Every seven years, during Sukkos following Shemitta, the Jewish people gathered in Yerushalayim for the mitzvah of Hakhel. Men, women, and children filled the Beis Hamikdash as the king read from the Torah. The scene was unforgettable: a nation united, standing together, hearing the words of Hashem.
But the Gemara in Chagigah (3a) asks: what was the purpose of bringing the small children? The men came to learn, the women to listen and be inspired, but what about the babies who could not possibly understand? The Gemara answers: They were brought so that their parents would be rewarded.
The Gemara then records a story. Rabbi Yochanan ben Broka and Rabbi Elazar ben Chasma came to visit their teacher, Rabbi Yehoshua, in Pekiin. He asked them, “What new teaching was shared in the Beis Midrash today?” At first they hesitated, saying, “We are your students, and we drink from your waters. What could we possibly add?” But Rabbi Yehoshua pressed them, and they finally told him about Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah’s drasha on Hakhel.
When they shared the explanation that children were brought only to give reward to the parents, Rabbi Yehoshua exclaimed: “A precious jewel you had in your hands, and you wanted to take it away from me!”
The Meshech Chochmah explains: the Yerushalmi records that Rabbi Yehoshua’s mother used to bring his crib into the Beis Midrash so that his ears would absorb Torah even as a baby. Though he was too young to understand, those early moments of exposure planted seeds in his heart that grew into a lifelong passion for Torah.
When Rabbi Yehoshua heard the teaching of Hakhel, he realized that the Torah itself gives value to those early, formative moments. That was exactly his personal story: the reason the light of Torah shone so brightly within him was because of the efforts his mother made when he was small. His students had almost hidden this “jewel” from him, and he was overjoyed when they shared it.
The Maharsham takes this idea even further. When parents bring their children to the Beis Hamikdash, it doesn’t only affect the children it also reflects back on the parents. It shows that this was their true desire all along: to raise children who are connected to Torah and kedushah. That decision reveals retroactively that the parents themselves were living with the same values they now pass on. This is why Rabbi Yehoshua called it a “precious jewel” because it meant that his mother’s actions in bringing him to shul as a baby were now revealed to have everlasting impact.
The Sar Shalom of Belz finds a parallel in a seemingly unrelated place. At a bris milah, in bentching, we say: “May Hashem bless the baby’s father and mother... from the eighth day onward, may his blood be desirable.” Why mention the child’s blood when blessing the father? The Sar Shalom explains: when a father brings his son to a bris, it shows that he agrees with the mitzvah that was done for him as a baby. Retroactively, he receives reward for what his parents did for him without his knowledge. In the same way, when parents bring their small children to Hakhel, it demonstrates that this is what they themselves value, and the merit carries backward and forward through the generations.
A question must be asked: is it really a good idea to bring little children? After all, they make noise, disturb, and prevent the adults from hearing properly. Wouldn’t it be better to leave them at home and allow the parents to focus?
Rav Nosson Adler answers: the benefit for the children is far greater than the loss for the adults. Even if the children are noisy, even if they don’t understand, simply being present at a gathering of Torah and kedushah leaves a lasting impression. They absorb the atmosphere, and that creates a sense of awe and yiras Shamayim within them. The adults might not learn as much, but what they give their children is immeasurable.
This, he explains, is the lesson of Hakhel. The mitzvah is not only about the adults’ learning, but about planting seeds of inspiration in the next generation.
This message is especially powerful for us during the Yamim Noraim. Shuls are full, children are restless, and many people ask: “Why bring them? They just make noise. Leave them at home!”
The Sfas Emes answers with Hakhel. Yes, the children may disturb. Yes, parents may lose some kavana. But the value of the children’s presence outweighs the parents’ loss. By being in shul, they are exposed to the atmosphere of holiness, the sound of tefillah, and the sight of their parents standing before Hashem. Even if they don’t understand a word, the experience seeps into their neshamah and inspires them for life.
This is why the Torah commands: Bring the children. Not because they will understand, but because they will absorb. And because the parents who bring them will be rewarded for prioritizing their children’s future above their own comfort.
Hakhel teaches us a timeless lesson: the greatest investment we can make is in the next generation. Even if it means our own avodah feels a little weaker, even if we lose some concentration, the seeds we plant in our children are worth everything. By simply being present at moments of kedushah, they carry those impressions with them for life. Sometimes the most important thing a parent can do is not what they learn or how deeply they daven, but that they bring their children along for the journey.
