Ki Savo: True Thanks In the reading of Ki Savo, we find Mitzvas HaBikurim. The mitzvah is to bring one’s first fruits of the seven species to the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple). The Kohen takes the basket of fruits, waves it in his hand under the hand of the owner, and places it in front of the altar. The one bringing the fruits then declares the kindness of G-d, for saving our forefather Yaakov from Lavan, for taking the Jewish People out of Egypt, for bringing us to the Beis HaMikdash, for giving us such a wonderful land, and for giving us such wonderful fruits.
The text of the verse is ‘you should call (v’anisa) and you should say (v’amarta)’ (referring to the kindness of Hashem). Usually ‘ania’ means to answer or respond; so to what is this person responding? There is no question being asked here nor is anyone making a statement. Furthermore, why does the one who is bringing the fruits mention the kindnesses of G-d, starting all the way back from Yaakov; why doesn’t he merely mention the kindness of Hashem with regard to his own fruit?
We are talking about someone who has plenty of produce and as a result has tremendous feelings of Hakaras HaTov (gratitude to Hashem) for giving him what he has. He responds to these feelings by lifting his voice in praise to G-d. He looks at his fruit and sees inside them so much kindness from G-d. He sees the kindness of saving Yaakov, the kindness of being given this Holy Land. If not for the kindnesses of Hashem, he would not be where he is now with such an abundance of produce. Therefore he proclaims his thanks loudly to Hashem and acknowledges all that Hashem has done, starting from the beginning of the history of the Jewish Nation. We can now understand why the word ‘ania’ is used, since the one who is bringing his first fruits is responding to his feelings of gratitude towards Hashem.
The Sefer Hachinuch writes that through speech, one internalizes the principle that one is expressing. The one who brings his first fruits to the Beis HaMikdash therefore expresses aloud the kindness and goodness of Hashem, thereby instilling inside him this powerful message that Hashem is the source of all goodness and kindness. The Chinuch adds that once one internalizes this and is filled with praise to Hashem, one merits to receive more blessing from G-d. Therefore the calling out is not only a response to one’s emotions of gratitude, but it also reinforces these feelings and thus increases them. |
