ביכורים

Hebrew

Root
ב־כ־ר (b-k-r)

Noun

ביכורים / בִּכּוּרִים • (bikkurim) m pl

1. first fruits, early crops
   • Tanach, Exodus 23:19, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ תָּבִיא בֵּית יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא־תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ׃

     Reshít bikkuréi admatkhá taví beit Adonái Elohékha, lo t'vashél g'dí ba-ḥalév immó.

     The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.

   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Bikkurim 3:10:

     רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, שָׁלֹשׁ מִדּוֹת בַּבִּכּוּרִים: הַבִּכּוּרִים, וְתוֹסֶפֶת הַבִּכּוּרִים, וְעִטּוּר הַבִּכּוּרִים.

     Rabí Shim'ón omér, shalósh middót ba-bikkurím: ha-bikkurím, v-toséfet ha-bikkurím, v-iṭṭur ha-bikkurim.

     Rabbi Shimon says, there are three aspects of the first fruits offering: the first fruits, the additions to the first fruits, and the ornaments of the first fruits.

2. the offering of the first fruits as part of the Temple ritual for Shavuot
   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Bikkurim 3:10:

     רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, שָׁלֹשׁ מִדּוֹת בַּבִּכּוּרִים: הַבִּכּוּרִים, וְתוֹסֶפֶת הַבִּכּוּרִים, וְעִטּוּר הַבִּכּוּרִים.

     Rabí Shim'ón omér, shalósh middót ba-bikkurím: ha-bikkurím, v-toséfet ha-bikkurím, v-iṭṭur ha-bikkurim.

     Rabbi Shimon says, there are three aspects of the first fruits offering: the first fruits, the additions to the first fruits, and the ornaments of the first fruits.

   • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 35a:

     מָה לְשִׁבְעַת הַמִּינִין שֶׁכֵּן חַיָּיבִין בְּבִכּוּרִים

     Mah l-shiv'át ha-minin? She-ken ḥayyavín b'-vikkurim.

     What is unique about the seven species? They are obligated in a first fruits offering.

3. (biblical) the loaf of bread offered as part of the Temple ritual for Shavuot
   • Tanach, Leviticus 23:20, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וְהֵנִיף הַכֹּהֵן אֹתָם עַל לֶחֶם הַבִּכּוּרִים תְּנוּפָה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה עַל־שְׁנֵי כְּבָשִׂים קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיוּ לַיהוָה לַכֹּהֵן׃

     v-heníf ha-kohén otám 'al léḥem ha-bikkurím t'nufá lifné Adonái 'al shnéi k'vasím qódesh yihyú l-Adonái la-kohén

     And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before the LORD, with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.

Declension

Declension of בִּכּוּרִים

Number	Isolated forms		With possessive pronouns
	State	Form	Person	singular		plural
				m.	f.	m.	f.
plural	indefinite	בִּכּוּרִים	first	בכוריי / בִּכּוּרַי		בִּכּוּרֵינוּ
	definite	הַבִּכּוּרִים	second	בִּכּוּרֶיךָ	בכורייך / בִּכּוּרַיִךְ	בִּכּוּרֵיכֶם	בִּכּוּרֵיכֶן
	construct	בִּכּוּרֵי־	third	בִּכּוּרָיו	בִּכּוּרֶיהָ	בִּכּוּרֵיהֶם	בִּכּוּרֵיהֶן

Proper noun

ביכורים / בִּכּוּרִים • (bikkurím) m pl

1. Bikkurim (the eleventh tractate of the first order of the Mishnah)
2. (biblical) Shavuot, Pentecost (the day of the first fruits offering)
   • Tanach, Numbers 28:26, with translation of Aryeh Kaplan:

     וּבְיוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים בְּהַקְרִיבְכֶם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה לַיהוָה בְּשָׁבֻעֹתֵיכֶם מִקְרָא־קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם כָּל־מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ׃

     Uv-yóm ha-bikkurím b-haqriv-khém minḥá ḥadashá l-Adonái, b-shavu'oteikhém míqra-qódesh yihyéh lakhém kol m'lékhet 'avodáh lo ta'asú

     The day of first fruits is when you bring a new grain offering to God as part of your Shavuoth festival. It shall be a sacred holiday to you when you may not do any mundane work.

References

• “ביכורים” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Further reading

• ביכורים on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he