Now that it has joined the worldwide fight against terror,
tEvery seven years, following the observance of
Shemitta, the Torah commands us to gather for the
mitzvah of Hakheil. On the first day of chol
hamoed Succos, the entire Jewish nation -- men, women and
children -- gathered in the Beis Hamikdash to hear the
king of Israel read the Torah.
The king read selections from Mishneh Torah, the
Chumash of Devorim. The parshiyos read
included Shema and Vehoyoh im shomo'a,
declaring our acceptance of both Hashem's sovereignty and the
yoke of mitzvos. The Brochos Uklolos of parshas Ki
Sovo were also read since they contain the covenant that
Hashem made with us to uphold the Torah (Sotoh 41a
with Rashi).
Unfortunately, since the Beis Hamikdosh no longer
stands and the majority of our people do not reside in
Eretz Yisrael, we cannot fulfill this mitzvah today
(Sefer Hachinuch, 612). Nevertheless, there are many
valuable lessons for us to learn from this fascinating
mitzvah.
The focus of this mitzvah seems to be the reading of the
Torah; everyone came to learn and listen to its words. Yet
from the name of the mitzvah -- Hakheil meaning
"gather" or "assemble" -- it is clear that there is an
emphasis on the gathering itself. How does the commandment to
gather together to hear and learn the Torah enhance this
mitzvah? The Torah could just as easily have stated that all
of us must come to hear the reading, without calling it a
gathering.
The Rambam takes this a step further. He explains that the
mitzvah is to gather the nation (Sefer Hamitzvos,
mitzvah asei 16; Hilchos Chagigah 3:1). The
Rambam understands that beyond each individual's mitzvah to
come to the Beis Hamikdosh, he was also obligated to
ensure that everyone participated in the Hakheil
ceremony.
This is a very unusual mitzvah indeed. No other mitzvah
includes a clause to ensure that our fellow Jews fulfill
their obligation as well.
Furthermore, there is greater emphasis placed on gathering
everyone else than on our own mitzvah to come hear the Torah
reading. We are generally held accountable for the mitzvah
observance of our brethren. "Kol Yisroel areivim zeh
lozeh -- All Jews are guarantors for each other." Why
then, was it necessary for the Torah to command us explicitly
concerning Hakheil to ensure that our fellow Jews
arrive for the Torah reading? Why doesn't our general
areivus suffice to make sure our brothers come for
Hakheil?
The Rambam writes that everyone (even those who do not
understand loshon kodesh) must prepare themselves to
concentrate and to listen to the Torah reading in awe and
fear, and to rejoice with trembling as on the day the Torah
was given at Har Sinai. Even the great scholars who
knew the entire Torah were obligated to listen with intense
concentration so that it should be as if they were being
commanded at that moment and were hearing the Torah directly
from Hashem, for the king is Hashem's shaliach who
makes the word of G-d heard (Hilchos Chagigah
3:5,6).
Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner zt"l comments that the Rambam
clearly understands that the Hakheil ceremony is a re-
enactment of Kabolas HaTorah at Har Sinai. We
therefore try to duplicate the awe and fear that were present
then (Pachad Yitzchok, Iggoros, letter 85). This
explains why when the Rambam lists the sequence of the Torah
reading, writing: " . . . and he reads in order from Aseir
ta'aseir to the end of the brochos uklolos, until
`aside from the bris that was made with them at
Chorev' (Devorim 14:22 -- 28:69) and then he stops"
(Rambam ibid).
Why does the Rambam add the words "and then he stops"? It is
obvious that when the king finishes the assigned reading he
will stop. However the Rambam is explaining that the Torah
reading did not just end at this point by chance. It
concludes intentionally here to emphasize the last point: the
covenant made at Kabolas HaTorah. In this way, the
reading also assists in recreating the atmosphere of
Maamad Har Sinai and draws out the connection between
Hakheil and Kabolas HaTorah.
Possibly the most glorious moment in our nation's history
took place right before Matan Torah. The Jewish people
declared to Moshe: "Naaseh venishma" (Shemos 24:8).
With this declaration we were elevated to the status of
mal'ochim. Hashem's response to this declaration was
"Mi giloh levonai raz zeh shemal'achei hashoreis
mishtamshin bo? Who revealed to my children this secret
which the ministering angels use?" It is written with regard
to the mal'ochim: "Bless Hashem, His angels; the
strong warriors who do His bidding, to hear the voice of His
word" (Tehillim 103:20). They are prepared to perform
Hashem's will even before hearing what He commands. Bnei
Yisroel also accepted Hashem's mitzvos without
questioning whether it was too difficult for them
(Shabbos 88a).
Naaseh venishma also reveals another element of
Bnei Yisroel's greatness. The Midrash Tanchuma
states: "R' Abba bar R' Kahana said: 'When Bnei
Yisroel stood by Har Sinai and said, "All that
Hashem speaks we will do and we will hear" Hakodosh Boruch
Hu immediately cherished them and He sent two angels to
each of them. One angel girded him with a sword and the other
one placed a crown on his head' " (Tetzaveh 11). The
crowns testified to their lofty status. However what did the
swords represent?
The Beis HaLevi provides us with an explanation. He asks:
"Why did each individual respond in the plural, `Na'aseh
venishma,' we will do and we will listen? Each person
should have said, `I will do and I will listen.' How could
they speak for everyone else? The Beis Halevi answers that
everyone made two kabbolos. One kabboloh was to
personally observe the Torah. The second commitment was to
take responsibility for his friend, to ensure that he would
also keep the Torah faithfully. This is stated in the
Midrash: "Rebbi said that when the Jewish people stood
before Har Sinai together and accepted the sovereignty
of Hashem with joy and with one heart, they also became
guarantors for each other." (Tanchuma Yisro 13)
Therefore they responded in the plural. Not only will I
fulfill my obligations, I will see to it that my neighbor
does too. Na'aseh -- we will do whatever is necessary
to ensure that our neighbor observes the mitzvos.
This is what the sword represented. It takes strength to
stand up and concern ourselves with our fellow Jew. It is
very easy to be complacent and satisfied solely with our own
observance (Beis Halevi, Mishpotim; See also Eitz
Yosef to Tanchuma, ibid.). The sword was also
given to them in case they should ever need to employ force
against someone who refused to fulfill a mitzvah.
Since Hakheil, as the Rambam explains, is a re-
enactment of Kabolas HaTorah and we reaffirm our
commitment to its precepts, it is also important to reiterate
that we accept responsibility for the mitzvah observance of
one another. Therefore emphasis is placed on the gathering
itself. How did everyone fulfill their responsibility and
ensure that the others also came? If we know that a special
gathering will take place our desire to participate is
enhanced. All the more so if we anticipate a huge attendance.
If the entire nation is expected to attend, we would never
miss such an event!
Each individual had to feel that his attendance was not
simply a personal decision; it affected others as well.
This is an important lesson for us as well. Often we would
like to improve our ways for example, to strengthen our
learning, to be more careful with shemiras haloshon,
or to refrain from talking during davening. But we
wait for someone else to take the initiative. What we have to
realize is that just as we are watching what others are
doing, others are watching us. If Reuven and Shimon are
talking and Reuven wants to tell Shimon something
questionable, he thinks to himself: If there is anything
wrong with what I am saying, Shimon is bound to say, "Reuven
I think this is loshon hora." At the same time Shimon
listens and, although he is unsure whether to keep listening
or to interrupt Reuven, he thinks, "Surely he would not tell
me loshon hora."
Similarly, if we arrive a little late for a shiur or
for learning with a chavrusa or for davening
with a minyan, and we find the beis medrash
full, we might feel guilty and resolve to be more punctual
from now on. On the other hand, if we find the beis
medrash empty, even if we were running very late, our
conscience would not be so bothered and we might even feel
good about arriving relatively early.
We depend on the behavior of others. When others accept
additional mitzvos upon themselves, we are inspired to follow
their lead. So too if they have a bad habit which we also
recognize in ourselves, the poor example which they set
legitimizes (in our eyes) our own unseemly behavior to the
point where we feel that it cannot really be so bad to
conduct oneself in this way.
We have to take charge and make the first step and be a
positive influence on our peers. Perhaps this was included in
our declaration of Na'aseh venishma. Whenever I do, I
am not only doing for myself, because when I do, I cause
others to do, therefore we do.
One name for the day we received the Torah is Yom
HaKohol, the Day of the Assembly (Devorim 10:4;
18:16). We were all united and felt responsibility for one
another.
Rabbi Hutner observes that the Rambam calls the day of the
Hakheil ceremony, Yom HaKohol (Rambam
ibid 3:7) stressing its connection to Maamad Har
Sinai (Pachad Yitzchak, ibid). This is the focus
of Hakheil: to re-awaken this sense of unity and
mutual responsibility amongst Bnei Yisroel.
The Rambam writes that trumpets were blown on the day of the
Hakheil celebration in order to gather the nation
(Rambam ibid 3:4 from the Tosefta Sota 7:8).
Chatzotzros were a common feature in the Beis
Hamikdosh. They were blown on yomim tovim and when
korbonos were offered. They were also blown on a
public fast day (Rambam Hilchos Klei Mikdash 3:5,6;
Hilchos Taanis 1:1-4). Rashi explains that
chatzotzros were blown as opposed to the shofar
of Rosh Hashonoh, because the fast day was a time to gather
the people and all gatherings are with chatzotzros, as
it is written, "And they will be for you to call the nation"
(Bamidbar 10:2; Rashi on Rosh Hashonoh 26b).
When Moshe needed to assemble the people in the wilderness
the trumpets were sounded. However it is difficult to compare
the sounding of trumpets on a fast day and the blowing of
chatzotzros in the midbar. In the midbar
everyone was either in his tent or busy with his daily
routine. If Moshe urgently needed to call them together,
there had to be a recognized signal. For this, Hashem gave
the mitzvah of chatzotzros.
However on a taanis when the chatzotzros were
blown in the Beis Hamikdoash, everyone was already
gathered. Why then did they blow to assemble the people?
When tragedy or suffering befell the nation, a taanis
was declared. The people gathered together to examine their
ways to find what sins they had transgressed so that they
could repent (Megilla 30b with Rashi) for suffering
comes only as s a result of our sins (See Rambam Hilchos
Taanis ibid).
This is why they blew the chatzotzros: to unite the
people. Physically they were already together, but
emotionally they needed to feel the bond with their fellow
Jews. When there is a sense of unity and responsibility, then
each one realizes that his behavior and attitude affects the
entire nation. He then feels even more compelled to repent
and improve his ways.
So too, before the Hakheil ceremony, the
chatzotzros were sounded to gather the nation both
physically and spiritually and to remind them of their
responsibility for each other.
Chazal ask: "The men come to learn and the women come to
listen. Why do the little children come?" Since they are too
young to learn, what is the purpose of bringing them? Chazal
answer, "To reward those who bring them." (Chagiga 3a.
See Ramban on Devorim 31:12; Maharsha
Chagiga ibid).
The commentators ask: What did they mean when they said that
the infants are brought to reward those who bring them? If
the children derive a benefit from coming, then that would be
reason enough to bring them. On the other hand, if there is
really no advantage, would the Torah command us to bring them
just to receive reward? Are we being rewarded for burdening
ourselves by taking along extra "baggage"?
Rabbi Hutner adds that since we are re-enacting Kabolas
HaTorah it is important to bring the infants. When we
received the Torah the entire nation was present, including
all infants. Even if there is no benefit to the infant, we
are recreating the atmosphere that was present then by
bringing them. This makes for a rewarding experience and is
an integral part of the mitzvah (Pachad Yitzchok
ibid).
Since Hakheil is a re-enactment of Maamad Har
Sinai, we can also understand why this gathering took
place after the Shemitta year.
Shemitta is also connected to Mattan Torah. A
farmer who gives up his livelihood and land for an entire
year is taking a tremendous leap of faith. How will he
support his family? Day after day, month after month, the
farmer must look Heavenward for his sustenance. One purpose
of maamad Har Sinai was to teach the Jewish Nation to
trust in Hashem (See Shemos 19:9). They already
witnessed the ten makkos in Egypt and they personally
experienced krias Yam Suf. Surely they realized
Hashem's might and power.
Yet at Har Sinai, Bnei Yisroel became the epitome of
emunah and bitochon (See Sifsei Chaim
vol.3 p.52). It is through the prior experience of emunah
at Mattan Torah that a farmer, despite all the
challenges and hardships, is able to properly observe
Shemitta every seventh year.
This is an aim of Shemitta, to achieve the level of
emunah that we reached at Har Sinai. Not only
does Shemitta afford the observant farmer the
opportunity to devote himself solely to learning, as we
mentioned earlier, it is also the time most conducive for one
to reach his potential in limud haTorah. It represents
the ideal of dedicating oneself to learning Torah.
HaRav Aharon Kotler writes that bitochon is a
prerequisite for limud haTorah. First of all, one
whose trust is in the Ribbono Shel Olom will have
peace of mind and can therefore concentrate on his learning.
In addition, through bitochon one becomes closer to
Hashem and is therefore worthy of more siyata deShmaya
in his learning. Another benefit is that one who trusts
strongly in Hashem is elevated to a higher level of
kedushah, which in turn sanctifies his Torah
(Mishnas R' Aharon vol.1).
Finally, one who observes Shemitta is constantly
reminded that he and all that he possesses belongs to Hashem.
When one realizes that he is totally dependent upon Hashem
for his sustenance, he cannot help but be humbled before Him.
One can then fulfill the teaching of Chazal; that Torah must
be learnt in the same manner that it was received at Har
Sinai, with awe, fear and trembling (Brochos
21b).
The Torah therefore relates that Shemitta was
transmitted at Sinai, reminding us that
Shemitta exemplifies limud haTorah and we must
learn from there how to approach the study of Torah.
Furthermore, Hakheil is only observed following a
Shemitta year. After an entire year of intense
emunah, bitochon and devotion to Torah, we are
prepared to relive Kabolas HaTorah on a national
scale. The Turei Even (Chagigah 3a s.v. Kedei
litein sechar) and the Minchas Chinuch (mitzvah
612) both write that according to Tosafos (Pesochim
3b. s.v. Mei'alya) one is only obligated in the
mitzvah of Hakheil if one owns land in Eretz
Yisroel. (See Tosafos ibid; the Tzlach on
Pesochim 8b; Sh'eilas Yaavetz No. 127)
This halacha has special relevance to Hakheil
for, as we explained, observing the mitzvah of
Shemitta is preparation for Hakheil. May we
absorb the lessons of this important mitzvah and merit
fulfilling it along with all the other mitzvos
performed in Eretz Yisroel and the Beis
Hamikdosh.
This article is adapted from a more comprehensive
treatment of both the halachos and hashkafic insight of
Hakheil. To comment on this article or to receive the full
length version, e-mail the author at
levinson@ocean.com.au
