Whoever is exempt from the pilgrimage is exempt from Hakhel too — except the women, the children and the uncircumcised, who are bound by it; the impure is exempt. Even great sages who know the whole Torah must listen with extra great attention; whoever cannot hear turns his heart to the reading, and sees himself as if he heard it from the mouth of the Almighty: the king is the messenger who makes God's words heard.
Dimensions
- men, women and children
- the women on the gezuztra
Sources
- Deuteronomy 31:12“הַקְהֵל אֶת הָעָם הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ”
- Rambam, Hilchot Chagigah 3:2“כָּל הַפָּטוּר מִן הָרְאִיָּה פָּטוּר מִמִּצְוַת הַקְהֵל חוּץ מִן הַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְהֵעָרֵל. אֲבָל הַטָּמֵא פָּטוּר מִמִּצְוַת הַקְהֵל”
- Rambam, Hilchot Chagigah 3:6“אֲפִלּוּ חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ חַיָּבִין לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּכַוָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה יְתֵרָה… שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁלִיחַ הוּא לְהַשְׁמִיעַ דִּבְרֵי הָאֵל”
- Middot 2:5“וְהִקִּיפוּהָ כְצוֹצְרָה, שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים רוֹאוֹת מִלְמַעְלָן, וְהָאֲנָשִׁים מִלְּמַטָּן, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְעֹרָבִין”
- Ketubot 7:6“וְאֵיזוֹהִי דַת יְהוּדִית, יוֹצְאָה וְרֹאשָׁהּ פָּרוּעַ”
Project decisionTour's choice: the women on the gezuztra, made so that they watch from above — the Mishnah does not name Hakhel; the men and children around the bima, their small number — all Israel was there — and their clothes; the women's veils.