Immediately following the Shmita (Sabbatical) year, on the first day of Chol HaMoed Sukkot, the entire nation is commanded to go to the Beit HaMikdash for Hakhel, a ceremony where the king reads from the book of Devarim. Since we just completed the Shmitta year, if we had the Beit HaMikdash and a king we would actually be celebrating Hakhel this Sukkot.

The commandment for Hakhel is found in Parshat Vayelech (Devarim 31:12) “Hakhel, Assemble the people- the men and the women and the infants, and your convert who is in your towns; in order for them to hear and in order for them to learn to fear HaShem your God and they will make sure to fulfill all the statements of this Torah”.

Rashi asks why the children also came to Hakhel and answers with a quote from the Talmud in Masechet Chagiga 3a: The children bring merit (schar) to those who brought them”.

Rabbi Natan Adler asks why they should bother bringing the children if the children will disturb the adults in their service of God. Therefore, the Gemara in Chagiga explains that by bringing our children we will receive a schar (merit) which outweighs the loss of the adults being disturbed and not hearing every word perfectly. The excitement of the children and the holy atmosphere of the moment make a deep impression in the hearts of the children and brings them closer to serving God. Even if it seems like “Bitul Torah”, wasting precious time that could be used for Torah study, in the end we see that sometimes you have to be a little bit less rigid in order to educate the children in the ways of Torah and Maasim Tovim (good deeds).

This message especially rings true during the High Holidays. When a child is brought to shul and has the opportunity to listen to the Torah reading and hear the Shofar blowing a tremendous impression is made which can bring them closer to serving God. The look in their eyes as they kiss the Torah or stare up at the Shofar should serve as an inspiration to us all!

PSALMS AT THE WESTERN WALL FOR YOU OR A LOVED ONE CAN BE ARRANGED BY TORAT REVA YERUSHALAYIM

As Yom Kippur approaches, Torat Reva Yerushalayim is proud to introduce a new opportunity to have a learned person recite Psalms on your behalf on a weekly basis at the Kotel (Western Wall).

Jacob, our Forefather calls Jerusalem “The gate of heaven”. According to Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z”l, “Just as things can go in through a gate, so can they emerge. Thus, all spiritual sustenance and blessing come only through Jerusalem , as it is written, ‘God will bless you from Zion ’ (Psalms 128:5). It is taught in the Zohar that God first sends a blessing to Jerusalem , and from there it flows to the entire world. Today, when the Temple no longer stands, the source of this blessing is the Western Wall.”

Tehillim (Psalms) at the Western Wall can be recited on your behalf for the following:

• Health/ Recovery from an illness
• Healthy childbirth
• Shidduch (finding a mate)
• Thanksgiving
• Livelihood & success
• Divine guidance
• Troublesome times
• Repentance
• Peace
  

With your monthly donation of $18 or more (or yearly donation of $180 or more) to Torat Reva Yerushalayim, you will be performing the important mitzvah of contributing toward the Torah education of the forgotten population of senior citizens in Jerusalem, while having your prayers recited by a learned person at the footsteps of Judaism’s holiest site.

Your contribution can be made by mailing a check to Torat Reva Yerushalayim,

75 Berkeley Avenue , Yonkers , NY 10705 or via Paypal, by clicking on the link below and scrolling down to the “Make A Donation” button.

http://toratreva.org/Joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=7