bikkurim â or the first fruits of the âseven speciesâ grown in
Eretz Yisrael (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates) â were brought to the
Beit HaMikdash in Jerusalem and offered as a sacrificial gift to Hashem on Shavuot.
Jewish National Fund label sheet depicting the Seven Species.
The farmers bringing the
bikkurim to the Temple were obligated to recite a formulaic âavowalâ summarizing Jewish history from the time of Abraham through the Egyptian exile and the exodus, the 40 years in the desert and the entry into
Eretz Yisrael, up to the current point in time. They would then proclaim, âAnd now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the land, which you, Hashem, have given meâ and acknowledge that the success of their crops was wholly attributable to Hashemâs blessing (see Deuteronomy 26:3-10).