נחמיה, פרק י׳, פסוק ל״ו

The people made a firm commitment to renew the annual practice of bringing their agricultural offerings to the house of God. This pledge was rooted deeply in the original commandments of the Torah [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. To fulfill this duty, the harvests were divided into two main categories.

The first category involved the yield of the earth. The primary approach among commentators is that this specifically points to the grain harvests of wheat and barley [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. More precisely, this included the special Omer offering and the Two Loaves brought to the house of God [אבן עזרא]. However, a differing view suggests a broader meaning, encompassing the first yield of any crop grown from the ground [מצודת דוד].

The second category involved the fruit of the trees, which sparks a debate regarding the exact types of fruit included in the pledge. Because the original law restricts the offering of first fruits to specific species, the primary approach among commentators is that the commitment was strictly limited to the Seven Species for which the Land of Israel is famous, such as grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates [רלב״ג, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם].

Conversely, some suggest that the people willingly took on a greater responsibility than the original law required. Following a rabbinic enactment, they committed to bringing first fruits from every type of tree [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. This broader view faces a challenge, as early legal sources state that fruits outside the Seven Species cannot actually be sanctified as first fruits. To resolve this, another explanation is offered. The extra obligation the people accepted was not about adding new types of fruit, but rather about setting a specific amount. Because the original law does not specify a required volume for first fruits, the people took it upon themselves to establish a fixed, respectable standard, committing to bring exactly one-sixtieth of their harvest to the house of God [מלבי״ם].