THE IMPOSTER KING

TOM’S TALMUD TISCH: Series on Hakhel, Part Three Masechet Sotah, Chap. Seven, Page 41a The Day a Royal Foreigner Led the Hakhel Assembly, and why it was important to preserve this story for Posterity! In our second Episode we examined the reasons the Mishna would goes into details of a seemingly superfluous ceremonial hand-off, and the fabrication of a giant wooden platform that set the stage for the performance of this unique Gathering. In this Episode we will continue studying the Mishna that now strangely introduces us to an exceptional historic phenomenon: a seemingly alien monarch who led us in the performance of this unique Septennial Assembly Mitzvah. While the less than stellar credentials of this King are a matter of dispute, it's clear that this led to a departure of the standard formal procedure. The bigger question is, who precisely was this man, how did it happen, and why is it of lasting relevance to us? This third segment of our unique Hakhel mini- series is dedicated to the Refuah Shleima and, b'Ezrat Hashem, long life of Rebbetzin Henya bat Bracha Devorah Leah.