First Fruits
True joy is determined not by how you feel but by how you make another feel. Complete joy is determined by how you make everyone feel!
Expressing Gratitude
This week’s Torah portion of Ki Savo discusses the obligation every Jew had to bring his first fruits to Jerusalem. Upon arriving, amidst great joy and celebration, the first fruits would be presented to the Kohain in the Temple. The Jew who would present the first fruits known as Bikkurim - was then required to give thanks to G-d for all the good He has received from Him.
Indeed, the entire Mitzvah of bringing these first fruits was designed to enable a Jew to express his gratitude to G-d for everything. It was a time of joy and celebration.
For Everyone
When the Torah describes the obligation to bring the first fruits to Jerusalem, it stipulates that the obligation does not begin until all of the Jews have entered the Land of Israel. According to Rabbinic interpretation, cited by Rashi, this means that until all Jews were to have conquered and settled the land, no one would bring their first fruits.
At first glance this seems rather odd. Why should a Jew, who has already received his share of the land and produced his fruits, not be required to express his gratitude and joy to G-d? Isn’t the mitzvah of bringing Bikkurim intended to express gratitude to G-d for having given us the land and benefiting from its fruit? Why should an individual then have to wait until the Jewish nation has taken full possession of the land before he can celebrate his own good fortune?
Jewish Unity
The answer to this question, given by the Rebbe, provides us with a profound insight into the unity of the Jewish people.
All Jews are connected to one another. As long as there is even one Jew - whoever s/he may be - who did not yet acquire a share of the land, it detracts from the good and joy of every other Jew. No Jew could experience the full extent of his/her own joy, if there is one Jew elsewhere who is still lacking.
To be sure, a Jew is required to thank G-d even for a partial blessing, but, the distinction of the mitzvah of Bikkurim is that it is designed to express gratitude to G-d for the most complete goodness and joy. Bikkurim, thus, is brought only from the fruits, for which the Land of Israel is noted.
Accordingly, a Jew cannot express gratitude for his unmitigated joy, when he knows that there are still other Jews who have not yet gotten their share of the land. One Jew’s joy and happiness is only complete when all others enjoy the same.
Obsession for Moshiach
This explains the obsession Jews have with the coming of the Moshiach and the ultimate Redemption from exile.
There are many reasons for our desire for Moshiach:
First, it will bring peace to the world.
Second, it will facilitate the fulfillment of all the commandments, which are presently not practicable because we don’t have the Bais Hamikdash.
Third, it will usher in an age of G-dly awareness.
In light of the Rebbe’s analysis of Bikkurim a fourth benefit can be proffered.
As long as we are in exile, even if it is the most benign form of exile, with freedom and lack of persecution, our joy cannot be complete because there might be one Jew who does not share in the blessings enjoyed by everyone else. Therefore nobody’s joy is complete.
Only in the Messianic Age can, and will, every individual’s joy be complete.
In the words of the Psalmist: “Then our mouths will be filled with laughter.” Whereas now we may experience joy, it does not fill our mouths, it lacks in its integrity.
It is no coincidence then that the word Moshiach in Hebrew, when rearranged spells the word yismach-will rejoice or yisamach-will cause others to rejoice. One of Moshiach’s characteristics is indeed his ability to bring unmitigated joy.
Test it and You’ll See!
Despite our inability to have complete joy, the Rebbe exhorted us to prepare for the time of complete joy by being happy for no other motive other than to bring Moshiach. This is what the Rebbe called “joy in its pure state.”
The Rebbe explained that even when we are happy because of the good we do (and we should continue to experience that brand of joy) it does not suffice. That joy is connected to something else.
In addition, we should add on to our repertoire joy for the sake of bringing Moshiach, a time of unmitigated joy. In other words, we should be happy to enable us and the entire world to be happy!
So while Moshiach will bring us complete joy, our attempt at experiencing complete joy will bring Moshiach and the age of Redemption!
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Ki Savo by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
