That moment of giddiness might just be excitement, but I like the remarkable Or HaChaim on 26:11. The passuk talks about bringing Bikurim, and says that you will enjoy Hashem's bounty, you, your children, and the geir that dwells in your midst.
The Or HaChaim says, "in your midst" really means in your midst. No wonder you feel strange.
Translated:
..."and the sojourner." This should be understood on the basis of their saying (Zohar) when a person has the opportunity to do an uncommon Mitzvah, those souls that already left this world, who are missing this Mitzvah, come and dwell in the person doing the Mitzva, and (they are willing to risk being in a human body because) they are "close to profit and far from the danger of loss," as it is said at length in the words of the mekubalim. That is why it says "and the sojourner that is in your midst."
After discussing this with Harav Mordechai, we added the following.
One of the lessons of the Parshas Bikkurim is that we stand at a point in a process, a continuum. We don't just say "I planted a seed, it grew, I had Siyata Dishmaya, and here is the crop." We recognize that everything we experience and accomplish is part of a script that stretches from ancient history to the unforeseeable future. Our presence here, with the Bikkurim, started from Arami oveid Avi, the whole Haggada of our nation, and I am here because of the plan of the Ancient One. Our past creates our present, and our present creates our future, and all of it is because of the will of the Ribono shel Olam.
When the Or HaChayim says that other neshamos join us in doing mitzvos, one can suggest that it's not just random neshamos. It is the neshamos of those in the past whose lives contributed in some way to our being here and fulfilling this mitzva. It might be parents, it might be teachers, it might be neighbors who influenced us, it might be askanim whose work and sacrifice ensured that we have a good education. It is they that we invite to join us when we do some rare and precious mitzva.
In Ki Savo, the Torah warns us that doing mitzvos with simcha can change klala into bracha. Chazal say that those mitzvos that Klal Yisrael was mekabel with simcha they still do with love and enthusiasm. Shabbos 130 -
רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: כל מצוה שקיבלו עליהם בשמחה כגון מילה, דכתיב "שש אנכי על אמרתך כמוצא שלל רב" - עדיין עושין אותה בשמחה
This applies to everyone that does a mitzva. If you do it grudgingly, it is a chillul Hashem. If you do it with Simcha, it influences everyone around him le'tova. So when we invite old souls to join us, it includes those that did mitzvos with Simcha.
ושמחת בכל הטוב אשר נתן לך יהוה אלהיך ולביתך אתה והלוי והגר אשר בקרבך
The Or HaChaim says, "in your midst" really means in your midst. No wonder you feel strange.
ואומרו והגר. יתבאר על פי דבריהם ז''ל (זוהר ח''ג רי''ז.) שאמרו, כי כשיגיע ליד אדם מצוה מאותם מצות שאינם נוהגות תמיד, אותם הנשמות שכבר נסתלקו מהעולם, והם חסרי מצוה זו, באים וגרים עם העושה המצוה, על זה הדרך קרובים לשכר ורחוקים מן ההפסד, כאמור באורך בדברי המקובלים, וכנגד בחינה זו אמר והגר אשר בקרבך.
..."and the sojourner." This should be understood on the basis of their saying (Zohar) when a person has the opportunity to do an uncommon Mitzvah, those souls that already left this world, who are missing this Mitzvah, come and dwell in the person doing the Mitzva, and (they are willing to risk being in a human body because) they are "close to profit and far from the danger of loss," as it is said at length in the words of the mekubalim. That is why it says "and the sojourner that is in your midst."
After discussing this with Harav Mordechai, we added the following.
One of the lessons of the Parshas Bikkurim is that we stand at a point in a process, a continuum. We don't just say "I planted a seed, it grew, I had Siyata Dishmaya, and here is the crop." We recognize that everything we experience and accomplish is part of a script that stretches from ancient history to the unforeseeable future. Our presence here, with the Bikkurim, started from Arami oveid Avi, the whole Haggada of our nation, and I am here because of the plan of the Ancient One. Our past creates our present, and our present creates our future, and all of it is because of the will of the Ribono shel Olam.
When the Or HaChayim says that other neshamos join us in doing mitzvos, one can suggest that it's not just random neshamos. It is the neshamos of those in the past whose lives contributed in some way to our being here and fulfilling this mitzva. It might be parents, it might be teachers, it might be neighbors who influenced us, it might be askanim whose work and sacrifice ensured that we have a good education. It is they that we invite to join us when we do some rare and precious mitzva.
In Ki Savo, the Torah warns us that doing mitzvos with simcha can change klala into bracha. Chazal say that those mitzvos that Klal Yisrael was mekabel with simcha they still do with love and enthusiasm. Shabbos 130 -
רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: כל מצוה שקיבלו עליהם בשמחה כגון מילה, דכתיב "שש אנכי על אמרתך כמוצא שלל רב" - עדיין עושין אותה בשמחה
This applies to everyone that does a mitzva. If you do it grudgingly, it is a chillul Hashem. If you do it with Simcha, it influences everyone around him le'tova. So when we invite old souls to join us, it includes those that did mitzvos with Simcha.
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