Every seven years, in the year following a Shemita year (the sabbatical year, the seventh year of a seven-year agricultural cycle), on the holiday of Sukkot, we assemble for the Hakhel ceremony. This is an exciting ceremony. In Parshat Vayelech, Hakhel is described as the whole nation, “men, women, children and the strangers in your communities,” gathering in the Temple to hear the reading of the Torah by the king.
It would seem as though the mitzvah of Hakhel should have been commanded earlier in the Torah. Perhaps with the laws of Shemita (Shemot 23, Vayikra 25, Devarim 15) or alternatively, in Parshat Re’eh with the other mitzvot that were fulfilled in the Beit Hamikdash.
The mitzvah of Hakhel relates to the entire Torah; therefore, it is understood that this commandment seals the Torah, completes the Torah. As long as the Torah was not yet completed, it was impossible to talk about the Hakhel ceremony. Perhaps this is why it appears here, toward the end of the Torah.
Let’s attempt to dig even deeper.
Receiving the Torah is only by the acceptance of klal Yisrael (all of Israel). An individual cannot accept the Shechinah. Being inspired by the Shechinah and accepting the Torah can only be achieved by the entire nation of Israel.
The phenomenon of klal Yisrael can only occur in the Land of Israel. Therefore, the mitzvah of Hakhel exists only in Eretz Yisrael! There is a continuity here of Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah) that exists only in Israel.
Granted, at the assembly on Mount Sinai, the nation of Israel received the Torah, but Chazal taught that until we arrived in Eretz Yisrael, the assembly of the people had a different status (see Megillah 14a).
Let’s take this even further.
Hakhel is a mitzvah performed by the king. The Mishna calls it “the parsha of the king” and writes that the king reads the Torah to the people.
Why specifically the king?
The king is the expression of the nation, of the state. A true expression of klal Yisrael. A prophet, a kohen or a rabbi can assist the people of Israel even under foreign rule, and even outside of the land (although a prophet can prophesize abroad only in certain cases). A king is a special phenomenon for the nation, for the state.
The assembly of Hakhel is the assembly of a nation. Not just a large gathering, not just a large gathering in Eretz Yisrael, but the State of Israel, the King. The state is the greatest essence of the nation. Only this essence can receive the Torah! Only this essence can complete the Hakhel ceremony! The king, the prime minister, the leader of Am Yisrael. These are the people who will read the Torah and will receive the Torah on behalf of the people! Not on their own behalf, not on behalf of a particular political party, but on behalf of the entire nation!
We returned to our land, we fought for and won our own state. We are closer to Hakhel now than we have ever been in the past 2,000 years.
God willing, we will create a full and loving unity of all of klal Yisrael, and we will speedily merit to see the light of God shining on Knesset Yisrael (the Congregation of Israel) and on the State of Israel.
אור חדש על ציון תאיר ונזכה כולנו במהרה לאורו, “May You shine a new light on Zion and may we all speedily merit its light.”
Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is founder and chairman of Sulamot, and serves as rosh yeshiva of Lev Academic Center (JCT) and rabbi of Alon Shvut South. He is the head of World Mizrachi’s educational advisory board.
