Purpose of Hakhel/2

Purpose of Hakhel

Exegetical Approaches

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Educating Toward Practical Observance

The Hakhel assembly has an educational goal, teaching the nation Torah to ensure their proper observance of the commandments.

Sources:RalbagDevarim 31:10Devarim 31 Toelet 13About R. Levi b. Gershom, Tzeror HaMor, AbarbanelDevarim 31:12-13About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, SefornoDevarim 31:12-13About R. Ovadyah Seforno, NetzivDevarim 31:12-13About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

"וְשָׁמְרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת" – This position views these words as the main goal of the Hakhel ceremony; through the teaching of Torah at Hakhel, people will come to keep the Torah's laws.

Why "בְּמֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה"?

• Ralbag asserts that the Shemittah year was chosen due to its inherent holiness and the fact that it testifies to the existence of Hashem,¹ a prerequisite for observance.
• Ibn EzraDevarim 31:9-12About R. Avraham ibn Ezra implies that the assembly takes place at the beginning of the Shemittah year² because in the entire following year people are free from work and have the opportunity to learn.  Thus the public Torah study at Hakhel opens a year of private learning.
• Abarbanel gives a more practical reason for the choice.  Since the people have no  agricultural duties, they are available to assemble for Hakhel.

Why on Sukkot specifically?

• Good time for spiritual growth – Ralbag maintains that on Sukkot, after people have gathered all the fruits of their labor,  they are most likely to forget Hashem.  Thus, it is specifically at this juncture that they need a reminder to redirect them to fear God and abide by his laws. Abarbanel suggests, in contrast, that in the aftermath of Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim, the people feel connected to Hashem and submissive to His service, enabling them to focus on his Torah with a willing heart.
• Facilitate travel – Here, too, Abarbanel also gives a practical explanation;³ the pleasant weather during this season makes it easy for people to journey to Jerusalem.⁴

What is read? Abarbanel, following Bavli SotahSotah 41aAbout the Bavli, asserts that only Sefer Devarim is read,⁵ since it contains most of the Torah's legal sections.  It would have been too difficult to read all five books, and it was not necessary to teach the nation the story of Creation or the laws of Sefer Vayikra regardless.

Who reads? According to Ralbag, any leader, be he king, priest,or prince⁶ can read, as all of these play a teaching role and are respected by the nation.  However, if a king is present he is preferred as he has his own commandment to write for himself a Torah and learn from it constantly.  As such, he is most appropriate for the task of educating the nation in Torah.⁷ Netziv points out that though a king is never mentioned in the unit, since Moshe is addressing his words to Yehoshua who later served in that role, it is clear that a king   is meant.

Why only once every seven years? R. Hirsch and R. D"Z Hoffmann question how is it really possible that a once in seven year reading of the Torah will suffice to instill within the nation the Torah's many teachings.  This approach might respond that the initial learning is meant to spark continued interest and study.⁸

All inclusive nature – Everyone is supposed to join since all are obligated in Torah observance and have what to gain from the Torah being taught.  Neztiv points out that adults gain not only a deeper understanding of the Torah and its halakhot, but also how to be exacting in their own study of Torah.  See the following bullets regarding how the "טַף" benefited from the experience.

"הַטַּף" versus "וּבְנֵיהֶם"

• Both refer to young children – Akeidat Yitzchak, Abarbanel and Netziv suggest that "הַטַּף" are children who have not yet reached the age of mitzvot. They are the equivalent to the children who do not yet know Torah mentioned in verse 13, and are brought not because they truly understand what is being said but because the early exposure to Torah study will facilitate their growth and observance when they later reach an age of obligation.⁹
• Both refer to young adults –This position could also maintain, as does R"Y Bekhor ShorDevarim 31:10-13About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, that the term "הַטַּף" refers to young adults rather than infants.  They are obligated to be present at the ceremony because they are already at an age where they can benefit from Torah study.  R"Y Bekhor Shor also identifies "הַטַּף" with "בְנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ" of verse 13, but suggests that the latter verse does not mean to say that these sons do not yet have knowledge of Torah, but that they never witnessed the miracles of Hashem.¹⁰  These miracles they will only appreciate through the Torah's retelling.

"יִשְׁמְעוּ וְלָמְדוּ לְיִרְאָה" versus "יִשְׁמְעו ...יִלְמְדוּ וְיָרְאוּ... וְשָׁמְרוּ" – Abarbanel suggests that verse 13 does not mention "observing" the commandments since it speaks only of the children who have not yet reached an age of obligation.  Netziv also differentiates between the terms "יִלְמְדוּ וְיָרְאוּ" and "וְלָמְדוּ לְיִרְאָה" suggesting that the first phrase refers to two separate actions, learning Torah and fearing God, while the second speaks only of one action, learning fear of God.  This difference, too, relates to the audiences spoken of in each verse; children who are too young to actively learn will only gain a fear of Hashem from the experience.¹¹

Similar Assemblies

Instilling Fear of God

The Hakhel ceremony has an experiential objective.  It reenacts and reaffirms the Covenants at Sinai and Moav, thereby instilling in the people a fear of Hashem.

Sources:RambamHilkhot Chagigah 3:6About R. Moshe b. Maimon, R. S"R Hirsch, R. D"Z Hoffmann¹²

Comparison to ברית סיני – Rambam says that when listening to the Torah at Hakhel a person should feel as if it is the day at which the Torah was given at Sinai.¹³  The many linguistic parallels between the description of Hakhel and Moshe's recounting of the covenant at Sinai reinforce the idea that the ceremony is meant to recall the original experience.  The following chart highlights the parallels:¹⁴

EN/HEע/E

ברית סיני (דברים ד':ט'-י')

מצוות הקהל (דברים ל"א:י"ב-י"ג)

(ט) רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ ... וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ. (י) יוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתָּ לִפְנֵי י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּחֹרֵב בֶּאֱמֹר י"י אֵלַי הַקְהֶל לִי אֶת הָעָם וְאַשְׁמִעֵם אֶת דְּבָרָי אֲשֶׁר יִלְמְדוּן לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי כׇּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם חַיִּים עַל הָאֲדָמָה וְאֶת בְּנֵיהֶם יְלַמֵּדוּן.

(יב) הַקְהֵל אֶת הָעָם הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ וּלְמַעַן יִלְמְדוּ וְיָרְאוּ אֶת י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְשָׁמְרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת. (יג) וּבְנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ יִשְׁמְעוּ וְלָמְדוּ לְיִרְאָה אֶת י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כׇּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם חַיִּים עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ.

"וְלָמְדוּ לְיִרְאָה אֶת י"י" – This approach would point to this phrase as being the main objective of the mitzvah. The experience of the entire nation gathering together to hear the Torah read was meant to evoke an emotional response, leading the people to fear Hashem.

Why "בְּמֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה בְּחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת"?

• Normally Sukkot is the season in which the people gather the fruits of their own labors, and as such might come to forget Hashem.  After the Shemittah year, however, with nothing to gather, they are cognizant of their reliance on Hashem.  R. Hirsch thus claims that the mitzvah takes place at the beginning of every new agricultural cycle to remind the nation that it is not business dealings or farming which sustains the nation, but Hashem's loving kindness,¹⁵ and that the only path to Hashem and to merit His protection is though His Torah. 
• R. D"Z Hoffmann adds that at this shaky juncture, the people re-accept the Torah and affirm their willingness to sanctify themselves to Hashem no matter what the circumstances.

Why only once every seven years? This position might suggest that annual re-enactments of the covenant would lessen their impact, dulling the emotional significance of the ceremony.  Since it is the experience itself that is important, the public readings needed to be at distant intervals.¹⁶

Who reads? Rambam asserts that the king reads, not as an educator, but as a "messenger to deliver the words of Hashem."  According to him, the choice of reader is not the focus but rather the assembly of listeners. This might explain why the verse simply states "תִּקְרָא אֶת הַתּוֹרָה" without stipulating the identity of this reader.

What is read? This position might claim that Sefer Devarim is read, not because it contains many legal sections but because it contains a description of both the Covenant at Sinai and Moav.

All inclusive nature – R"E Samet¹⁷ points out that had the point of the assembly been simply to inculcate Torah, there would be no need to gather the entire nation, as many of them, especially the young, would not actually benefit from the learning.  However, if the point is to re-enact previous Covenantal ceremonies, then the need for everyone is apparent as all were present at both Sinai and Arvot Moav.¹⁸ Moreover, it was during the revelation at Sinai that the Children of Israel first became a cohesive nation, so it is natural that in reenacting that event, they must all come together again.

"הַטַּף" versus "וּבְנֵיהֶם" – R. Hirsch and R. D"Z Hoffmann differentiate between the two terms, assuming that "הַטַּף" includes also infants, while the "sons" of verse 13 refer to children who have reached the age of education.  This approach might consider it an obligation for even infants to join since the point is to re-enact the original covenant in which they took part.

"יִשְׁמְעוּ וְלָמְדוּ לְיִרְאָה" versus "יִשְׁמְעו ...יִלְמְדוּ וְיָרְאוּ... וְשָׁמְרוּ" – This approach might suggest that there is no significant difference between the verses as in both the main point is the "teaching towards fear".

Ancient Near Eastern parallels – The mitzvah might parallel norms of ancient near eastern treaties which stipulated that the terms periodically be read publicly in the presence of the king.¹⁹

Mitzvah of Hakhel and Remembering Egypt

Biblical parallels

Transmitting the Tradition

Leading the Nation to Repentance

Sources:Keli Yakar

¹ See Purpose of Shemittah for elaboration and other understandings of the commandment.

² He is consistent in understanding the word "מִקֵּץ" to mean "beginning".  See his comments to Devarim 14:28 and 15:1.

³ In this explanation Abarbanel borrows from the Akeidat Yitzchak, almost verbatim.

⁴ He points out that even though Spring is also pleasant, there are still remnants of the winter cold and the rivers are full due to the melting ice and rains, making the journey more hazardous.

⁵ As support he points to the reading of the Torah in the time of Yoshiyahu where the verse states that "ספר הברית" specifically was read (See Melakhim II 23).  Abarbanel identifies Sefer HaBerit with Devarim, since it contains the details of the covenant at Moav.

⁶ He might be drawing on verse 9 which states that Moshe gave the Torah to both the priests and elders, suggesting that these same people are those who are instructed to read it later on.

⁷ Abarbanel adds that it is logical that the most honored of the nation should be he one to read.

⁸ Abarbanel explains that even though the Torah is supposed to be studied daily, in order to endear the Torah to the masses Hashem also ordained these festive public readings. However, recognizing that if the ceremonies were held at close intervals they would lose their impact, Hashem designated that they occur only once per Shemittah cycle.

⁹ See RambanDevarim 31:12About R. Moshe b. Nachman and Seforno similarly.  Ramban points out that infants, in contrast, are not obligated in the commandment at all  as they will not be able to comprehend anything.

¹⁰ He could have also said that

¹¹ See above point, however, how Abarbanel explains that this fear will later facilitate learning and observance.

¹² Several modern scholars have attempted to develop this position further. 

¹³ R. D"Z Hoffmann also asserts that the assembly of Hakhel should lead people to reflect on their original acceptance of the Torah, when the nation declared, "נעשה ונשמע".

¹⁴ See Midrash HaGAdol who already points to some of these parallels.  See also R. Herzog's address during the Hakhel ceremony of 5706 who points to the parallels as perhaps being the source of Rambam's position.

¹⁵ R. Hirsch points out that the whole point of Sukkot is to commemorate the period in the Wilderness when the nation lived via Hashem's miraculous sustenance and protection. The year after Shemittah, the people relive that experience as they depend on Him for food..

¹⁶ Thus, Moshe and Yehoshua ensured that it was specifically at turning point's in the nation's history, in Arvot Moav before Moshe's death and at Har Eval upon entry into the Land, that there was a renewal of the original covenant.

¹⁷ See his article, פרשת וילך - הקהל.

¹⁸ See there how the verses highlight that everyone attended, including "כֹּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, טַפְּכֶם נְשֵׁיכֶם וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶיךָ " the same four groups mentioned by Hakhel.

¹⁹ See the Hittite treaty of the king Shuppiluliuma with the kingdom of Mittani which declares, "at regular intervals they shall read it in the presence of the king of the Mitanni land..." (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, ed. James Pritchard (Princeton, 1969): 205).