Tene () is a wicker basket used to hold Bikkurim, a sacrificial offering offered by ancient Israelites to God in the Holy Temple. Bikkurim is a mitzvah that was common in the early days of Judaism, especially in 0-200CE.
Origin
Bible The term "tene" (טֶנֶא) is mentioned 3 times in the Hebrew Bible:
Deuteronomy, chapter 26, verse 2:
Deuteronomy, chapter 28, verse 5:
And in Mishnah, Mesekhet Tamid, chapter 3, verse 6:
in English translation (NIV), the word "tene", was replaced with "Basket":
Research The term "tene" is often linked to an Egyptian word that bears a similar pronunciation and meaning. Some scholars propose that it may have Canaanite origins. In Chazal, the terms "tene" (טֶנֶא) and "teni" (טְנִי) appear several times. They both mean 'bowl' or 'basket' in Hebrew, and they may be the root of all Hebrew words related to baskets, such as: "Sal" (סל, ), "Salsala" (סלסלה, ), etc.
Modern days In modern days, the Holy Temple does not exist, thus, tene is no longer in use for religious purposes.
References