חג הביכורים

Shavuot has three other names: זמן מתן תורתנו, the time of giving the Torah, חג הקציר, the Harvest Holiday, and חג הביכורים, the Holiday of First Fruits. The offering of first fruits needed to come from the seven species: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranate, olives, and dates. They were to come from the first and choicest fruits. They were placed in a basket and brought to Jerusalem during the Shavuot holiday. People would sing and play instruments to accompany those bringing their ביכורים. This was an extremely joyous ceremony as each individual would feel how fortunate was his lot. They realized that they were living the ultimate Jewish dream. Not only were they living in Israel, but they were blessed with an abundant crop from their own land. They shared this joy with the Kohein in the בית המקדש. The section in the Torah describing ביכורים, ends with the words, ושמחת בכל הטוב, that you should be happy for all of the good that Hashem has bestowed upon you. All of the חגים were very happy. But Shavuot and ביכורים made it uniquely a holiday of Divine bliss.