First fruits

We give the first fruit as Bikkurim. Why the first?

The kinderlach suggested that the first ones are nicer looking, so we bring them to Hashem. Maybe.

Another suggestion, one that I heard from Rabbi Moshe Aharon Stern z”l is that the beginning sets the tone for what follows. Once something is started in a certain path, that creates a momentum in that direction. If the first fruit is for Hashem, the other fruits will also be used for serving Him in some way.

Yet another suggestion was that here we have people who worked very hard until they saw the fruits of their farming. Even after weeks of hard work, they still said many tearful prayers that their efforts bear fruit (juicy fruit!), for that was by no means certain! When a person finally saw a first fruit forming, his heart almost burst with feeling, pride and hope. So the Torah said “Take that most precious fruit, – the very dearest you have, – and offer it up to Hashem. Show Him how much He means to you” That is the best present of all.

The Sefer Hachinuch expresses another idea, that taking the first fruit is not because of some quality the first-fruit has or creates, but that giving the first to Hashem expresses the idea that Hashem comes first. The first [fruit] goes to Hashem!