycle, there was a removal. How was the removal done? They give the Terumah [produce consecrated for priestly consumption], and Terumat Ma'aser [a portion of the tithes that is given to the priest] to the owners, and Ma'aser Rishon [first tithe, which must be given to the Levite] to its owners, and the poor man's tithe to its owners. And Ma'aser Sheni [second tithe, which must be eaten in Jerusalem] and Bikurim [first-fruits that must be given to the priest] require removal everywhere. Rabbi Shimon says: Bikurim are given to the priests like Terumah. Cooked food—the House of Shammai say it must be removed and the House of Hillel say it is as if it has [already] been removed.

(9) These may be given to any priest: Devoted things [see Lev. 27:28], first-born animals, the redemption of the first-born [male child], the [lamb substituted as] ransom for the first-born of a donkey, the shoulder, the two cheeks and the maw [see Deut. 18:3], the first of the fleece, oil [of impure Terumah fit only] for burning, consecrated food [which must be eaten] within the Temple, and the first fruits. Rabbi Judah prohibits first fruits. Vetches of Terumah: Rabbi Akiva permits, but the Sages prohibit.

(1) Terumah [a portion of a crop given to a Kohen, priest, pl. Kohanim, which becomes holy upon separation, and can only be consumed by Kohanim or their household] and Terumat Ma'aser [a tenth of the tithe given to a Levi, Levite, which must, in turn, be given to a Kohen and which becomes holy upon separation, and can only be consumed by Kohanim or their household] of Demai [produce from which it is uncertain whether tithes were already taken], Challah [a portion of a batch of bread dough given to a Kohen which becomes holy upon separation, and can only be consumed by Kohanim or their household] and Bikkurim [first-fruits that must be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem and given to the Kohen] are nullified in one hundred and one parts, and they are mixed together and require elevation. Orlah [the fruit of a tree during the first three years after its planting, the consumption or usage of which is forbidden] and Kilayim [the product of forbidden crossbreeding] of the vineyard are nullified in two hundred and one parts, and they are mixed together, and they do not require elevation. Rabbi Shimon says, they are not mixed together. Rabbi Eliezer says, they are mixed with the giver of flavor, but not to forbid.

(8) The limbs from the tamid offering [daily burnt-offering] were placed on the lower half of the ramp on the eastern side, those of the musaf [additional] offerings were placed on the lower half of the ramp on the western side, and those of the Rosh Chodesh [new moon] musaf offering were placed on top of the rim of the altar. The laws of shekalim and first fruits apply only when the Temple is standing, but the laws of tithing grain, the laws of tithing animals, and the laws of firstborn animals apply whether or not the Temple is standing. If one consecrated shekalim or first fruits, they are consecrated. Rabbi Shimon says: if one consecrates first fruits they are not consecrated.

(2) And the following are said in the holy tongue: The recitation for first fruits (Deuteronomy 26:5-10), chalitsah [the ceremony performed to release a widow of a childless man from a marriage to her brother-in-law] (Deuteronomy 25:7-8), the blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 27-28), the blessing of the priests (Numbers 6:24-26), the blessing of the high priest, the paragraph of the king, the paragraph of Eglah Arufah [the calf killed as atonement for an unsolved murder] (Deuteronomy 21:7-8), and the priest anointed for war when he would speak to the nation (Deuteronomy 20:3-4).

(3) The recitation for first fruits: How so? [It says] (Devarim 26:5) "you will recite and say before the Lord your God" and later on, (Deuteronomy 27:14) "and the Levites will recite and say." Just like reciting and saying there is in the holy tongue, so here it is in the holy tongue.

(9) [With regard to] one who sells himself and his children to a non-Jew, we do not redeem him. But we redeem the children after the death of their father. [With regard to] one who sells his field to a non-Jew, and a Jew buys it back from him, the buyer brings the first fruits from it, due to Tikkun HaOlam.

(8) There are five [situations calling for a] one-fifth [penalty]: One who eats terumah,/i>, terumat ma'aser, terumat ma'aser that may not have been tithed, challah, or first fruits, adds one-fifth. And one who redeems [the fruit of] his fourth-year planting or his ma'aser sheni adds a fifth. And one who redeems property that he has sanctified [to the Temple] adds one-fifth. And one who gets enjoyment worth the value of a perutah from sanctified property adds one-fifth. And one who steals [something] from his fellow worth the value of a perutah and [falsely] swears to him adds one-fifth.

(3) One who eats first fruits before he has read [the mandated verses of [Bikkurim] on them, sacrifices [ Kodshei Kodashim] with higher sanctity outside the curtains [of the temple], sacrifices with standard sanctity [ Kodashim Kalim] or the second tithe outside the wall [of Jerusalem], One who breaks the bones of a ritually pure Passover sacrifice, one who does [any of] these is incurs forty [lashes]. But one who leaves over a pure [Passover sacrifice] until morning and one who breaks the bones of an impure [Passover sacrifice] does not incur forty [lashes].

(6) These require waving but not bringing near: The log [specific unit of volume] of oil of the leper and his guilt-offering, the first fruits, according to Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, the innards of an individual’s shelamim [An offering whose various parts are consumed by its owners, the Kohanim and the fire on the altar] and its breast and thigh, whether they are the offerings of men or of women, by Israelites but not by others; the two loaves and the two lambs of Shavuot. How does he perform [the waving]? He places the two loaves upon the two lambs and puts his two hands beneath them and waves them forward and backward and upward and downward, for it is written, “which is waved and which is lifted up” (Exodus 29:27). The waving was performed on the east side [of the altar] and the bringing near on the west side. The ceremony of waving comes before that of bringing near. The grain offering of the omer and the grain offering of jealousy require bringing near and waving. The showbread and the grain offering brought with the libations require neither bringing near nor waving.

(2) Five parts of an olah combine with each other for [liability], the meat, the chelev [fats around the stomach, intestines, and kidneys of some animals which are forbidden for eating], the flour, the wine and the oil, while six parts [combine with each other] by a todah [a special form of Shelamim offering accompanied by many loaves of various forms of bread, both leavened and unleavened, brought in thanks for emerging alive and well from one of several specified dangers considered particularly threatening], the meat, the chelev, the flour, the wine , the oil, and the [loaves] of bread.

(6) There are ten degrees of holiness. The land of Israel is holier than any other land. Wherein lies its holiness? In that from it are brought the omer [barley offering brought on the second day of Passover], the first fruits, and the two loaves [offered on Shavuot], which may not be brought from any other land.