One of the fascinating aspects of the Mitzva of Hakhel - which does not get much attention - is the fact that this Mitzva was the last Mitzva to be given over explicitly (as opposed to the mitzva of writing a Seifer Torah which is only alluded to in the p’sukim) to the Jewish people by Moshe Rabbeinu. As a matter of fact, it was given to the Jewish people on the day of the passing of Moshe.
In this week’s Torah portion we learn about the commandments of building the Mishkan and its’ vessels as well as the garments of the Kohanim and the Kohen Gadol. The commandment to build the Mishkan is an eternal one, as the main commandment is to build a home for Hashem inside each and every Jew. As our sages say on the Pasuk (Truma 25:8) “And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst,” “The verse does not say, ‘and I will dwell within it,’ but ‘and I will dwell within them,’ within each and every one of them.”
This Shabbos – Parshas Truma – is also the first Shabbos of Chodesh Adar Rishon. Everyone knows that Chazal say (Taanis 29) “Mi’sh’nichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha, When the month of Adar arrives we should increase our joy.”
For the past few months, we have been sharing weekly insights from the Rebbe on the concept of Hakhel, based primarily on the Sichos of 5748, a year of Hakhel.
This week - the week following Yud Shvat - we read Parshas B’Shalach. The highlight of the Parsha is the miraculous splitting of the sea and the singing of “Az Yashir”, hence the nickname for this Shabbos: Shabbos Shira - the Shabbos of song.
This Shabbos – Parshas Bo – is the Shabbos before Yud Shvat. While there are many special things that happened on Yud Shvat (histalkus of Rebbetzin Rivka, histalkus of the Frierdike Rebbe, and the Kabbalas HaNesius of the Rebbe), our main focus needs to be on our connection with the Nasi – the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach – today in 5776.
This Shabbos, Parshas VaEira, is also 28 Teves, the birthday of Rebbetzin Chana a”h, the mother of the Rebbe MH”M. In her honor,
This Shabbos (Parshas Shmos) falls out between two very special dates: 20 Teves – the Yahrtzait of the Rambam, and 24 Teves, the Yahrtzait of the Alter Rebbe.
This week was the fast day of the tenth of Teves. On that day, in the year 3336 from Creation (425 BCE), the armies of the Babylonian emperor Nevuchadnetzar laid siege to Yerushalayim. Later, the city walls were breached, and on 9 Av of that year the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed. The Jewish people were exiled to Babylonia for 70 years.
This week we celebrate the special victory of Hey Teves, the day that – in the year 5747 – the federal court ruled that all the s’farim that were taken from the library of the Rebbe should be returned. The next year – Year of Hakhel 5748 – the day of 5 Teves fell out on Shabbos. Chassidim were unsure if the Rebbe wanted the day to be marked with a celebration or not.
Chanuka has turned into a real Yom Tov of gatherings. Whether it is the activities that we do to spread the light and miracle of Chanuka with others or with our own family, it seems that every night we are attending a different gathering. In 5748 – a year of Hakhel – the Rebbe encouraged that we use these times that we are gathered anyway as Hakhel gatherings. The Rebbe said that he would lead this campaign by example, and therefore the Rebbe said a sicha every day (after the lighting of the candles) speaking about the Torah portion of the day and the uniqueness of each and every night of Chanuka.
In this week’s Parsha we learn of the descent of Yosef HaTzaddik into slavery in Egypt. This eventually led to the entire Jewish people going to Egypt and the entire story of Yetzias Mitzrayim.
March 2, 2016