A Beracha on the Rally? The Rally Was a Beracha

How many people were going to show up?

From the time I heard a mass rally for Israel was being planned, the question was on my mind. I discussed it with family and friends. There were 250,000 at the Soviet Jewry rally in 1987. 100,000 showed up in 2002 to support for Israel. Maybe we make it interesting and get a betting pool started.

The march organizers, however, deliberately kept attention away from how many would attend. “This rally isn’t about numbers. It’s about supporting Israel.” The press reported that the organizers’ application for a permit was for a space holding 60,000 people. That’s it?!?

Well, we know that, in the end, 300,000 people showed up for Israel. It was the largest Jewish rally in history and one of the largest gatherings in DC ever.

Leading up to the event, I thought there would be a big showing. I even wondered if maybe – maybe – there would be a large enough attendance to recite a beracha.

The Shulchan Aruch states the law (OC 224:5):

“One who sees 600,000 Jews together says the blessing of “Chacham Ha-razim,” which acknowledges God as the One who knows secrets.

While the rally attendance fell short of there being a requirement to recite the beracha, let’s try to understand this blessing - and maybe find a different one present in Tuesday’s event.

A few questions: 

1)  Why is 600,000 people the threshold?

2)  Why is the language of the blessing centered around God as the “Knower of secrets?”

3)  Has this beracha ever been recited?

The 600,000 number represent the Jewish People. It’s the number of Jews who left Egypt and stood at Sinai. It is the number that defines a “rabbim,” a multitude or the public in Jewish law. It is a Jewish way of saying “everybody.”

The blessing refers to God as the “knower of secrets” because when confronting a mass of humanity, one notices just how different each individual is. Think of the expression “two Jews; three opinions.” It connotes the idea that each of us has our own (or even multiple) views. Well, if you have 600,000 Jews together, there is a heck of a lot of individuality in one place. Rather than being impressed by the mass of people or calling this a crowd, we should be in awe that God created so many individuals and only God knows the uniqueness of each. That is a “secret” humans cannot fully understand.

In March 2014, there was a huge prayer gathering in Jerusalem. The crowd was expected to be over 600,000, so rabbis dealt with the question of reciting the beracha of “Chacham HaRazim” in advance. They addressed other complexities of the law. Is there a certain area that needs to contain the crowd? Do you have to see all 600,000 to say the blessing? That may man only reciting the beracha with an aerial view. One rabbi had the winning suggestion: Read the law out of the Shulchan Aruch as it contains the entire text of the beracha. That way even if there was no obligation to recite the blessing, the words would be recited anyway!

What about Tuesday?

Well, we exceeded expectations and made history, but we fell short of the obligation for a beracha. At the same time, we did see a lot of individuality within the unity of purpose on the National Mall. There was palpable sense of togetherness as people from different places and persuasions all came together to stand with Israel. Only God knows the secret in each heart, but we saw the power of our people coming together.

Some rabbis explain the beracha of “Chacham HaRazim” as being recited over the Divine presence that is manifest when 600,000 Jews are in one place. Following the rally, several commented that there were 300,000 rally attendees and 300,000 IDF reservists. On Tuesday, there were 600,000 individuals united for Israel. This was a Kiddush Hashem that testifies to the power of truth and justice.  

There may not have been an obligation to recite a blessing, but Tuesday was a blessing. May that blessing continue to inspire, protect, and propel to victory all who fight for Israel.