Sivan

The ceremony of the first fruits begins at Shavuot, the festival of the giving of the Torah, which is also called 'the festival of the first fruits of the wheat harvest' (Shemot 34:22). From Shavuot, the farmers begin to bring their first fruits to the Temple. The ceremony is elaborate: the farmer marks the first fruits while they are still unripe, and when they are ready, he brings them in a basket to Jerusalem. The procession to Jerusalem is accompanied by music and celebration, and the farmer recites the declaration of gratitude before the altar. The declaration recalls the history of Israel: 'A wandering Aramean was my father...' - from Jacob to Egypt, from slavery to freedom, from the desert to the land flowing with milk and honey. The first fruits are not just a gift but a testimony of gratitude for the entire journey of Israel.