The Rebbe's shturem about Hakhel and his instructions of how to act like a "Hakhel Yid" are well known — to utilize every opportunity to make Hakhel gatherings of Jews, to strengthen observance of Mitzvos and Yiras Shomayim, to increase unity. A proper explanation, however, of what Hakhel actually is b'pnimiyus is hard to find. Nevertheless, there are hints in the Rebbe's words that can help flesh out our picture of Hakhel and give us increased chayus in this important matter.
First, let us note some of the dramatic events that occurred in Hakhel years:
5713 — the evil "Doctor's Plot" in Russia, and the sudden death of Stalin as a result of that year’s Purim farbrengen.
5727 — the great fear before the Six Day War, followed by the great victory.
5734 — the tragic outbreak of the Yom Kippur war, which turned into a miraculous victory.
5741 — the existential threat of a nuclear reactor in Iraq, and the successful bombing of that reactor by the Israeli Air Force.
In the year 5748, the year with the biggest "shturem" about Hakhel, the Rebbe made a small comment which contains a big hint about what is behind the scenes of a Hakhel year. In a Yechidus Klolis on 24 Kislev (before Chanukah) the Rebbe introduced a new hora'ah (putting a Chanukah menorah in the doorway of a child's room) with the following words*:
“Since we are found in a shnas Hakhel, and correspondingly there is a strengthening of undesirable things (which have already come, and which are able to come, ch"v). Therefore the best thing and the most fitting thing is to increase light in the world.”
We need to ask: Isn’t a shnas Hakhel about a holy gathering of Yidden in the Beis Hamikdosh, hearing Torah from the King? What connection is there to “undesirable things"?! In fact, we find such a concept alluded to in the sicha of Miketz 5752, where the Rebbe says:
“Our approaching the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu is also the reason for the strengthening of the darkness in the world — because it is due to the strengthening of holiness that there comes about a strengthening of the opposing side, which opposes the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, and there is a need to fight with the opponent…”
In a similar vein, the Rebbe mentions in a sicha1 that he heard from the Frierdiker Rebbe that in the year 5666 the Rebbe Rashab was "fearful" because that year was a ketz for Moshiach to come (in addition to it being motzie a leap year). A ketz for Moshiach evidently fits with the concern of a "strengthening of the opposing side which opposes the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu", but what does that have to do with a shnas Hakhel? We can recall that shnas Hakhel follows the 7th (shmitta) year, and is called in the gemara "motzie shvi'is". The gemara2 states:
"In the 6th year, voices; in the 7th year, wars; in motzie shvi'is, ben Dovid comes".
This seemingly hints that a shnas Hakhel — "motzie shvi'is" — is in some way a recurring "ketz" for Moshiach. (We even see that shnas Hakhel is referred to in the Torah3 with the word "ketz": "miketz sheva shonim" “at the ketz [end] of seven years”). We can already see the connection with the Rebbe’s expression that a shnas Hakhel is a time when there is a danger of the “strengthening of undesirable matters”, much like a ketz. The Rebbe himself mentions4 that:
“The shnas Hakhel is also connected with Geuloh — being that it is ‘motzie shvi’is’, a time that is ripe for the coming of ben Dovid.”
In other words, motzie shvi’is is a type of ketz. And we already saw that the Rebbe Rashab had reason to be fearful from a shnas ketz. The Sifsei Cohen5 (the Sha”ch) provides an example of a ketz that was “exchanged”, r”l: he calculated that the year 5408 was to be a year of Geuloh, but instead the opportunity was "turned over" and became a year of bloody massacres (the infamous Tach v'Tat).
In 57136 the Rebbe himself refers to such an “exchange”, saying:
“As we are standing on the cusp of Rosh Hashona of motzie shmitta — may it be Hashem’s will that the words of our sages will be fulfilled ‘on motzie shvi'is ben Dovid comes’ (in exchange for the fact that churban habayis was on motzie shvi'is)...”
The Rebbe is referring to the gemara7 which states that churban bayis rishon and bayis sheini both took place motzie shvi'is. In more recent generations: the Russian Revolution, the rise to power of the Nazi party, and the German invasion of Poland (the beginning of World War II) all took place on motzie shvi'is. Unfortunately, many times the ketz of motzie shvi'is was “exchanged”, and instead of ben Dovid, there was a "strengthening of undesirable things".
However, with the dawn of Rebbe’s nesius, we find the potential in motzie shvi'is consistently being channeled to positive results. We see that the Rebbe has successfully used the power of Hakhel to bring out the great potential of the ketz of motzie shvi'is to transform darkness to light (as seen b'gashmiyus in events of many of the Hakhel years of the Rebbe's nesius).
More than that, the Rebbe has given each one of us the keys to do the same thing. In a michtav Kloli in 57278 the Rebbe wrote that in a shnas Hakhel:
"There is a nesinas koach that also an individual Yid has the power (if he only will truly want) to affect and change... an entire city... and he has the ability to affect change in the world..."
And the way we affect this change is through Hakhel, as the Rebbe wrote explicitly in 57349, following the Yom Kippur war:
“An additional emphasis on the Hakhel of the men, women, and children took place with the event that began on Yom Kippur this year, which was directed at the men, women, and children as they comprise kahal bnei Yisroel. Everyone uniting to gather10 is what saved and will continue to save all Jewish people.”
Motzi shvi'is is a ketz of Moshiach. When we successfully capitalize on it, we have an aspect of Geuloh11: “ben Dovid comes”. When it is “exchanged”, r”l, the opponents of Beis Dovid rise up: “on motzei shvi’is Yeravam took rulership over Yisroel”.12
Hakhel is connected with the Beis Hamikdosh. Churban haBayis created the opposite of Hakhel — golus. Only through the leadership of the Rebbe has Hakhel returned to prominence, and we can see its positive effects. The Rebbe “builds the Mikdash in his place”, and continues to expand and enlarge it13, and he gives every Yid the power to take a part in turning the ketz of a shnas Hakhel into Geuloh.14
By fulfilling the Rebbe's instructions to use every opportunity to gather Yidden together for words of Torah and Yiras Shomayim, we are able to "affect change in the world", affecting the miraculous destruction of Israel's enemies in a way of "they will speak a thing but it won't come to pass" ("utzu eitza..."). We add in light to nullify the undesirable matters, until not only the darkness is pushed away and nullified — but until the darkness itself shines, as the posuk states15: Even darkness will not conceal from You and the night will shine like the day, as darkness so is the light."
Sources and notes:
*) In 5748, close to the time of this sicha, was the outbreak of the first Intifada. Interestingly, in the Hakhel years of 5755, 5762, 5769, 5776 we don’t find such dramatic events. Perhaps this is an example of “the one to whom a miracle occurs does not recognize the miracle”?
1) Va’era 5711
2) Sanhedrin 97a
3) Devorim 31:10
4) Nights of Pesach, 5748
5) Sefer Megillas Eifa
6) Erev Rosh Hashona, 5713
7) Erchin 11b
8) 19 Kislev, 5727
9) Likutei Sichos 10:194
10) In the days before and after Rosh Hashona 5734 the Rebbe called for gatherings of children in Eretz Yisroel. (Additionally, the Rebbe instructed R' Ezra Shochet to visit the Western Wall on Sukkos and to learn pesukim of Hakhel there).
11) Psikta Rabbosi, parsha 37
12) Yerushalmi Avodah Zora 1:1
13) Interesting to note that the three major expansions of 770 took place in the Hakhel years 5720 and 5727, and in late 5733 in preparation for Tishrei of the coming Hakhel year.
14) Among the other “undesirable things” which occurred in “motzei hashvi’is”: Napoleon’s conquering of Europe (5566), the Cantonist decree (5587). Examples of Geuloh in Hakhel years: the original 19 Kislev (5559), Napoleon’s defeat in Russia (5573), the printing of Likkutei Torah (5608).
15) Tehillim 139:12