Between these declarations the Torah records the parasha describing the proclamation made when the Bikkurim (offering of the first fruits) are brought to the Temple. This is called “The Parasha of Proclaiming the Bikkurim” – and it is this that we will study.

It must be emphasized that our parasha does not innovate the law of the bringing of the Bikkurim, which was already stated in Shemot (29:19):

“The first fruit of your land you shall bring to the house of Hashem your God, do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.”

However our parasha comes to tell us what proclamation must be recited in reference to the Bikkurim – and it is regarding this that the Torah states (Devarim 26:1-4):

“And it shall be when you come to the land that Hashem your God gives you as an inheritance, and you will inherit it and settle in it. And you shall take from the first of all fruits of the land that you will bring from your land that Hashem gives you, and you shall place them in a basket, and you will go to the place that Hashem will choose to have His name dwell therein. And you shall come to the priest that will be in those days and you will say to him: ‘I have told Hashem your God today that I have come to the land that Hashem swore to our forefathers to give to us.’ And the priest will take the basket from your hands and will place it before the altar of Hashem your God.

And you will answer and say before Hashem your God: ‘An Aramean tried to destroy my father, and he descended to Egypt, and dwelled there few in number, and he became a large, powerful, and numerous nation. And the Egyptians maltreated us, and they tortured us, and they placed difficult labor upon us. And we cried out to Hashem the God of our forefathers, and He heard our voices, and He saw our affliction, and our toil, and our stress.’”

Thus we have the content of the declaration made at the bringing of the Bikkurim. As stated above, there are a variety of instances that require statement and declaration – examples of such can be found in the previous parashot that we read. For instance the mitzva of Chalitza (the brother of a man who died childless who refuses to marry the widow performs Chalitza), where the woman states (Devarim 25:4):

“My Yabam (he who must perform Yibbum – marrying the childless widow) refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel, he does not desire…”

In Parashat Shoftim we came across the declaration of the priest prior to going out to war (Devarim 20:3):

“Listen Israel, you are approaching war against your enemies, do not allow your hearts to soften…”

There is also the declaration of the parasha of Egla Arufa (the calf whose neck is broken when a corpse is found between two cities). It must be noted that all these declarations conclude with a prayer - “atone for your nation Israel” (Devarim 21:8), in Egla Arufa, or “look down from your holy abode” (Devarim 26:15) that concludes the parasha of Ma’asrot (tithes).

The Mishnah in Sotah distinguishes between two types of declarations – those that may be said in any language, and those that may only be said in Lashon HaKodesh (the Holy Language, Hebrew.) We must understand the fundamental distinction between the different characteristics of the declarations, that influence the language in which they must be said – our aim being to understand the unique significance of Lashon HaKodesh. The Mishnah states (Sotah 4:1-2):

“And these may be stated in any language: Parashat Sotah (a suspected adulterous wife), the Ma’aser confession, the reading of Shema, prayer, Grace after Meals, the witness’ oath, the oath in a monetary dispute.

And these are stated in Lashon HaKodesh: Mikra Bikkurim (the reading of the Bikkurim), Chalitza, the blessings and curses (on mounts Eival and Grizim), the priestly blessing, the blessing of the High Priest (on Yom Kippur), the Parasha of the King (a portion of the Torah read by the King once every seven years), Egla Arufa, and the statement of the priest anointed for war when he speaks to the nation.”

Firstly it must be noted that the Mishnah is based on the exposition of our sages (Sotah 32b) that wherever the Torah states “and you shall answer and say” – it is to be said exclusively in Hebrew. (Regarding the Priestly Blessing where it states “In this manner you shall bless the children of Israel” – our sages explained that it is said solely in Lashon HaKodesh.) We must find the factor that lies behind this distinction.

In truth, the majority of the declarations that the Mishnah ascertains may only be made in Lashon HaKodesh share a stately, majestic character, and therefore it is clear that they must be made in the official majestic language of the Jewish Nation – Lashon HaKodesh. For example, the Parasha of the King said at the Hakhel ceremony (national gathering at Succot in the year following the Sabbatical year), is worthy of only being read in Hebrew – the king of Israel stands before us representing the Nation of Israel. The words of the priest anointed for war prior to departure for war also have a majestic and stately nature that may only be said in Lashon HaKodesh.

Even the mitzva of Chalitza has a collective facet in the declaration “My Yabam refuses to establish offspring for his deceased brother,” where there is a description of one’s private domain, the Yabam, who refuses to lose his privacy for the communal good in continuing his brother’s name and seed in Israel. The Priestly Blessing too is not simply another blessing, but rather a blessing with national-communal characteristics, that signify the connection between God and Am Yisrael (Brachot, end of 3^rd chapter).

Yet it is difficult to understand why the mitzva of Mikra Bikkurim (The Bikkurim Recital) may only be said in Hebrew. The opposite should be the case – a person making a statement should understand what he is saying! In the words of Sefer Chassidim (785):

“It is preferable for a person to read the Shema and its Brachot in a language that he understands, rather than to read them in Hebrew and not understand. About this it is stated: ‘Through his mouth and lips he honored Me, yet his heart is distant from Me.’”

Maybe we can attempt to explain that also in the mitzva of bringing the Bikkurim there is a stately dimension indicating our connection to the Land of Israel. In this case however, Grace after Meals that indicates this connection should also only be said in Hebrew!

We must establish a more fundamental explanation – is there any value in Lashon HaKodesh as more than a means of communication? It must be noted, that when we say that there is an independent value to a language we are in fact stating an oxymoron – language is a means for expression, it has no value independent of this, this is its definition.

It is interesting that it is from our parasha that we see the value of the translation of the Torah into every language – as prior to crossing the Jordan and erecting the boulders in commemoration the Torah states (Devarim 27:8):

“And you will write on the boulders all the words of this Torah, explicitly elucidated.”

This was explained by our sages to be in seventy languages. (Rashi ibid.)

I would like to mention the words of Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch, who explains why we write the Torah translated into seventy languages on the stones. He says that in fact we should rather have hidden that which is written in the Torah about the other nations! Instead we write the Torah, translate it into seventy languages, and place it at the border - in order to illustrate our moral justification in conquering the land and our right to this land.

We will start our discussion in the realm of Halacha, and we will start with the Rambam’s commentary on the following Mishnah (Avot 2:1):

“Rabi says: Which is the proper path that a man should choose for himself? Whatever is glorious for him and brings him honor of other men.

And be cautious of a ‘minor’ mitzva as you would of a ‘major’ mitzva – for you do not know the reward of mitzvot.

And calculate the loss of a mitzva against its reward, and the reward of a transgression against its loss.”

The Rambam explains this Mishnah as follows:

“…afterwards he said that one must be cautious of a mitzva that he considers minor, for instance rejoicing at the Pilgrimage Festivals, and learning Lashon HaKodesh, as we would a mitzva whose importance is clear to him, like circumcision, Tzitzit, and slaughtering the Pascal Lamb, and the reason for this is that you do not know the reward given for mitzvot…”

The Rambam mentions the mitzva of learning Lashon HaKodesh together with the Pascal Lamb and circumcision – yet these seem to be major mitzvot, while learning Lashon HaKodesh seems to be minor.

Rabbenu Sa’adia Gaon also spoke about the importance of Lashon HaKodesh, albeit from a slightly different angle:

“…since the previous generations did not allow themselves to neglect the knowledge of Lashon HaKodesh, and they say this as a transgression, in the words of Nehemiah (13:24) ‘and their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod and could not speak in the language of Yehuda.’

And he challenged them and cursed them as it says (13:25):

‘And I challenged them and cursed them.’”

The proof Rav Sa’adia Gaon brings from Nehemiah is astonishing – Nehemiah argued with the people who instead of speaking correct Hebrew spoke ‘half-half.’ At that time there was assimilation and other very serious spiritual problems, yet Nehemiah chooses this seemingly minor issue with which to challenge his generation.

The source for the opinions of the Rambam and Rav Sa’adia Gaon is the Midrash on the verse:

“And you shall teach them to your children to converse in them.” (Devarim 6:7)

“Rabi Yose ben Akiva said: ‘to converse in them’ – from here they said that when a child begins to talk his father talks to him in Lashon HaKodesh and teaches him Torah. And if he doesn’t talk to him in Lashon HaKodesh and teach him Torah, he is worthy of burying him, as the verse states: ‘and you shall teach them to your children in order that you may increase your days and your children’s days’ – and if not, you will curtail you days and your children’s days.”

The Ra’avad comments on the Gemara in Berachot (13a) on the discussion whether the Torah was stated in Lashon HaKodesh – that the discussion only refers to the uttering thereof, but the recording of the Torah is certainly only in Hebrew. It was on the rocks at Gilgal that the Torah was recorded in seventy languages. Moshe enquired as to the teachings which Hashem taught him and that which he taught the Jewish people (including converts from other nations) – whether he was permitted to teach it in other languages. In other words would he fulfill the obligation of “v’shi’nantam” – “and you shall teach them,” in a language other than Lashon HaKodesh.

To lend a more tangible facet to this concept , we will bring R’ Yosef Kapah’s decision regarding Lashon Hakodesh:

“…the conclusion is - whoever does not learn Lashon HaKodesh, and whoever knows it yet does not converse in it, transgresses a positive commandment. And whoever speaks Lashon HaKodesh incorrectly and inaccurately transgresses both a positive and negative commandment, and receives forty lashes of Rabbinic decree.”

From all that we have said here it is plain to see that there is a clear and obligatory approach (even in the Halachik sphere) to speaking and using Lashon HaKodesh. What is the nature of this language?

The Ramban in his commentary to the Torah (Shemot 30:13) examines the concept of ‘Lashon HaKodesh’:

“And the reason as I see it for the Sages calling the language of the Torah ‘Lashon HaKodesh’ is due to the words of the Torah and the prophecies and all the words of sanctity having being said in this language. And this is the language in which HaKadosh Baruch Hu speaks to his prophets and his community… in this language He is identified by His holy names… and with this language He created the world and called the names of the heavens and the earth and all that reside therein…”

The Ramban makes mention of two astounding ideas. Firstly Lashon HaKodesh is called thus as it is the language of the sanctified, the language that the Source of holiness uses when He communicates with the world. Secondly it is called thus and not ‘Israelite’ for example because this language is boundless and unlimited – it is the language that He speaks to the angels.

This language is not simply the socially accepted medium for communication, but rather the language that God used to create His world. In this case – this language preceded the world, and since we know that Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world – we can even infer that Lashon HaKodesh preceded the Torah!

Now we may talk about the alternative, the translation. Firstly we must admit that there certainly is value to saying something that one comprehends – and so obviously the translation has importance. Also, the Sages noted that ‘Targum’ (translation) in Gematria is equal to ‘Tardema’ (deep sleep). The idea being that although the translation allows one to convey all of the information – it is conveyed in a sleepy state, similar to a body without a soul.

Thus he who cannot understand how a language can be Lashon HaKodesh – The Holy Tongue – how will he understand how a land can be The Holy Land? The concept of The Holy Land as well as the concept of The Holy City can be ‘translated’ into ‘Jerusalem of Lithuania,’ for example – but this is never sanctified. Translating may be very important, yet when the Torah was translated, darkness descended on the world for three days. Darkness indicates that it exists, however the source of light is extinguished.

In mentioning the importance of Lashon HaKodesh, the Sh’la says that one must speak as much Lashon HaKodesh as possible, yet on Shabbat one speaks only Lashon HaKodesh. It is possible to ‘translate’ Shabbat, and then Shabbat is transformed from the day on which God rested (and therefore we too ‘rest’) to a day of leisure – because I am tired. So too the Land of Israel can be ‘translated’ from a land that “the eyes of God are on it from the start of the year until the year’s end” (Devarim 11:12) to a land that is a safe haven – and then when ‘cracks’ appear in the safe haven a person will wonder what it is he is doing in this land! There is nothing more dangerous than a perfect translation.

R’ Tzvi Yehuda HaKohen Kook used to say that God planted two phenomena together in the same place – He planted the revival of the Hebrew language, and he planted the Chafetz Chaim and his book “Shmirat ha’Lashon” (“Guarding the tongue”). The Holy Tongue is the language that exists through time and space – connected to eternity just as the Land of Israel is eternal.

Our forefather Ya’akov said (Bereshit 28:16) “indeed God is present in this location”– the eternal and indeterminate God is revealed in the world, lofty and exalted yet appearing in the world. This is the converse of the claim made by the ‘philosopher’ in the beginning of the Kuzari – that God is exalted to the extent that He does not appear in the world. Equally so is the Holy Tongue – it is a language that confines and reveals the eternity that lies concealed behind it.

Now we can return to Bikkurim. When one brings Bikkurim he says: “…and the Egyptians maltreated us, and they tortured us…” – why does he mention this? This is simply a person who went into his field, saw the first fig ripening – and now he brings it to the House of Hashem. On the contrary, a Jewish farmer (reminding us of the first agriculturist, Cain) sees his first fruit after all the months of toiling, fertilizing, watering - how easy it is to conclude “I did it!” However the next statement he makes is: “I came from Egypt, out of the camps of Auschwitz, and this fruit in my hand is my grandparents’ fruit – I actualized myself and now I have this tangible fruit in my hand – I exist through time and space!”

This parasha could only have been said in Hebrew – it would have no value if it were to be said in any other language. This isn’t a real parasha (as he was never in Egypt under Pharaoh’s slavery), yet he has a part in everything he declares, and he also swears that he will never be a Cain.

Now we may understand the nature of our Sages’ exposition that wherever the Torah states “and you shall answer and say,” instead of simply “and you shall say” – it is to be said in Lashon HaKodesh. The expression “and you shall answer” does not refer to a simple statement, but is rather a proclamation relating to the reality, and as we have said when a statement is made relating to reality it must be made in Lashon HaKodesh.

R’ Moshe Kordovero (Pardes Rimonim 22:1) emphasizes the uniqueness of Lashon HaKoesh when he writes:

“…and the proof that our language is called Lashon HaKodesh, is indeed due to it being a Divine innovation, unlike the other languages, and there is no doubt that this is the language that Hashem conceived when He created the world – so indeed this language preceded the world.”

The emphasis R’ Kordovero places is clear – generally a language is the product of the world, yet here the world is a product of the language. When God created the world He used this language that is above time and space.

Why then was speaking Lashon HaKodesh not included in the 613 Torah mitzvot? R’ Kapah answers that since Lashon HaKodesh is related to the study of Torah, the Rambam therefore didn’t count mitzvot that are components of other mitzvot, (just as he didn’t consider making the altar a separate mitzva as it is included in the mitzva of building the Temple.)

In our parasha there is a concluding note to all we have said. The Nation of Israel is about to cross the Jordan and is commanded to erect stones on which they must write the Torah in seventy languages – so all nations know that should the Jews be exiled, our right to the land is eternal, based on that which is inscribed on the stones. This translation has tremendous value – the nations will know from where it is that we draw our might, however we must never ‘translate’ the concept of “The Holy Land.” Indeed in the diaspora there may be value in ‘commemoration’ and ‘translation,’ yet there is always the danger that we will remain with the simpler ‘translation’ and we will forget the source, the holy. The holy has the power to confine eternity to one place – into one land, into one language.

Now the value of Lashon HaKodesh is clear, and we can also understand why the mitzva of bringing of the Bikkurim and the Mikra Bikkurim were divided into two sections in the Torah. In Shemot it states:

“The first fruit of your land you shall bring to the house of Hashem your God.”

And then the Torah moves to another topic of “do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.” Only in our parasha - in Devarim - however, does the Torah mention the content of the declaration to be made when the Bikkurim are brought.

The reason for this is clear – in Shemot, after the giving of the Torah, Moshe is explaining the Mitzva of Bikkurim to the generation that exited Egypt. In Devarim however, Moshe is not talking to those who exited Egypt but rather to the new generation that will enter the land – and now he commands them of the Mikra Bikkurim. There is no reason to command the generation that exiled Egypt with Mikra Bikkurim – they were there, they were enslaved, they know what ‘Egypt’ means. Moshe relays this mitzva to the next generation – as they must recall and comprehend how to create a reality of a people connected to the past, the present, and the future. When, then, is it more appropriate to say the declaration of the Bikkurim exclusively in Hebrew?

Also, regarding the name “Ivrit” (“Hebrew”) – every language is named after the country wherein it evolved, it is also limited to the boundaries of that country, for example Belgian is only spoken in Belgium. When one finds a language that isn’t named after its land – it indicates that the land was conquered by a foreign nation bringing with it its language (Spanish in South America for example.) What is the source of the name “Ivrit”? Ivrit is named after Ever, who called his son Peleg, because “In his days the land was partitioned (nif’l’ga)” (Bereshit 10:25) - what preceded the partitioning?

The Torah tells us (Bereshit 11:1) “And all the land was one language,” which Rashi explains “One language – Lashon HaKodesh.” Reality started from Lashon HaKodesh, from unity, and then there was the desire to ‘translate’ reality – and the world was divided and partitioned.

Ever also gave his son a name reflecting the future “because in his days the land was partitioned” – and this is the first name that the Torah mentions given through prophecy. The term “Ever-Ivrit” is one of prophecy.

Now we can return to the words of the Rambam on the Mishnah “And be cautious of a ‘minor’ mitzva as you would of a ‘major’ mitzva.” The Rambam brings two examples of mitzvot that are considered ‘minor’ – the rejoicing of the pilgrimage festivals and speaking Lashon HaKodesh, and juxtaposes them with the ‘major’ mitzvot of circumcision and slaughtering the Pascal Lamb. These latter mitzvot are mitzvot that slice, change, alter reality; thus one is able to comprehend their importance, as opposed to the seemingly minor mitzvot of rejoicing in the festivals and speaking Lashon HaKodesh.

The mitzva of rejoicing in the festivals deduced from the verse “v’hayita ach same’ach” - “and you shall surely rejoice” (Devarim 16:15) raises a question that many attempt to resolve. The term “ach” is an expression of exclusion, (whereas the terms “gam” (also) and “et” are terms of inclusion) – how then is the rejoicing in the festivals inferred from this verse?

There are a number of answers – Chassidut offers a beautiful solution. The Chassidic masters said that the reason one finds it difficult to be happy is that he allows his prejudices to hinder him, he doesn’t know how to ‘annul’ himself for that which is beyond him. So to be happy a person must become “ach” – in other words curtail himself, and then he will be naturally happy.

Rejoicing in the festivals seems a ‘minor’ mitzva not demanding much, almost something natural. A person easily comprehends a mitzva where he is involved in changing reality like circumcision and slaughtering the Pascal lamb. Similar to rejoicing in the festivals, the mitzva of learning Lashon HaKodesh is a mitzva of annulment and union.