Exodus 23:19, 34:26

“The first-fruit of your land shall you bring to the house of the Lord your God; Do not cook a kid in its mother’s milk”

What is the connection between these two commandments? What does cooking a kid in its mother’s milk have to do with the bringing of first-fruits to the Temple?

When we turn to the passage that describes the bringing of the first-fruits (Deuteronomy 26:1-11), we see that the farmer praises God, not only for the first-fruits of the land but also for all of the history of Israel. The farmer goes back to Jacob and describes how God brought us out of Egypt and gave us this beautiful land. “And now” the farmer declares “I have brought the first-fruits of the land”.

Let’s get a reality check. For all we know this farmer may be an elderly man who has been bringing his first-fruits to…