לקוטי שיחות חלק י״ט - כי תבוא א

Likkutei Sichos Vol. 19 – Ki Savo 1 - “You Shall Hang Him on a Tree”: Death as a Result of the Tree of Knowledge

1. In our parsha, after the section on the first fruits (bikkurim) and the confession of the tithes, the verse states: "This day, the L‑rd your G‑d commands you to perform these statutes and ordinances; you shall observe and perform them with all your heart and with all your soul." Rashi comments (in his second commentary) on the words "you shall observe and perform them" and explains: "A heavenly voice blesses him: 'You have brought the first fruits today; you shall repeat this next year.'

The reason Rashi interprets "you shall observe and perform them" not as a command but as a blessing — even though in the simple meaning it is a language of command (as other commentators on the peshat indeed interpret) — is understood simply (as commentators explain):

Since the verse "This day, etc." comes after the conclusion of the section of commands regarding the first fruits and the confession of the tithes, and also after describing the fulfillment of these commands in practice; also, the verses following "you shall observe and perform them" do not speak further about commands, but about the praise of Israel: "You have distinguished the L‑rd today, etc., and the L‑rd has distinguished you, etc." — there is no place to interpret "you shall observe and perform" as a command, because then the verse would have no continuation or connection, neither to the preceding nor to the following verses.

Therefore, Rashi interprets "you shall observe and perform them" as a blessing with which the Jews are blessed for their fulfillment of the mitzvah of the first fruits, and then the verse (as a blessing and reward for fulfilling the mitzvah of the first fruits) has a connection to the subsequent verses, because they also speak of the praise of Israel — that the Jews merit "and the L‑rd has distinguished you, etc." because "You have distinguished the L‑rd, etc."

2. This also clarifies the precise language of Rashi: "You have brought the first fruits today; you shall repeat this next year" — seemingly, Rashi should have written "you shall bring next year" (using the same language he uses earlier: "You have brought the first fruits today"), or "you shall do next year" (like the verse's language "and perform them"). Why does Rashi say "you shall repeat, etc."?

According to the above, however, that the blessing "you shall observe and perform them" has a connection and is similar to the subsequent verses, it is understood why Rashi uses the language "you shall repeat":

In the verses "You have distinguished the L‑rd today, etc., and the L‑rd has distinguished you, etc.," the Torah states that the reward which the Almighty gives is measure for measure ("the L‑rd has distinguished you") corresponding to ("You have distinguished the L‑rd"); and especially since "You have distinguished" and "the L‑rd has distinguished" are expressions that "have no clear precedent in Scripture" — it is clear that "the L‑rd has distinguished you" is precisely in accordance with "You have distinguished the L‑rd."

3. We need to understand why Rashi says "you have brought the first fruits": Prior to this, in the section that is adjacent to the verse "this day, etc.," the discussion is about the laws of tithes. And although with "and I have also given it" mentioned in the confession of the tithes, we also include [terumah and] the first fruits, the main confession is about the tithes. Why then does Rashi refer to the section of the first fruits, which is further back, rather than the section of tithes, which is immediately preceding?

Even though we find in several places that a verse refers not only to what is immediately preceding but also to what is further back, it is not reasonable to say (especially not in the straightforward interpretation) that a verse should refer only to what is further back and not to what is immediately preceding!

We cannot say that Rashi brings the first fruits as an example (being the first topic of the section), but the blessing also applies to the tithes, because the language of the blessing "you shall repeat next year" does not fit with (the confession of) tithes, which is not "next year" (but once every three years). Therefore, it is necessary to conclude that Rashi learns that the blessing "you shall observe and perform them" was said only about the first fruits.

4. Furthermore, and primarily — the fundamental question: Throughout the Torah, wherever it speaks about reward and blessing for the fulfillment of mitzvos, the Torah tells us (for all generations) that the Almighty has promised a specific reward for the fulfillment of the mitzvah mentioned there (or for the fulfillment of all the mitzvos), as in our parsha: "You have distinguished the L‑rd, etc., and the L‑rd has distinguished you, etc.," and afterwards — at great length: "And it shall be, if you listen, etc., and all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, etc."

Here, Rashi presents a great and unique novelty — which has no precedent in Scripture: that when a Jew brings the first fruits, a heavenly voice blesses him, "you shall repeat next year!"

Seemingly, this is also difficult according to the study of halacha, hint, homiletics, and esoteric interpretation — who mentioned the blessing of a heavenly voice, especially since Rashi's method of study is "I have come only to explain the straightforward meaning of the Scripture"?!

5. The explanation of the above:

5. The preceding parsha speaks about "When you finish tithing in the third year." If we were to understand that "you shall observe and perform them" — which according to Rashi means "you shall repeat, etc.," as mentioned earlier — refers to tithes, it would imply that the blessing is that he will bring all the tithes again, even from the first and second years, only in the third year. This cannot be said, because:

In addition to the fact that the verse states "you shall observe and perform them with all your heart and with all your soul," and when one performs a mitzvah "with all your heart and with all your soul," it is not appropriate to delay it for a year or two — the "you shall repeat" implies that he will also observe the tithes until the time of removal, which is the opposite of a blessing.

Therefore, Rashi is compelled to interpret that the blessing pertains only to the first fruits, where the "you shall repeat" is a blessing that he will also bring his first fruits "next year" with "all your heart and with all your soul."

6. However, it remains problematic: How is it possible that the verse "you shall observe, etc." has no connection to the adjacent parsha, but rather specifically to an earlier parsha?

We must say that although the general parsha before "this day, etc." speaks about (the confession of) tithes, at its conclusion — immediately adjacent to "this day" — there is an element that has a special connection to the first fruits, and in continuation of this, the verse comes with the blessing regarding the first fruits.

The explanation: The parsha "When you finish tithing" concludes with the words "a land flowing with milk and honey," which means "milk flowing from goats and honey flowing from dates" — both of which are not obligated in tithes. The obligation of tithes, according to the simple meaning, is only for grain, wine, and oil, but not for milk and honey.

Moreover, and primarily — tithes must be brought from "all the produce of your seed," which is only from a land of wheat, a land of olive oil — whose oil is stored within it, or only from dates from which the honey flows — which means "flowing with milk and honey."

However, they do have a connection with the first fruits [first fruits also apply to (honey) from dates, as Rashi brings at the beginning of the section; and] "He gave us, etc., a land flowing with milk and honey" — is the reason for the mitzvah of bringing the first fruits (to show that he is not ungrateful), and as it immediately continues: "And now, behold, I have brought the first of, etc." — only from such fruits does one bring first fruits.

Therefore, although the entire parsha (before "this day") speaks about (the confession of) tithes, and even the words "flowing with milk and honey" are in continuation of the request "and bless, etc." which is asked during the confession of tithes, since the last words "a land flowing with milk and honey" have a special connection specifically to the first fruits as mentioned above, it is therefore appropriate to interpret that the verse "this day" refers to the first fruits.

7. However, it remains unanswered — and to preface: The mitzvah of bringing the first fruits emphasizes, even more so, the concept of measure for measure. Since "And He brought us out of Egypt" (from hard labor, etc.) to the opposite extreme, "And He gave us a land flowing with milk and honey," it must also be that not all fruits are brought, but specifically the first and among them specifically the fig (and similar), which ripens first. Similarly, from the Almighty to the Jews — "You have declared the L‑rd today," therefore "And the L‑rd has declared you today."

The question arises — to demonstrate that he is not ungrateful and in a manner of measure for measure, it is sufficient: "And you shall take from the first of, etc., and go to the place which the L‑rd your G‑d will choose" (measure for measure for "And He brought us to this place"), "Behold, I have brought, etc., and you shall place it before the L‑rd your G‑d" (measure for measure for "And He gave us the land").

But when he adds: "I have declared today to the L‑rd" and even more so in the manner of "And you shall answer" with a raised voice — this too is measure for measure, since this is the content of the mitzvah, as mentioned above.

Therefore, the simple meaning of the verse compels us to say that there was a measure of "And you shall answer" from above corresponding to his "And you shall answer."

But how can it be that when there was "when you heard the voice," the Jews argued, "For who of all flesh has heard the voice of the living G‑d, etc., you go near and hear" — this pertains to Moses and to "I will raise up a prophet, etc., like you and I will put My words in his mouth and he shall speak to them."

Therefore, it is necessary to say that the "And you shall answer" from above was through a heavenly voice.

8. From the "wondrous matters" in this explanation of Rashi:

The reasoning in his explanation, that the verse "this day, etc." speaks about the mitzvah of the first fruits because it relates to the words "a land flowing with milk and honey" which appear just before, aligns with the explanation of the Alter Rebbe on this verse:

In Likkutei Torah, it is explained that the verse "this day" is connected to the "a land flowing with milk and honey" from the previous verse, and therefore the initial letters of the four words "and honey this day the L‑rd" form "the combination of one G‑d," because the "vav" of "and honey" is "connected to the verse below it."

And just as discussed earlier in the peshat section, that the verse is connected to all…

9. In Likkutei Torah, on the verse "this day," another concept is explained, that "this day, etc." refers to Rosh Hashanah. This idea also aligns with Rashi's interpretation that the verse speaks about the first fruits, because, similar to Rosh Hashanah, the first fruits are also an aspect of "first" (reishis).

Furthermore, regarding the distinction between the first fruits and terumah — although terumah is also called "first" — the first fruits precede terumah. The Tzemach Tzedek elaborates in Ohr HaTorah on this week's parsha that the "first" of terumah pertains to Torah, about which it is said, "The L‑rd acquired me at the beginning of His way." The "first" of the first fruits, however, refers to the souls of Israel, about whom it is said, "Israel is holy to the L‑rd, the first of His grain." Just as "Israel preceded the Torah," so too do the first fruits precede terumah.

As the Tzemach Tzedek explains at length there, the concept of "first fruits" within the souls of Israel is connected to the essence of the soul as it is rooted in the Essence, where "the thought of Israel preceded everything," including the Torah.

This understanding clarifies the connection of the first fruits to Rosh Hashanah, because the service of Rosh Hashanah is the acceptance of the yoke that stems from the essence of the soul. As explained in various places, the acceptance of the yoke throughout the year is below the inner faculties, whereas the acceptance of the yoke on Rosh Hashanah is the nullification that comes from the essence of the soul. This is the aspect of "first fruits" — "first" — the essence of the soul, as mentioned above.

6. Furthermore, it can be said: One of the primary aspects of Rosh Hashanah is the revelation of "You have chosen us," the choice of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the Jewish people, as we say in the Rosh Hashanah prayer: "He chooses our inheritance for us." This choice is due to the "first fruits" within the soul, the essence of the soul. The explanation is that the true concept of choice is only when it is entirely unbound by any reasons or causes for the choice. Therefore, this choice comes from a level where the virtues and actions of the lower beings do not hold any significance — as it is said, "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" yet "I have loved Jacob." The choice is from the root of the souls, which are rooted in His Essence, the aspect of "first fruits" within the soul, and from this perspective, "Jacob is the firstborn," and the choice is specifically in Israel.

7. Based on the above, we can also understand why Rashi emphasizes in his commentary (in the previous section) on the words "this day the L‑rd your G‑d" — "Every day they should be new in your eyes as if you were commanded regarding them today." The explanation of "Every day they should be new in your eyes" is that even on days when one is occupied with other mitzvos and with the study of other portions of the Torah (not related to the topic and mitzvah of first fruits), even then it should be "as if you were commanded regarding them today" — concerning "these statutes and the judgments," which according to Rashi refers to the mitzvah of first fruits.

And seemingly: What is the reason that in the generality of the Torah and mitzvos it is so important to...

8. Why is it necessary to remember "every day" the commandment of the first fruits, and furthermore, in a manner of "new" — not just "as if new" (with the letter 'kaf' of comparison) as Rashi brings elsewhere regarding Torah and mitzvos?

According to the above, it is understandable: In all matters that a Jew does, even in the service related to specific faculties, there must be a feeling of nullification and acceptance of the yoke that comes from the essence of the soul. As is known regarding the concept of acceptance of the yoke on Rosh Hashanah (which derives from the aspect of "first fruits" within the soul, as mentioned earlier), one must "carry over" the acceptance of the yoke of Rosh Hashanah so that it illuminates throughout all the days of the year. Similarly, "every day," in all matters that a Jew does daily, he must perceive with complete freshness the commandment of the first fruits — the nullification that comes from the essence of the soul.

[And as the Tzemach Tzedek explains there, what is stated in Tanchuma that prayers were instituted in place of the first fruits, because prayer connects the complete soul with the root and source of the soul, and therefore, prayer must precede the study of Torah. For in order for the study of Torah to be as it should be, there must first be the awakening of the essence of the soul, which comes through the service of prayer.]

11. Another matter that becomes understandable in Rashi's commentary through the above inner explanation regarding the first fruits: A blessing whose content...

11. A promise is relevant only to matters that are not dependent on human choice. However, regarding Torah and mitzvos, where there must be "and you shall choose life," and "everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven," it seems that a promise is not applicable. How, then, can it be said that "a heavenly voice blesses him... that he should repeat it in the coming year"?

But according to the above explanation, that the concept of the first fruits is the aspect of the essence of the soul, it is understandable: Since the blessing pertains to the awakening of the essence of the soul, it is not only not a contradiction to human choice, but on the contrary, from the essence of the soul comes the "and you shall choose life."

[Also, in the simple meaning, it is understood, because the content of bringing the first fruits is to express gratitude to the Almighty, which comes from the fact that one is not ungrateful; and since a person is naturally not ungrateful, he will certainly want to bring the first fruits.]

12. As mentioned earlier, one must connect the nullification that comes from the essence of the soul with the specific faculties, and this concept is also expressed in the bringing of the first fruits. For the first fruits are brought from physical fruits, and specifically from good and tasty fruits (which is why one does not bring first fruits from dates that grow in the mountains, etc.):

Additionally, the first fruits are not burned on the altar, but they are eaten by the priests, and they are eaten in a manner of "and you shall rejoice." This means that one takes the aspect of "first fruits," the root and source of the soul, and connects it with physical eating — flesh and blood like his own flesh — and eating with joy.

And since the reward given by the Almighty is measure for measure, as mentioned above, therefore the blessing that a Jew receives for the mitzvah of bringing the first fruits is "that it should be repeated in the coming year": He will have an increase of "from the first" — good and tasty fruits, and he will have "and you shall rejoice in all the good that the L‑rd your G‑d has given you and your household."

And the same applies to the service of Rosh Hashanah (which is the concept of the first fruits, as mentioned above), that through a Jew awakening within himself the movement of nullification and acceptance of the yoke that comes from the essence of the soul, the Almighty grants him a good and sweet year, both in spiritual matters and in material matters, for him and his household, in all that is needed, in children, life, and abundant sustenance.

(From the talk of Shabbat Parshat Ki Tavo, 5728)