D31-8: The Only Two Times When The Reading Of The Torah On The Sabbatical Year of Sukkot Took Place

“Moshe gave them these orders: ‘At the end of every seven years, during the festival of Sukkot in the year of sh’mittah, when all Isra’el have come to appear in the presence of Adonai at the place he will choose, you are to read this Torah before all Israel, so that they can hear it.  Assemble the people — the men, the women, the little ones and the foreigners you have in your towns — so that they can hear, learn, fear Adonai your God and take care to obey all the words of this Torah; and so that their children, who have not known, can hear and learn to fear Adonai your God, for as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Yarden to possess.'”-Deuteronomy 31:10-13

From verse 10 of Deuteronomy 31, we get a very interesting instruction.

We’re told the whole book of Deuteronomy (referred to as “this Torah”) was to be read aloud to all the people of Israel every 7th year during the Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot in Hebrew).

This was to ensure that all generations of Israel knew the words of the Torah.

Recall that the 7th year of the cycle was known as the Year of SHMITTAH or the Year of Release.

It was in this 7th year that Hebrew slaves were to be freed, land that had been confiscated as collateral on loans was to be returned to their original owners and ALL debts were to be forgiven.

Notice the instruction says during Sukkot the whole congregation of Israel is to gather at the place God will choose.

The place God will choose means wherever the Lord decides to have His central sanctuary (the temple) built.

Also, the “whole congregation” usually only referred to men but check out verse 12.

“Assemble the people — the men, the women, the little ones and the foreigners you have in your towns — so that they can hear, learn, fear Adonai your God and take care to obey all the words of this Torah.”

So in this case, the women, children and even the foreigners were to present themselves at the Temple on the 7th year of Sukkot.

Just to refresh your memory here really quick, recall that Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles is one of the God-ordained pilgrimage festivals that requires the whole congregation of Israel to travel to the Temple.

However, as I just said, the “whole congregation” normally only referred to the male worshippers.

But in the 7th year, the travel requirement up to the Temple was expanded to include EVERY HEBREW irrespective of age or gender.

Why was this so important?

It was important so every member of Israel could hear the reading of the Torah (in this case, mainly from the Book of Deuteronomy).

Having said all that, there is one unfortunate thing I need to mention.

Do you remember I told you before that we don’t have ONE SINGLE INSTANCE of Israel ever obeying the Law of Jubilee (the 50 year cycle of release).

Well, along similar lines, there are only two occasions in all of Tanach when this law of reading the Torah on the 7th Sabbatical Year of Sukkot actually took place.