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1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;

2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there.

3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers for to give us.

4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God.

5 And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:

6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:

7 And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:

8 And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:

9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.

10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God:

11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.

12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

13 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.

14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.

15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

16 This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

17 Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:

18 And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;

19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.

h.והיה כי תבוא … וירשתה וישבת בה AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN YOU COME IN [UNTO THE LAND …] AND POSSESS IT AND SETTLE THEREIN — This tells us that they (the Israelites) were not under the obligation to bring first fruits until they had conquered the land and divided it (cf. Kiddushin 37b).

h.מראשית [THEN THOU SHALT TAKE] OF THE FIRST [OF ALL THE FRUIT OF THE GROUND] — of the first fruits, but not all the first fruits, for not all fruits are subject to the duty of bringing to the Temple their first-fruits, only the seven chief kinds of products of Palestine alone, for there is mentioned here ארץ, “the land” (אשר תביא מארצך) and it states there (Deuteronomy 8:8) “a land (ארץ) of wheat, and barley, etc.”, (thus suggesting an analogy — that the fruits of the land referred to here are those enumerated there). What is it that Scripture is speaking of there? Of the seven products through which the land of Israel is distinguished! So, too, here it speaks only of the distinguished products of the land of Israel which are seven species only (Sifrei Devarim 297:4; Menachot 84b).

h.זית שמן mentioned as one of these distinguished products is the Agari olive, in which the oil is gathered in one place.

h.ודבש HONEY is honey of dates (not of bees).

h.מראשית OF ITS FIRST FRUITS — but not all the first fruits (not even of the seven species mentioned above) but when a man goes into his field and sees for the first time that year a fig that has ripened he binds a piece of straw round it as an indication and says “Lo, this is בכורים“ (and it suffices) (Sifrei Devarim 297:7; Mishnah Bikkurim 3:1).

h.אשר יהיה בימים ההם [AND THOU SHALT GO UNTO THE PRIEST] THAT SHALL BE IN THOSE DAYS — These apparently redundant words suggest: you have none else than the priest who lives in your days (you are only concerned with him) (cf. Sifrei Devarim 298:3; Rosh Hashanah 25b; see also Rashi on Deuteronomy 17:9).

h.ואמרת אליו AND SAY UNTO HIM that you are not ungrateful (Sifrei Devarim 299:1).

h.הגדתי היום I PROFESS THIS DAY — [the expression “this day” implies that the declaration is made] one once a year, but not twice a year [even when bringing from a different fruit or crop] (Sifrei Devarim 299:2).

h.ולקח הכהן המנה מידך AND THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE THE BASKET OUT OF THY HAND in order to wave it. The priest places his hand beneath the hands of the owner and so waves it (Sukkah 47b).

h.וענית is an expression for raising one’s voice (speaking loudly) (Sotah 32b).

h.ארמי אבד אבי A SYRIAN DESTROYED MY FATHER — He mentions the loving kindness of the Omnipresent saying, ארמי אבד אבי, a Syrian destroyed my father, which means: “Laban wished to exterminate the whole nation” (cf. the Haggadah for Passover) when he pursued Jacob. Because he intended to do it the Omnipresent accounted it unto him as though he had actually done it (and therefore the expression אבד which refers to the past is used), for as far as the nations of the world are concerned the Holy One, blessed be He, accounts unto them intention as an actual deed (cf. Sifrei Devarim 301:3; Onkelos).

h.וירד מצרימה AND HE WENT DOWN INTO EGYPT — But there were others, too, “who came against us to destroy us” (cf. the Passover Haggadah), for afterwards Jacob went down into Egypt with his children and these were enslaved there).

h.במתי מעט WITH A FEW PERSONS — with only seventy souls (Sifrei Devarim 301:4; Onkelos).

h.אל המקום הזה [AND HE HATH BROUGHT US] UNTO THIS PLACE — This refers to the Temple where the worshipper was standing when he made this declaration.

h.ויתן לנו את הארץ means what it literally implies: AND HATH GIVEN US THE LAND.

h.והנחתו AND THOU SHALT PLACE IT [BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD] — This tells us that he takes it after the priest has waved it, and holds it in his hand whilst he makes the declaration, and then again waves it (Sukkah 47b; cf. Sifrei Devarim 301:33).

h.ושמחת בכל הטוב AND THOU SHALT REJOICE IN EVERY GOOD THING — From this they (the Rabbis) derived the law that the recital on the occasion of bringing the first fruits is made only during the joyful period of the year — from Pentecost till the Feast of Tabernacles — when a man is gathering in his grain, his fruits, his wine and his oil; but from Tabernacles onwards until Chanucah if he brings these, he does not make the recital (Pesachim 36b).

h.אתה והלוי THOU AND THE LEVITE — the Levites are also bound to bring the first fruits to the priest if they planted anything in the fields attached to their cities.

h.והגר אשר בקרבך AND THE STRANGER THAT IS AMONG YOU — he, too, brings the first fruits to the priest but does not make the recital, for he cannot truly say, as is prescribed, “[I profess this day … that I have come into the land which the Lord sware] unto our fathers” (v. 3) since his fathers were not Israelites (cf. Sifrei Devarim 301:37; Mishnah Bikkurim 1:4; Talmud Yerushalmi Maaser Sheni 5:5).

h.כי תכלה לעשר את כל מעשר תבואתך בשנה השלישת WHEN THOU HAST FINISHED TITHING ALL THE TITHES OF THY INCREASE IN THE THIRD YEAR — this means: when you have finished the setting apart of the tithes of the third year. It (Scripture) has fixed the time for removing the tithes from the house (ביעור) and the confession regarding their proper disposition (ודוי) for the eve of the Passover festival of the fourth year, because it is stated, (Deuteronomy 14:28) “At the end (מקצה) of three years thou shall bring forth [all the tithe of thy increase in the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates]”. It uses here (in the verse just quoted) the words “at the end of” (מקצה) and it states further (Deuteronomy 31:10—11): “At the end of every seven years … [in the festival of Tabernacles, … thou shalt read this law before Israel]” with reference to the law of “public assembly”, in order to suggest an analogy. How is it in the case further on? It takes place at a festival period as stated! So, too, here, the rite takes place at a festival period. If so, one might argue: What is the case there? It takes place on the festival of Tabernacles; so, too, here the rite takes place on Tabernacles! Scripture, however, states here: When thou hast finished tithing the tithes of the third year, which thus points to a festival on which all tithes are finished and this is the Passover festival, for there are many trees the fruits of which are gathered after Tabernacles, and consequently the setting apart of tithes of the third year is at an end on Passover of the fourth year. And whoever had delayed his tithes until then Scripture declares him bound to clear them out by that time from his house (cf. Sifrei Devarim 302; Talmud Yerushalmi Maaser Sheni 5:6).

h.שנת המעשר [THE THIRD YEAR] WHICH IS THE YEAR OF TITHE — These apparently redundant words (for every year except the Sabbatical year it “a year of tithing”) suggest: that year in which only one of the two tithes that had to be separated in the previous two years is due (שנת המעשר, lit., the year of the tithe), viz., the “First Tithe”. For in the first year of the Shemitta-period the law of the “First Tithe” applies — as it is stated, (Numbers 28:26) “[And to the Levites shalt thou speak …] when ye take of the children of Israel the tithe” (which is the First Tithe) — and that of the “Second Tithe”, as it is stated, (Deuteronomy 14:22—23; cf. Rashi on the latter verse) “[Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed … year by year], and thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God … the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil”. You thus have two tithes every year, one that you must give the Levite and the other which you must consume yourself in Jerusalem (the “Second Tithe”). It now comes and teaches you here that, in the third year, of those two tithes mentioned only one is due, and which is it? It is the “First Tithe”. And that instead of the “Second Tithe” one has to give in the third year (and similarly in the sixth) the “Tithe of the Poor”, for it states here ונתת ללוי “AND THOU HAST GIVEN UNTO THE LEVITE”, i.e. given him that which is due to him — here you have mention of the “First Tithe”, לגר ליתום ולאלמנה “[AND THOU HAST GIVEN] … UNTO THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, AND THE WIDOW” — this is the “Tithe of the Poor” (cf. Sifrei Devarim 303:1; see also Rashi on Deuteronomy 14:23 and 29).

h.ואכלו בשעריך ושבעו THAT THEY MAY EAT WITHIN THY GATES, AND BE SATISFIED — Give them sufficient to satisfy them. From here they (the Rabbis) derived the law: one must give the poor in the barn no less than half a kab of wheat or a kab of barley (Sifrei Devarim 303:2; Talmud Yerushalmi Peah 8:5; see also Rashi on Deuteronomy 14:29).

h.ואמרת לפני ה' אלהיך THEN THOU SHALT SAY BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD — Make the declaration (lit., confess) that you have given your tithes (Sifrei Devarim 303:5).

h.בערתי הקדש מן הבית I HAVE REMOVED THE HALLOWED THINGS FROM THE HOUSE — this refers to the “Second Tithe” which is termed קדש (cf. Leviticus 27:30 and Rashi thereon) and the “fruit of the vineyard in the fourth year of its growth” (נטע רבעי which is also termed קדש; cf. Leviticus 19:24) (Sifrei Devarim 303:6; Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:10). Scripture teaches you that if he has delayed his “Second Tithes” of the first two years of the Shemitta period and has not taken them up to Jerusalem he must bring them up now (Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:10).

h.וגם נתתיו ללוי AND I HAVE ALSO GIVEN THEM TO THE LEVITE — this refers to the “First Tithe”. וגם AND ALSO — the redundant word וגם serves also to include “Terumah” and the first-fruits that one has failed to give to the priests (Sifrei Devarim 303:7; Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:10).

h.ולגר ליתום ולאלמנה AND [I ALSO HAVE GIVEN] … UNTO THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, AND THE WIDOW — this refers to the “Tithe of the Poor” (Sifrei Devarim 303:8).

h.ככל מצותך ACCORDING TO ALL THY COMMANDMENTS — i.e. I have given them (all the sacred gifts mentioned) in the sequence prescribed for them: I have not set aside the heave-offering before the first-fruits, nor the tithe before the heave-offering, nor the “second” tithe before the “first”. This would indeed have meant altering the sequence, for the heave-offering is (after the first-fruits which are naturally the first of all sacred gifts) termed ראשית “firstling״ (in its relation to the tithes) because it is the first gift due after it (the crop) has become (bears the name of) corn (i.e. after it has been winnowed), and it states, (Exodus 22:28) “Thou shalt not delay to offer from thy fulness and thy liquids”, which means (see Rashi on that verse and Note thereon): Thou shalt not alter the prescribed order (cf. Sifrei Devarim 303:11; Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:11).

h.לא עברתי ממצותיך I HAVE NOT TRANSGRESSED THY COMMANDMENTS — i.e. I have not set apart as a sacred gift grain from one species as a substitute for what was due from another species, nor have I separated grain from the new crop as a substitute for what was due from the old one (Sifrei Devarim 303:13; cf. Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:11).

h.ולא שכחתי NOR HAVE I FORGOTTEN — i.e. forgotten to bless you on the occasion of setting the tithes apart (Sifrei Devarim 303:14; Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:11; cf. Berachot 40b).

h.לא אכלתי באני ממנו I HAVE NOT EATEN THEREOF IN MY MOURNING — From here we may derive that it (partaking of sacred gifts) is forbidden to an אונן (a technical term for the near relatives of a deceased, from the period of death to burial) (cf. Sifrei Devarim 303:15; Mishnah Bikkurim 2:2).

h.ולא בערתי ממנו בטמא NEITHER HAVE I CONSUMED ANY THEREOF UNCLEAN — i.e. whether I was unclean and it (the sacred gift) was clean, or I was clean and it unclean (Sifrei Devarim 303:16). But where has one been prohibited about this (that he declares that he has not infringed the command)? In the following passage: (Deuteronomy 12:17) “Thou mayest not eat within thy gates [the tithe of thy corn]” — this (the expression “within thy gates”) refers to eating sacred things in a state of uncleanness, just as is stated with reference to פסולי המקדשין (animals intended as sacrifices, but which have become unfit for that purpose) (Deuteronomy 15:22) “Thou mayest eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person [may eat it alike]”. These you may eat, states Scripture, — but this (the tithes of thy corn in a state of uncleanness) you must not eat in the manner which is termed “eating within thy gates” (“the unclean and the clean together”) of which there is mention in another passage (Yevamot 73b).

h.ולא נתתי ממנו למת NOR HAVE I GIVEN THEREOF FOR THE CORPSE to prepare for it a coffin and shrouds (Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:12).

h.שמעתי בקול ה' אלהי I HAVE HEARKENED TO THE VOICE OF THE LORD MY GOD — i.e. I have brought it into the Chosen House (Temple‎) (Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:12).

h.עשיתי ככל אשר צויתני I HAVE DONE ACCORDING TO ALL THOU HAST COMMANDED ME — I have myself rejoiced and made others rejoice by it (Sifrei Devarim 303:18; Mishnah Maaser Sheni 5:12).

h.השקיפה ממעון קדשך GLANCE DOWN FROM THE RESIDENCE OF THY HOLINESS. . [AND BLESS THY PEOPLE ISRAEL — “We have done what Thou hast laid upon us, do Thou now what has upon Thee to do, because Thou hast said, (Leviticus 25:3, 4) If ye walk in My ordinances … Then I will give you rain in its season etc.

h.אשר נתתה לנו כאשר נשבעת לאבתינו [BLESS THY PEOPLE ISRAEL, AND THE LAND,] WHICH THOU HAST GIVEN US, AS THOU SWAREST UNTO OUR FATHERS, to give it unto us, and indeed Thou hast kept Thy promise, giving us ארץ זבת חלב ודבש A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.

h.היום הזה ה׳ אלהיך מצוך THIS DAY THE LORD THY GOD COMMANDETH THEE — This suggests: each day they (God’s commandments) should be to you as something new (not antiquated and something of which you have become tired), as though you had received the commands that very day for the first time (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tavo 1; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:13).

h.ושמרת ועשית אותם THOU SHALT THEREFORE KEEP AND DO THEM — A heavenly voice (בת קול) pronounces by these words a blessing upon him (the worshipper): “You have brought the first fruits today — you will be privileged to do so next year, too!” (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tavo 1).

h.האמרה, האמירך are words for the meaning of which there is no decisive proof in Scripture. It seems to me, however, that they are expressions denoting “separation” and “selection”: “You have singled Him out from all strange gods to be unto you as God — and He on His part, has singled you out from the nations on earth to be unto Him a select people”. [As far as this meaning is concerned I have found a parallel (lit., a witness) to it where it bears the meaning “glory”, as in (Psalms 94:4): “All wrongdoers glory in themselves”].

h.כאשר דבר לך AS HE HATH PROMISED THEE — in the words (Exodus 19:5) “Ye shall be a select portion unto Me” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:25).

h.ולהיתך עם קדש … כאשר דבר AND THAT THOU MAYEST BE AN HOLY PEOPLE … AS HE HATH SPOKEN — in the words, (Leviticus 20:26) “And ye shall be holy unto Me” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:25).