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THEMES of Featured Mystical Classics Articles

Over Some Good Wine
Binding to the Community of Israel enables one to reach above the stars.
The last two commandments in the Torah are found in parashat Vayelech and are interrelated:

The commandment of Hakhel, a public reading of the Torah by the king after the Sabbatical year, is rooted in the fact that all of Israel is perceived of as a single body. Writing a copy of the Torah for oneself connects one to its commandments, affording him with a close affinity with G-d both on a national and on an individual level.
To Be Read by the King
Kabbalah teaches that before creating the universe, G-d consulted his blueprint - the Torah.
The commandment of Hakhel, the public reading of the Torah by an Israelite king, is found in this Torah portion. The mystical dimension of this commandment is that all people who exist at that time are called to appear before G-d, the King of the universe; therefore it had to be performed by our earthly king, who represents the King in the celestial spheres.
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