Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah
Sforno on Numbers 5:9/ספורנו על במדבר ה׳:ט׳
אוְכָל תְּרוּמָה. כְּבָר בָּאָה הַקַּבָּלָה שֶׁהַתְּרוּמָה הָאֲמוּרָה בָּזֶה הַמָּקוֹם הִיא הַבִּכּוּרִים הַנִּקְרָבִים לָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמִּנְהָג לְהַקְרִיב בִּכּוּרִים לְבַעַל הַקַּרְקַע, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ כִּי בָאתִי אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה׳״ (דברים כו:ג). וְאָמַר כָּאן שֶׁכְּמוֹ שֶׁגֵּזֶל הַגֵּר הַמּוּשָׁב לַה׳ הוּא נוֹתְנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן שֶׁל מִשְׁמָר, כְּמוֹ כֵן הַבִּכּוּרִים הַנִּקְרָבִים לָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא נוֹתְנָם לַכֹּהֵן שֶׁל מִשְׁמָר.
1וכל תרומה, according to Sifrey 5 the t’rumah of which the Torah speaks here are the first fruit which have to be offered to G’d, as it is customary for the owner of fields or orchards to present these first fruit of each year’s produce (seven species) and to recite the appropriate benediction when presenting same in the Temple. (compare Deuteronomy 26,3). Here the Torah tells us that just as property stolen from a proselyte who died intestate, which was described as “being returned to G’d,” winds up in the hands of the priest, i.e. G’d’s agent, so the bikkurim, the farmer’s gift to G’d has also been assigned by G’d to the priest of the respective roster on His behalf.