Agricultural Law

“Bikkurim” (“first fruits”) refers to the commandment, detailed in Deuteronomy 26:1-11, to bring first fruits and grains to the Temple and give them to a priest next to the altar. Details of the process are discussed in tractate Bikkurim, which describes the festive procession that accompanied the offering. Bkkurim is often associated with the holiday of Shavuot, since the holiday marked the beginning of the period during which bikkurim were brought.

Shemittah, or the sabbatical year, is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah in the land of Israel. During the Shemittah year, working the land is prohibited, produce that grows on the land takes on sacred status, and debts are forgiven. Shemittah is first mentioned in the Torah in Exodus 23:10-11.