This week’s Parsha, VaYeilech, contains the Mitzvah of Hakhel which literally means “to gather”. At the completion of every Shemitah (sabbatical year of refraining from working the land) the Mitzvah of Hakhel comes into play. It is performed at the conclusion of the first day of the festival of Sukkot (i.e., in the first year of the new Shemitah cycle) when the trumpets are sounded in Jerusalem.
This summons everyone to gather in the Women’s Courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) to hear as the King of Israel reads from certain sections of the Book of Devarim.
Moshe spells out the various categories of people who are summoned for this event:
Gather the people, the men, the women, and the children, and the foreigner (literally: convert, refers to a Ger Toshav, a gentile who observes the seven Noachide Laws and may dwell in the Land of Israel) who is within your gates; so that they shall hear, and so that they shall hear, and so that they shall learn, and fear Hashem your G-d, and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah. (Devarim 31:12).
Why Bring the Children?
Men and women participate in order to hear and learn, thereby strengthening their belief in the divine character of the Torah. But what is the purpose of bringing the children? Ramban (Nachmanides, Devarim 31:13) explains that this refers to those close to the age of Chinuch (education), who will hear the Torah Reading, ask questions, and receive answers from their parents.
He then cites the Rabbis:
The men come to learn, and the women come to hear, and why do the children come? In order to provide a reward to those who bring them (Chagigah 3a).
This interpretation implies that even infants who cannot grasp the experience are nevertheless to be brought, so their parents receive reward. But if the children gain nothing from being there, why should there be reward for bringing them?
Parents are tasked with educating their children in both religious studies and the skills needed for a livelihood and the conduct of daily life. Good parents strive to expose their children to the best educational opportunities available, yet there are limits. One would not bring a child to an advanced lecture on physics or chemistry, far beyond their grasp, merely to earn a reward for doing so.
Beyond the Classroom: The Emotional Impact of Hakhel
Good education is not limited to the classroom. It is not only a matter of intellectual learning. The goal is to motivate the child emotionally as well. The child must be inspired to appreciate Torah and develop a lasting dedication to its study and practice. Certain experiences cannot be conveyed in a classroom. One such unique and purposeful event is the gathering of the entire nation in the Ezrat Nashim (Women’s Courtyard) of the Beit HaMikdash.
In describing this gathering, the Rambam (Maimonides) states:
Even great Torah scholars who know the entire Torah are obligated to listen with great and abundant concentration. And one who is unable to hear should direct his mind toward this reading, for the Torah ordained it only to strengthen the True Religion. The person should view himself as though right now he is being commanded in it and hearing it from Hashem, for the king is the messenger conveying the words of Hashem (Hilchot Chagiga 3:6).
This casts the once-in-seven-years gathering in a new light: it re-enacts the most significant event in Jewish and world history, commemorating the only time the Creator of the Universe made an “appearance” before an entire nation. He proclaimed the moral and ethical ideals by which the world should be governed.
Bringing children to such a momentous event, even if they do not understand the full significance, affects them on an emotional and psychological level. They witness firsthand a gathering of the entire Jewish nation, all of whom are reverentially focused on the Torah reading, and they see the most powerful figure in the country, the king himself, reading the Torah to the massive national assembly.
This implants in their subconscious the belief that the Jewish People received the Torah directly from Hashem at Mount Sinai. Parents are rewarded for making their children part of this experience. They could have left them at home with a caretaker to avoid distractions, yet they recognize the event’s value for both themselves and the next generation.
A Parental Responsibility: Inspiring the Next Generation
Jews, especially parents of young children, cannot be selfish when it comes to Torah and Mitzvot. We bear responsibility for all our fellow Jews, and especially our children and grandchildren. We cannot impose the Jewish way of life on others, for that depends on their free-will, yet we must do all we can to facilitate their acceptance and practice of the Torah way of life.
As our Rabbis teach, “All the Jewish people are responsible one for another” (Shavuot 39a). In all aspects of life, we must be mindful of the impression our behavior creates and act as models of Torah observance, doing all in our power to display the Torah lifestyle in the most desirable and attractive light.
This holds true even when we engage in charitable and other socially beneficial activities. As Jews, especially visibly religious ones, we must strive to be of good cheer and ready to be friendly and helpful to all with whom we come in contact. Our practice of Judaism is not a purely self-serving endeavor; it is also a means of glorifying the name of Hashem in the world.
May Hashem assist us in this holy endeavor.
Shabbat Shalom & Gemar Chatima Tovah.
May this be a year of redemption and peace for Israel and all Mankind.
Questions? Comments?
Please reach out to Rabbi Mann on WhatsApp at 050-709-2372 or by email at rebmann21@aol.com.
Alternatively, contact Mitch Rosner on WhatsApp at 054-426-3419 or by email at mitchrosner@gmail.com.
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