SHAVUOT SPECIAL TORAH VEHA'ARETZ BY RABBI MOSHE BLOOM INSTITUTE www.toraland.org.il/en for the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash. Remembering Rabbi Yehuda Zoldan (Emunat Itecha 54, 5763), though, disagrees and maintains Bikkurim that fruits should not be marked as bikkurim and marking them can cause Today major halachic problems. There is no need to mark the fruit, Rav Zoldan writes, he mitzvah of bikkurim, bringing since even if the Beit Hamikdash is rebuilt first fruits, does not apply today it is possible to bring unmarked bikkurim. Tsince the Beit Hamikdash is not built Furthermore, this creates an opening (Rambam, Bikkurim 2:1). Is it possible to for people to sanctify their first fruits remember this special mitzvah today? as bikkurim, and according to several opinions these fruits will be forbidden to Rabbi Aaron Harel (Emunat Itecha 53, eat thereafter. 5763) suggests marking first fruits even today. First fruits should be marked when In conclusion: It turns out that those they begin to ripen. The ripening process with trees from the Seven Species should takes time; harvesting the fruit and not mark first fruits as bikkurim so as bringing it as bikkurim would only take not to create possible halachic problems. place a while afterwards. What happens However, we should try to think of if the Beit Hamikdash is rebuilt in the alternative educational ways to remember meanwhile—we won’t know which fruits and demonstrate how to perform the began ripening first so we won’t know precious mitzvah of bikkurim. which fruits to bring? For this reason, Rabbi Harel proposes CHESED FUND that those growing trees from the Seven Please help us help the 40 individuals Species should mark their first fruits. and families who turn to us for help However, they should specifically declare Make checks (Israeli, only) payable to that they are not sanctifying the fruit to the "Chesed Fund" and send them to become bikkurim. This act is also of great ISRAEL CENTER CHESED FUND educational value: demonstrating how the att. Menachem Persoff mitzvah of bikkurim was performed and at POB 37015 Jerusalem 91370 the same time increasing the anticipation or leave them at the front desk OU ISRAEL CENTER 65.