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Why does the mitzvah of bikurim begin with the word ,aword # 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS - 26347-Dvarim-EYAL | 13 - A | 18-08-19 | 13:48:16 | SR:-- | Black 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS - 26347-Dvarim-EYAL | 13 - A | 18-08-19 | 13:48:16 | SR:-- | Magenta 26347-EYAL-6BOOKS - 26347-Dvar
denoting joy? Why couldn’t the owner bring the monetary value of the
fruit to Yerushalayim, instead of the fruit itself, as was the case regarding
ma’aser sheini?

The mitzvah of bikurim applied to the smallest of fruit. Even a seemingly
small mitzvah can bring a person to the greatest heights of righteousness.

Yaakov Avinu asked for nothing other than avoiding the negative
influence of Lavan. But it was the power of this prayer that granted him
the tremendous merit of fathering the Tribes of Hashem. How great is
even a short prayer!

Bikurim is the first mitzvah given to the farmer, indicating how he should
grow in his service of Hashem.
One who brings bikurim and decides that he is a servant of Hashem
testifies that his motives are noble, as indicated by the letter in the
word .

The Torah uses the letter in the name of as testimony that he
acted altruistically. We find that David and Yehoshua, likewise, had this
letter added to their names to indicate their loyalty to Hashem. In the
Wilderness, the names of the families of Am Yisrael were recorded with
this letter, to prove that they were of pure lineage.

Taking the bikurim, the first of the fruits to ripen, to Yerushalayim, was
a catalyst for appreciating Hashem’s kindnesses.