As we embark upon the summer season, one may find themselves pondering the significance of Hakhel at this point. In the Sicha of Shabbos Acharei-Kedoshim 5748, the Rebbe addressed this very concern.
As we embark upon the summer season, the latter half of this momentous year of Hakhel, one may find themselves pondering the significance of Hakhel at this point in time. To shed light on this matter, Vaad Or Vechom Hahiskahsrus is pleased to present an excerpt from the Sicha of Shabbos Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim 5748, in which the Rebbe provides addresses this very concern. (see below)
Additionally, you are welcome to explore our Hakhel resource site, with hundreds of pages of content in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew. The site includes a large selection of the Rebbe’s Sichos on Hakhel along with practical suggestions and resources to assist you in implementing your very own Hakhel gathering with your family, friends, and co-workers. Also featured is a large collection of reading material, videos, and a section dedicated to child-friendly material.
Browse the site at ShnasHakhel.com
FREE TRANSLATION:
And from here we can answer those who ask why we make such a big deal about “Hakhel” throughout the entire year, when we’re talking about an event that took place in the Beis Hamikdash, and only at the beginning of the year (during Sukkos)?!
The response to this – as emphasized multiple times – is that the intention is not the actual mitzvah of “Hakhel,” but rather, a hisorerus in Torah and mitzvos resulting from the gathering of many Yidden, as highlighted in Rashi’s commentary [at the beginning of Parshas Kedoshim] – that this passage was stated at a gathering of all Yidden – Hakhel – because most of the fundamental teachings of the Torah are dependant on it.
And this is why we need to “make noise” about Hakhel: The fact that Moshiach has not yet arrived proves that there is still something lacking in “our deeds and avodah.” Therefore, we must add another peulah and yet another peulah.
And since the peulah of Hakhel brings about a special hisorerus in our “deeds and avodah,” the question is not why we make such a big deal about it this year, but rather why we did not do the same last year, when the instruction in Parshas Kedoshim also mentions the relevance of “Hakhel” in relation to the “fundamental teachings of the Torah”!
While we don’t bemoan the past, from now on we should seize every possible opportunity to “gather” yidden together in order to awaken them about fulfilling the “fundamental teachings of the Torah” and all matters of Torah, including things miderabonon, even Minhogei Yisroel, etc.
ומכאן המענה לאלו ש”תואנה הם מבקשים”, ושואלים : מדוע “מרעישים” כל כך אודות הענין ד”הקהל” במשך השנה כולה – בה בשעה שמדובר אודות ענין שהי’ בביהמ”ק, ובתחילת השנה (בחג הסוכות) בלבד?!
והמענה לזה – כפי שהודגש כמ”פ – שאין הכוונה לגדר המצוה ד”הקהל”, כי אם, להתעוררות בעניני תומ”צ שנעשית כתוצאה מזה שמקהילים כו”כ מישראל יחדיו, כמודגש בפירוש רש”י זה – שפרשה שרוב גופי תורה תלויין בה נאמרה בהקהל דוקא.
ומכאן באים להצורך “להרעיש” בהענין ד”הקהל”:
מכיון שמשיח צדקנו עדיין לא בא – הרי זו הוכחה שעדיין חסר משהו ב”מעשינו ועבודתינו”, ובמילא, צריך להוסיף ב”מעשינו ועבודתינו” עוד פעולה ועוד פעולה כו’.
ומכיון שהפעולה ד”הקהל” מביאה להתעוררות מיוחדת ב”מעשינו ועבודתינו”, הרי, השאלה היא – לא מדוע מרעישים אודות הענין ד”הקהל” כשנה זו דוקא, אלא להיפך – מדוע לא הרעישו אודות הענין ד”הקהל” כשנה שעברה, שגם אז היתה ההוראה דפ’ קדושים ע”ד העילוי ד”הקהל” ביחס ל”גופי תורה”!
. . ואין צועקין על העבר, אבל, מכאן ולהבא – יש לנצל כל הזדמנות אפשרית “להקהיל” כו”כ מישראל כדי לעוררם אודות קיום “גופי תורה”, וכל עניני התורה, כולל גם הענינים שמדברי סופרים, עד למנהגי ישראל כו’,
בלתי מוגה
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