Dear Congregational Family,
"Bikurim - Our First Fruits"
While Jewish tradition regards Shavuot as "Zman Matan Torateinu - the season of the giving of our Torah," Scripture itself calls Shavuot "Chag Ha'Bikurim - the Festival of the first fruits."
During the formative years of our people's experience, we were farmers living in an agricultural setting. In the book of Devarim, when the first fruits of the Spring harvest would ripen in the land of Israel, those fruits would be placed in a basket and brought to the Sanctuary as an expression of gratitude to God. An excerpt of Jewish history would be recited, beginning with the words "My father was a wandering Aramean . . . " In a later chapter of Jewish history, those words were transferred to the Passover Haggadah.
In Biblical times, the seven weeks of counting between Pesach and Shavuot covered the time from the planting of the Spring harvest to the ripening of the first fruits.
Nowadays, in an urban setting, how do we appreciate the notion of Bikurim - first fruits? Our little ones, our young children are our first fruits. In years past during Shavuot, our littlest ones would march down the aisle at the end of services holding a basket of fruits.
Our older children, who would be graduating from recognized Jewish educational programs, would be honored on the first day of Shavuot. I am saddened that the honor and recognition due to our children will not take place in shul this Friday, the first day of Shavuot. But know that you are being recognized and honored. When the pandemic ends, we will hope to acknowledge your achievements publically.
In a similar spirit, in recent years on Shavuot, we have honored children excelling in sports achievements from the Joseph Smith scholarship award. We have also honored students embarking in advanced religious studies from the Robert Karol family Limudei Kodesh scholarship award. We hope to be able to present these prizes in the not too distant future.
Our shul's Aleph Beit Chadash school continued to function even during Covid-19. I extend our synagogue's appreciation to our young students, our teachers, our principal, our school board, and the parents. Our growing Hebrew school finished the academic year with imagination and creativity during a challenging time.
While our Shinshinim returned to Israel during the pandemic, we thank them for a wonderful year, both, in person at our shul, and with internet programs most recently delivered from Israel. We wish you well in the next chapter of your lives.
Our young families held amazing monthly Shabbat services and programs before the pandemic broke out. Under the leadership of Rabbi David, our young families continued to meet regularly on Friday afternoons on Zoom to celebrate a pre-Shabbat with music, prayer, and story telling.
We at Beth Emeth are proud of all our Bikurim. While we are unable to honor you publically this Shavuot, please accept this Dvar Torah as our heartfelt appreciation for a year well done.
I wish everyone good health.
Chag Sameach in advance,
Rabbi Howard Morrison
