“You shall take from the first of all the fruit of the earth…”
— Deuteronomy 26:2
וְהָיָ ה כִּי־תָבוֹא אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ׃
וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל־פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא
This week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, begins with the mitzvah of bikkurim: bringing the first fruits of the land before Hashem in gratitude.
This year I feel a personal connection to this mitzvah, as my creative life has expanded to include cultivating the land and discovering new joys in country living.
My little patch of California has given me a tree full of plump, juicy guavas, one small lemon, and one red pomegranate. The vine seedlings dried in the summer heat. And after a rough beginning, my jacarandas are bursting green and purple. I’m thrilled.
This fall I’ll replant the vine cuttings, and next spring I plan to personally pollinate the fruit trees with a small paintbrush. I’m already looking forward to an abundance of goodness.
