Firstfruits Come Only From the Seven Species of the Land

We learned there: one does not bring firstfruits except from the seven species, and not from dates that grow in the hills, and not from fruits that grow in the valleys. Ulla said: and if one brought them, it did not sanctify them. Rav Acha bar Abba raised an objection: "an offering of first-ripe produce" (Leviticus 2:12) means that it should be first to all the meal offering. And so it says "when you bring a new meal offering" (Numbers 28:26); I have only a new offering of wheat; from where a new offering of barley? Scripture teaches "new, new"; if it is not needed for the matter of a new wheat offering, apply it to the matter of a new barley offering. And from where that it should precede the firstfruits? Scripture teaches by saying "and the feast of weeks you shall make for yourself, the firstfruits of the wheat harvest" (Exodus 34:22). I have only the wheat harvest; from where the barley harvest? Scripture teaches "and the feast of the harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you sow." I have only what you sow; from where things that came up of themselves? Scripture teaches "in the field." I have only what is in the field; from where to include what is on the roof, in a ruin, in a flowerpot, and on a ship? Scripture teaches by saying "the firstfruits of all that is in their land." And from where that it should precede the drink offerings and the fruits of the tree? It says here "the firstfruits of your labors," and it says there "when you gather in your labors"; just as there it means drink offerings and fruits of the tree, so here drink offerings and fruits of the tree. Now it teaches at any rate what is on the roof, in a ruin, in a flowerpot, and on a ship; the latter clause comes to refer to meal offerings. Rav Acha bar Abba challenged it: if so, this accords with what is written "every clean person in your house may eat it" (Numbers 18:11), but if these are meal offerings they are eaten only by the males of the priesthood. Rav Mesharshiya said: two verses are written, it is written "to you it shall be" and it is written "every clean person in your house"; how so? Here regarding firstfruits, there regarding meal offerings. Rav Ashi said: all of them refer to meal offerings, and the latter clause comes to refer to the loaves of the thanksgiving offering. In the dispute: Rabbi Yochanan said, if one brought them it did not sanctify them; Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, if one brought them it sanctified them, it becomes like the lean among the consecrated. Granted according to Reish Lakish, as he stated his reason; but Rabbi Yochanan, what is his reason? Rabbi Elazar said: Rabbi Yochanan saw it in a dream and said an excellent matter; the verse said "from the first-ripe" (Deuteronomy 26:2) and not all the first-ripe, "from your land" and not all your land. And Reish Lakish needs that for what was taught: Rabban Gamliel beRabbi says, it says here "land" and it says there "land"; just as there it means the praise of the land, so here the praise of the land. And the other one derives "land" from "land." And the other does not infer "land" from "land."