PARSHA SUMMARY
Parshas Vayelech opens with Moshe walking through the Jewish camp on the last day of his life, bidding farewell to his beloved people. He teaches them the mitzvah of hakhel (the entire nation gathering once every seven years to hear the king read the book of Deuteronomy). G-d then addresses Moshe and Joshua (who will take over the mantle of leadership), and commands them to write down the Torah. The portion concludes with Moshe expressing concern that the Jews will stray from the Torah after his death and receive punishment from G-d.
Ten Days that Can Make the Year
The once-in-seven-year hakhel gathering must have been something special! This week’s Torah portion tells us that the first night of Chol Hamoed Sukkos (the intermediate days of the Sukkos holiday) following the shemitta year, the entire Jewish nation was to gather at the Temple to hear the king read the entire book of Deuteronomy. This event was so important that everybody attended, even the little infants who surely couldn’t comprehend what was taking place! This gathering of millions of people would surely be a “can’t miss” event, talked about for years afterward.
Perhaps this is exactly why the Torah mandates that hakhel take place after the conclusion of the shemitta year. The commandment to keep shemitta affects every Jewish person living in Israel and beyond. All the farmers are required to leave their fields, letting them lie fallow, and to relinquish ownership of the produce that grows during that year. Anybody has the right to walk in and take produce as they please.
The message of the shemitta year is that we really don’t own the land; it belongs to G-d and we must use it in the way He sees fit. If we do so, we receive tremendous blessings, as promised in the Torah.
Once shemitta concludes life goes back to normal. The farmer once more has a stake in the land, growing on it as necessary and reclaiming ownership of what he grows. Yet the Torah wishes the spiritual message of shemitta to remain with us beyond the actual sabbatical year. Hakhel,where the Torah is read with the entire Jewish nation in attendance, achieves this goal. The book of Deuteronomy discusses many of the commandments that pertain to the land of Israel: shemitta, terumah (present to the kohen), ma’aser (tithing), etc., and the concept of yiras shomayim, fearing G-d. Thus, Hakhel, a most memorable ceremony, keeps the shemitta message alive well into the following year, and beyond.
It’s appropriate that we read about hakhel during the aseres yemei teshuva, the ten days of repentance that begin with Rosh Hashana and end with Yom Kippur. The Jewish heart is stirred during this time of the year, to become a better person, a better Jew and inviting G-d to play a bigger role in life. The age-old challenge is to make the inspiration one feels during these days last throughout the year.
The key to keeping a connection to the “high” of the High Holy Days is to make a spiritual resolution that’s both meaningful and realistic. Just like hakhel, this resolution can serve as a means of preserving our sense of inspiration long after Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and the month of Tishrei have passed.
May we always stay motivated to pursue spiritual growth and through our efforts, may we truly merit a happy and healthy new year.
Shabbos |
Deal |
Lakewood |
Phila |
Marlboro |
Cherry Hill |
East Brunswick |
N.Y. City |
Richboro |
Fair Lawn |
10/3/08 |
6:16 |
6:17 |
6:21 |
6:17 |
6:21 |
6:18 |
6:16 |
6:20 |
6:16 |
10/4/08 Shabbat ends |
7:33 |
7:34 |
7:37 |
7:34 |
7:28 |
7:34 |
7:32 |
7:37 |
7:33 |
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