In Deuteronomy 31; 10-12 Moses conveys the Torah’s 612th commandment: “…at the end of every seven years… on the Festival of Sukkot. When all Israel comes to appear before the Lord, your G-d, in the place that He shall choose, you shall read this Torah before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people the men, women, and the little ones, and your stranger… so that they may hear, and so that they may learn; and revere the Lord your G-d and observe to perform all the words of this Torah.”
This in-depth mini-series focuses on the page in Masechet Sotah that records the teachings of our Sages about this rare Mitzvah. The Talmud (and its multi-layered commentaries) richly define and elucidate the details that govern the fulfillment of this enigmatic biblical commandment.
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Climax of the Series on Hakhel, Part Eight. Tractate Sotah, Chapter Seven, Page 41b
HONOUR OF KINGS II ~ Was Righteous Relinquishing of Royal Respect, Right or Wrong?
In this Eighth and final Episode, we conclude analyzing the pithy information on fulfilling the biblical Septennial Assembly Mitzvah of Hakhel that’s available in the Mishna.
As we’ve learnt gathering the nation for an event that leaves the maximum after-effect calls for the participatory leadership of a supreme royal figure — if possible.
The inspiring atmosphere at our Septennial Assembly was created, in part, by the sitting Monarch playing the pivotal role.
Ultimately, much of Hakhel’s unique aura revolved around the Crown, and the King’s Honour therefore comes to be viewed an important component of the Mitzvah.
This helps us appreciate our desired involvement of even a less-than-fully-sanctioned regent who represented (at best) a dubious, non-accredited monarchy.
The unorthodox humility of one such supreme political leader, leads into a discussion of whether any governing monarch may ever relinquish royal esteem without inappropriately –and unlawfully diminishing the honour of the monarchy itself?
The same foreigner-King’s surprising emotional outburst elicited an even more surprisingly flattering response from the Torah-sage-led-nation. Was their flattery a tragic and costly mistake?
Finally, we’ll discover how this sheds light on, and provides a better, fuller comprehension of the Mitzvah of Hakhel itself!
This Eighth Episode, bringing our special mini- series on Hakhel to its royal conclusion, has been generously sponsored by Michelle Kahn celebrating the life of her beloved Mother, Ettie Florence, Etel bat Harav Avraham Mendel OBM, whose Yahrzeit was observed on Yud Shevat.
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