Do You Want To Be
King For A Day?
Parshat Vayeilech, Shabbat Shuvah:
Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30; Hosea 14:2-
10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27.
0
n the High Holidays, we stand
in awe before the Almighty.
In the holiest moments of
the year, we stand in solemnity with ...
everyone.
We're all here. No matter
who or what we are, we stand
as one before our Creator.
This brings to mind a
special occasion mentioned
in the Torah portion of this
week, which is especially
pertinent this year. It's called
Hak'hel — Assemble. In
Temple times, every Jew was
commanded to gather in the
Temple every seventh year on
the festival of Sukkot to hear
from the Jewish king.
Imagine the incredible scene: From
near and far — from Jerusalem to the
farthest place a Jew resided, they all
came. Men, women, children — even
infants! Hundreds of thousands made
the trip to the Temple in Jerusalem. With
the mass of Jews standing shoulder-to-
shoulder in an all-encompassing spirit of
awe and reverence, the atmosphere was
charged with wonder and anticipation.
Suddenly, the King of Israel stepped
out on a platform overlooking the mas-
sive assembly. He read aloud from a spe-
cial Torah scroll, inspiring and moving
the nation. The emotion and intensity
of the moment was reminiscent of Sinai,
where the Jewish people stood as one
ready to receive the Torah.
The Jewish people were inspired. They
became closer to God. But even more so,
they united as a people. Hak'hel brought
a spirit of love, oneness and singularity
to a nation of unique individuals.
This powerful event consecrated that
entire year as a Shnas Hak'hel — Year
of Assembly — a year dedicated to
strengthening the unity of the Jewish
people.
Had the Holy Temple been standing
today, we'd be buying tickets to Jerusalem
for Hak'hel this year! Even without the
Temple, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righ-
teous memory, taught that the spiritual
energy still exists for us to tap into and
take advantage of. This year
is dedicated to bringing Jews
together, and whenever Jews
gather together for a good
purpose during the next 12
months, it is considered a
"Hak'hel event:'
But who is the king who
will inspire?
Each of us has a sphere of
influence — ourselves, our
family, colleagues and friends
— over which we should be
"Hak'hel kings:' Our goal
this year should be to help unite Jewish
people together, and serve as that kingly
inspiration to better our individual con-
nection with God and our interpersonal
relationships as friends as a community.
On a personal note, this year, a "Year
of Hak'hel," The Shul Chabad Lubavitch
— which falls within my sphere of influ-
ence — celebrates its bar mitzvah, 13
years in our new center. It is a center that
gathers Jews together as one.
Looking back, it is inspiring to witness
how the forming of a warm, tolerant
and loving atmosphere created a ripple
effect of positivity. It began with a hand-
ful in our corner of West Bloomfield and
spread to hundreds and, then, thousands
of others in all parts of the community.
Yet, it is not only a "Shul" that can do
this. During Hak'hel, everyone is encour-
aged and empowered to do the same.
Each of us, as king over our own
circle, can, in turn, inspire a nation.
It is time for us to realize that leader-
ship potential, to take reign and become
king! This Hak'hel, let's work together to
inspire one another.
It is Hak'hel. It is time to unite.
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Kasriel Shemtov is rabbi at The Shul
Chabad Lubavitch in West Bloomfield.
10900753
1961830
September 17 • 2015
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