Chelek 34, Tavo 1 - Mrs. Freidy Yanover

The beginning of our parsha, the Sifri, explains the words in the verse, "V'haya ki savo el ha'aretz," "And shall be when you come into the land," and says, "The expression v'haya always indicates immediacy." The apparent meaning of this explanation is that the obligation of the mitzvah of bikkurim, which is the subject of this passage, took effect immediately upon entering the land.

At first glance, however, this is difficult to understand, as the commentators ask.

The continuation of the verse explicitly states, "You shall possess it and dwell in it," indicating they were not obligated in bikkurim until after the land was possessed and settled, that is, after the conquest and division of the land, as Rashi indeed explains here.

And it's stated in the Tractate of Kidushin that with regard to bikkurim, authorities agree the obligation did not begin until after the land had been completely possessed and settled.

There are commentators who explain that the intent of the Sifri is that immediately you will come into the land.

In other words, according to the Sifri, this word immediately, or ki savo, meaning immediately, doesn't refer to the obligation to bring bikkurim, but rather to the good news concerning their coming into the land.

Immediately you will come into the land.

According to this explanation, the continuation of the Sifri is also clear.

Following this interpretation, the expression v'haya always indicates immediacy.

The Sifri continues and says, "When you come into the land, perform the mitzvah stated in this passage, for in its merit you will enter the land." The two explanations concerning entry into the land are thus connected and follow one another.

The new element in this promise, you will enter the land, in comparison with earlier promises concerning entry into the land, is that as a consequence of performing or accepting upon themselves the mitzvah stated in this passage, the mitzvah of bikkurim, they would enter the land immediately.

However, this explanation apparently requires clarification, because this verse is said at the end of forty years in the wilderness, when the time for the nation of Israel to enter the land had already actually arrived, as was stated explicitly earlier that the decree was only for forty years.

What then is the new point being made here in saying that immediately you will enter the land? In the Torah portion of Bo, where the verse teaches, "And it shall be when He brings you into the land," concerning which the Mechilta says, "The expression it shall be means immediately." Since that was said while they were still in Egypt, it's appropriate to explain that the meaning of it shall be is that it was good tidings that they would immediately enter the land.

This was before the decree resulting from the sin of the spies, which ultimately kept them in the desert forty years.

Similarly, the Sifri states, had Israel merited, they would have entered the land after only one day, as it's written, "Today you are leaving Egypt in the month of Aviv in the spring," followed by, "And it shall be when Hashem brings you into the land of the Canaanites." In other words, immediately.

But in our parasha and Moshe's words at the end of the forty years, how can it be said that the verse comes to teach or to promise something that's quite obvious and certain, that they will immediately now enter the land? At first glance, this could be resolved as follows.