HAKHEL NOTES

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

This Shabbos we read Parshas VaYishlach. The word VaYishlach means that “Yaakov sent on a mission.” This Parsha comes directly after Parshas “VaYeitzei” which means that Yaakov himself was sent on a mission to Charan. At this point however, not only is he on a mission, he is encouraging others to join him on his special mission. This leads to “VaYeishev,” which means settled, that when all Jews realize that they are on a mission from Hashem and fulfill that mission, we will merit to be settled in Eretz HaKodesh with Moshiach.

In the Sicha of VaYishlach 5748, the Rebbe connects many of the above points to Hakhel:

1) Hakhel is a Mitzvah that united men, women and children. As the Pasuk (D’varim 31:12) says: “Assemble the people: the men, the women, and the children, and your stranger in your cities, in order that they hear, and in order that they learn and fear the Lord, your God, and they will observe to do all the words of this Torah. And their children, who did not know, will hear and learn to fear the Lord, your God, all the days that you live on the land, to which you are crossing the Jordan, to possess.”  

This idea is hinted in the word “VaYishlach.” We must realize that every Jew – man, woman and child – has a neshama and was sent by Hashem on a mission to build a dwelling place for Him and bring Moshiach. It is this mission that is the common-denominator that unites all the Jewish people together.

2) VaYishlach also teaches us that it is not enough for oneself to be a shliach; rather he must inspire others to join the mission. This is the idea of Hakhel. We must go out, gather, and reach all Jews. We must inspire them to add in their fear of Hashem, to the extent that the effect is felt “all the days that you live on the land” and that they are so inspired that they themselves become emissaries of Hakhel to get other Jews involved as well!

Some readers may be wondering: What is the main shlichus of our time that unites all of the Jewish people, men, women and children?

The Rebbe makes it clear in the sicha of the Kinus HaShluchim – the week of Parshas Chayei Sara, which speaks of the first shlichus in the Torah – of the year 5752:

“From the international convention must come and be brought good resolutions such that every shliach must prepare himself and prepare all Jews in his place and city, etc. to greet our righteous Moshiach. This should be done through his explanation of the concept of Moshiach, as explained in the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, in a way that it will be received by everyone according to his intellect and understanding. This includes in particular learning the subject of Moshiach and Redemption, and specifically in a manner of Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge.

“And since this is the Divine service of the time, it’s understood that this applies to every Jew without any exception whatsoever.”

On a separate “Hakhel note,” it is important to point out the following: The Mitzva of Hakhel entailed all of the Jewish people – men, women and children – to come to the Beis HaMikdash and hear words of “Mishneh Torah” (Chumash D’varim) from the Jewish king.

In our generation, our King – the Rebbe – instituted a very special initiative. The Rebbe wants all of the Jewish people – men, women and children – to unite in the learning of “Mishneh Torah” (of the Rambam)! There is no other such learning cycle, that the entire Jewish people unite in the learning of the entire Torah!

[For men, the Rebbe encouraged learning three – or one – chapters a day, while for women and children, the Rebbe wants them to learn the daily Seifer HaMitzvos.]

We are now in the beginning of a new learning cycle. We are privileged that every day, our entire family and community could have our own Hakhel with the Mishneh Torah. May we merit the speedy fulfillment of the final words of the Mishneh Torah (Hilchos Melachim chapter 12):

“In that era, there will be neither famine nor war, envy or competition, for good will flow in abundance and all the delights will be freely available as dust. The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know God. Therefore, the Jews will be great sages and know the hidden matters, grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential, as Isaiah (11:9) states: ‘The world will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the ocean bed.’”

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com.