Page 4 - Mizrachi RZC Sefer Berachot 5783

Why Hakhel?
Rabbi Yona Reiss
Av Beit Din, Chicago Rabbinical Council

The year ב"פשת was a very special year in which we merited to
observe the laws of the Shemittah year in Eretz Yisrael. We
witnessed a growing number of farmers who chose to participate in
the Otzar Bet Din system, which enabled their farms to adhere to all
the laws of Shemittah while they served as agents of the Beth Din to
harvest their fields’ fruit, thereby not violating the Shemittah laws.
This increased vigilance is a wonderful prelude to the year ג"פשת
which begins with the commemoration of the mitzvah of Hakhel that
is observed once every seven years following the Shemittah year
during the holiday of Sukkot. Although strictly speaking, the
mitzvah of Hakhel is only observed when the Holy Temple is in
existence, the practice has developed to convene a “Zecher l’hakhel”
– a “remembrance of Hakhel” ceremony, which is typically held,
with the participation of the Chief Rabbinate and leading
governmental officials, next to the Kotel HaMa’aravi.
At the ancient Hakhel ceremony, the King of Israel read portions of
Sefer Devorim from an elevated platform built in the woman’s
courtyard of the Temple. Men, women, and children would come to
participate in this event; the men to learn Torah, the women to hear
the inspiring words, and the children would come so that their
parents who brought them would be amply rewarded.
R. Meir Simcha of Dvinsk explains that the reason that this mitzvah
is observed specifically following the year of Shemittah is because
the people did not work their fields during Shemittah and therefore
had more opportunity to learn Torah. With everyone now returning
to work on their fields in the normal fashion, they needed the
reinforcement of the public Torah study exemplified by the Hakhel
ceremony to strengthen their resolve to continue to learn Torah.
After we have witnessed the increased commitment to Torah study
and Torah observance during this past Shemittah year, and the
myriad of halakhic rulings that were studied and followed by both
farmers and consumers who wished to learn about and observe the
Shemittah year scrupulously, it is a time for us to remember to build
upon that commitment in the years ahead. In the merit of this
spiritual undertaking, may we soon welcome the Mashiach and
observe Shemittah in optimal fashion together with all the laws of
the Torah as one united people in the holy land of Israel!

K’siva v’Chasima Tova.