To gather all of Israel on the festival of Sukkot: That we were commanded that the people of Israel gather in its entirety — men, women, and children — at the closing of the sabbatical year on the festival of Sukkot on the second day of the festival, and read a little from the book of Mishneh Torah in their ears, which is the book of Deuteronomy. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 31:12), “Gather all the nation — the men, the women, and the children, etc.” And this is the commandment of gathering (hak’hel) that is mentioned in the Gemara; like the matter that they said in the first [chapter] of Kiddushin 34a, “But behold, gathering which is a positive commandment that is caused by time, and women are obligated!” And they explained at the end of the topic, “We do not learn from general rules,” which means to say that truthfully women are obligated in this commandment.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because the entire essence of the people of Israel is the Torah; and through it are they separated from every nation and language, to be meritorious for life of the forever — eternal pleasure that is not surpassed by anything among the creatures. Therefore since their entire essence is in it, it is fitting that everyone should gather together at one point in time to hear its words, and for the voice to go out among the whole nation — men, women, and children — to say, “What is the great gathering, that we have all been gathered together?” And the answer would be, “To hear the words of the Torah, which is our entire essence and glory and splendor.” And they will come from this to tell of the great praise and the splendor of its value; and its yearning will enter all of their hearts. And with this yearning for it, they will learn to know God and merit good, and “God will be happy with His creations” — like the matter that is written in explanation of this commandment “and in order that they will learn and fear the Lord.”
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memories be blessed, said (Sotah 41a, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Festival Offering 3:3) that the king was the one that was obligated to read it in their ears. And he would read it in the women’s yard [of the Temple]. And he reads while sitting, but if he read while standing, behold that is praiseworthy. And from where does he read? From the beginning of the book of Eleh HaDevarim (Deuteronomy) until the end of the section of Shema Yisrael (Deuteronomy 6:9), and he skips to Vehaya im shamo’ah and finishes that section (Deuteronomy 11:13-21), and [then] skips to Aser te’aser (Deuteronomy 14:22) and reads from Aser te’aser according to [its proper] order, until the end of the blessings and curses, up until “besides for the covenant which He made with them in Chorev” (Deuteronomy 28:69), and stops.
And how does he read (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Festival Offering 3:4)? They blow trumpets throughout Jerusalem, and bring a big stage — and it was made of wood — and stand it up in the middle of the Women’s Courtyard, and the king walks over and sits on it, so that they will hear his reading, and all of Israel that came for the Festival gather around him. And the sexton of the [Temple] synagogue takes a Torah Scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue, and the head of the synagogue gives it to the assistant [high priest], and the assistant gives it to the high priest, and the high priest gives it to the king, in order to glorify him through the many people. And the king receives it while he is standing, and if he wants, he sits. And he opens it and recites a blessing, in the way that everyone who reads from the Torah in the synagogue recites a blessing; and he reads the sections which we said, and recites a blessing after it, in the way that they recite the blessing in synagogues. And he adds seven [blessings], and these are them: “Be pleased, Lord our God, with Your people Yisrael and their prayer” (Retseh); “We are thankful to You” (Modim); “You chose us from [among] all the peoples” (Atah bechartanu), until “Who sanctifies Israel and the times” — behold, three blessings like their [usual] imprint; [in] the fourth he prays for the Temple and finishes it, “the One Who dwells in Zion”; [in] the fifth he prays for Israel, that their kingdom should stand, and concludes it, “the One Who chooses Israel”; [in] the sixth he prays for the priests and concludes it, “sanctifies the priests”; in the seventh he supplicates and prays, according to that which he is able, and concludes it, “save, Lord, Your nation Israel, for Your nation Israel needs to be saved. Blessed are You, Lord, Who listens to prayer.”
This commandment is practiced at the time when Israel is on their Land. And one who transgresses this, whether man or woman, and did not come on this appointed time to hear the words of the Torah — and so [too,] the king, if he does not want to read — has violated this positive commandment. And their punishment is very great, because this commandment is a strong pillar and great honor for the religion.
לְהַקְהִיל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת – שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ שֶׁיִּקָּהֵל עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלּוֹ אֲנָשִׁים וְנָשִׁים וְטַף, בְּמוֹצָאֵי שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה בְּחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי בֶּחָג וְלִקְרֹא קְצָת מִסֵּפֶר מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם, שֶׁהוּא אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים לא, יב) הַקְהֵל אֶת הָעָם הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְגוֹמֵר. וְזֹאת הִיא מִצְוַת הַקְהֵל הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בַּגְּמָרָא, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ בָּרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל קִדּוּשִׁין (לד, א) וַהֲרֵי הַקְהֵל דְּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא הוּא וְנָשִׁים חַיָּבוֹת? וּפֵרְשׁוּ בְּסוֹף הָעִנְיָן, אֵין לְמֵדִין מִן הַכְּלָלוֹת, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהָאֱמֶת שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים חַיָּבוֹת בְּזֹאת הַמִּצְוָה.
To gather all of Israel on the festival of Sukkot: That we were commanded that the people of Israel gather in its entirety — men, women, and children — at the closing of the sabbatical year on the festival of Sukkot on the second day of the festival, and read a little from the book of Mishneh Torah in their ears, which is the book of Deuteronomy. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 31:12), “Gather all the nation — the men, the women, and the children, etc.” And this is the commandment of gathering (hak’hel) that is mentioned in the Gemara; like the matter that they said in the first [chapter] of Kiddushin 34a, “But behold, gathering which is a positive commandment that is caused by time, and women are obligated!” And they explained at the end of the topic, “We do not learn from general rules,” which means to say that truthfully women are obligated in this commandment.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁכָּל עִקָּרָן שֶׁל עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל, הִיא הַתּוֹרָה, וּבָהּ יִפָּרְדוּ מִכָּל אֻמָּה וְלָשׁוֹן לִהְיוֹת זוֹכִין לְחַיֵּי עַד, תַּעֲנוּג נִצְחִי שֶׁאֵין לְמַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ בַּנִּבְרָאִים, עַל כֵּן בִּהְיוֹת כָּל עִקָּרָן בָּהּ רָאוּי שֶׁיִּקָּהֲלוּ הַכֹּל יַחַד בִּזְמַן אֶחָד מִן הַזְּמַנִּים לִשְׁמֹעַ דְּבָרֶיהָ, וְלִהְיוֹת הַקּוֹל יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ כָּל הָעָם, אֲנָשִׁים וְנָשִׁים וָטָף לֵאמֹר מָה הַקִּבּוּץ הָרַב הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּתְקַבַּצְנוּ יַחַד כֻּלָּנוּ? וְתִהְיֶה הַתְּשׁוּבָה, לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא כָּל עִקָּרֵנוּ וְהוֹדֵנוּ וְתִפְאַרְתֵּנוּ, וְיָבוֹאוּ מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ לְסַפֵּר בְּגֹדֶל שִׁבְחָהּ וְהוֹד עֶרְכָּהּ וְיַכְנִיסוּ הַכֹּל בְּלִבָּם חִשְׁקָהּ, וְעִם הַחֵשֶׁק בָּהּ יִלְמְדוּ לָדַעַת אֶת הַשֵּׁם וְיִזְכּוּ לְטוֹבָה, וְיִשְׂמַח הַשֵּׁם בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּפֵרוּשׁ בְּזֹאת הַמִּצְוָה וּלְמַעַן יִלְמְדוּ וְיָרְאוּ אֶת יְיָ.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] because the entire essence of the people of Israel is the Torah; and through it are they separated from every nation and language, to be meritorious for life of the forever — eternal pleasure that is not surpassed by anything among the creatures. Therefore since their entire essence is in it, it is fitting that everyone should gather together at one point in time to hear its words, and for the voice to go out among the whole nation — men, women, and children — to say, “What is the great gathering, that we have all been gathered together?” And the answer would be, “To hear the words of the Torah, which is our entire essence and glory and splendor.” And they will come from this to tell of the great praise and the splendor of its value; and its yearning will enter all of their hearts. And with this yearning for it, they will learn to know God and merit good, and “God will be happy with His creations” — like the matter that is written in explanation of this commandment “and in order that they will learn and fear the Lord.”
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה מא, א רמב"ם חגיגה פ"ג ה"ג) שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ הוּא הָיָה הַמְחֻיָּב לִקְרֹא בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם. וּבְעֶזְרַת הַנָּשִׁים הָיָה קוֹרֵא. וְקוֹרֵא כְּשֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב וְאִם קָרָא מְעֻמָּד הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח. וּמֵהֵיכָן הוּא קוֹרֵא? מִתְּחִלַּת סֵפֶר אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים עַד סוֹף פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמְדַלֵּג לִוְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ, וְגוֹמֵר אוֹתָהּ פָּרָשָׁה, וּמְדַלֵּג לְעַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר, וְקוֹרֵא מֵעַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר עַל הַסֵּדֶר עַד סוֹף בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת עַד מִלְּבַד הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת אִתָּם בְּחֹרֵב, וּפוֹסֵק.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memories be blessed, said (Sotah 41a, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Festival Offering 3:3) that the king was the one that was obligated to read it in their ears. And he would read it in the women’s yard [of the Temple]. And he reads while sitting, but if he read while standing, behold that is praiseworthy. And from where does he read? From the beginning of the book of Eleh HaDevarim (Deuteronomy) until the end of the section of Shema Yisrael (Deuteronomy 6:9), and he skips to Vehaya im shamo’ah and finishes that section (Deuteronomy 11:13-21), and [then] skips to Aser te’aser (Deuteronomy 14:22) and reads from Aser te’aser according to [its proper] order, until the end of the blessings and curses, up until “besides for the covenant which He made with them in Chorev” (Deuteronomy 28:69), and stops.
וְכֵיצַד הוּא קוֹרֵא (רמב"ם שם הי"ד) ? תּוֹקְעִין בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת בְּכָל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, וּמְבִיאִין בִּימָה גְּדוֹלָה, וְשֶׁל עֵץ הָיְתָה, וּמַעֲמִידִין אוֹתָהּ בְּאֶמְצַע עֶזְרַת נָשִׁים, וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הוֹלֵךְ וְיוֹשֵׁב עָלֶיהָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ קְרִיאָתוֹ, וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעוֹלִים לֶחָג מִתְקַבְּצִים סְבִיבָיו. וְחַזַּן הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹטֵל סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה וְנוֹתְנוֹ לְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְרֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת נוֹתְנוֹ לַסְּגָן, וְהַסְּגָן נוֹתְנוֹ לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, וְהַכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל נוֹתְנוֹ לַמֶּלֶךְ, כְּדֵי לְהַדְּרוֹ בְּרֹב בְּנֵי אָדָם. וְהַמֶּלֶךְ מְקַבְּלוֹ כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד וְאִם רָצָה יוֹשֵׁב, וּפוֹתֵחַ וּמְבָרֵךְ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ כָּל קוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְקוֹרֵא הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, וּמְבָרֵךְ לְאַחֲרֶיהָ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמְּבָרְכִין בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת, וּמוֹסִיף שֶׁבַע, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, רְצֵה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכוּ', וּמוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ, אַתָּה בְּחַרְתָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים, עַד מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַזְּמַנִּים כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמְּבָרְכִין בַּתְּפִלָּה, הֲרֵי שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת כְּמַטְבֵּעָן. רְבִיעִית מִתְפַּלֵּל עַל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְגוֹמֵר בָּהּ הַשּׁוֹכֵן בְּצִיּוֹן. חֲמִישִׁית מִתְפַּלֵּל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁתַּעֲמֹד מַלְכוּתָם, וְחוֹתֵם הַבּוֹחֵר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. שִׁשִּׁית מִתְפַּלֵּל עַל הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁיִּרְצֵם הָאֵל, וְחוֹתֵם בָּהּ מְקַדֵּשׁ הַכֹּהֲנִים. שְׁבִיעִית מִתְחַנֵּן וּמִתְפַּלֵּל בָּהּ כְּפִי מָה שֶׁהוּא יָכוֹל וְחוֹתֵם בָּהּ הוֹשַׁע הַשֵּׁם אֶת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִים לְהִוָּשַׁע. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הַשֵּׁם שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה.
And how does he read (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Festival Offering 3:4)? They blow trumpets throughout Jerusalem, and bring a big stage — and it was made of wood — and stand it up in the middle of the Women’s Courtyard, and the king walks over and sits on it, so that they will hear his reading, and all of Israel that came for the Festival gather around him. And the sexton of the [Temple] synagogue takes a Torah Scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue, and the head of the synagogue gives it to the assistant [high priest], and the assistant gives it to the high priest, and the high priest gives it to the king, in order to glorify him through the many people. And the king receives it while he is standing, and if he wants, he sits. And he opens it and recites a blessing, in the way that everyone who reads from the Torah in the synagogue recites a blessing; and he reads the sections which we said, and recites a blessing after it, in the way that they recite the blessing in synagogues. And he adds seven [blessings], and these are them: “Be pleased, Lord our God, with Your people Yisrael and their prayer” (Retseh); “We are thankful to You” (Modim); “You chose us from [among] all the peoples” (Atah bechartanu), until “Who sanctifies Israel and the times” — behold, three blessings like their [usual] imprint; [in] the fourth he prays for the Temple and finishes it, “the One Who dwells in Zion”; [in] the fifth he prays for Israel, that their kingdom should stand, and concludes it, “the One Who chooses Israel”; [in] the sixth he prays for the priests and concludes it, “sanctifies the priests”; in the seventh he supplicates and prays, according to that which he is able, and concludes it, “save, Lord, Your nation Israel, for Your nation Israel needs to be saved. Blessed are You, Lord, Who listens to prayer.”
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ, בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עַל אַדְמָתָם. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה בֵּין אִישׁ בֵּין אִשָּׁה וְלֹא בָּא בַּמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה, וְכֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם לֹא רָצָה לִקְרוֹת, בִּטְּלוּ עֲשֵׂה זֶה. וְעָנְשָׁם גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, כִּי זֹאת הַמִּצְוָה עַמּוּד חָזָק וְכָבוֹד גָּדוֹל בַּדָּת.
This commandment is practiced at the time when Israel is on their Land. And one who transgresses this, whether man or woman, and did not come on this appointed time to hear the words of the Torah — and so [too,] the king, if he does not want to read — has violated this positive commandment. And their punishment is very great, because this commandment is a strong pillar and great honor for the religion.