The first appearance of the term וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל is after the sin of the golden calf, when G-d introduces the mitzvah of Shabbat. Our Rabbis explain the connection between these two events. Chet HaEgel stemmed from a lack of unity within the Jewish people. איוו לאלוהות הרבה - they yearned for many different G-ds. There was a division amongst the Jewish people due to their idol worship. Additionally, our Rabbis teach that they were interested in other types of immorality, which also influenced this divisiveness. Therefore, G-d introduced the concept of Shabbat to them in פרשת וַיַּקְהֵ֣ל , as a way to regroup and unify the Jewish people. Similarly, in the year following Shemitah , there is a mitzvah of Hakel, to gather the Jewish people. The purpose of this mitzvah is to bring the Jewish people together to keep the messages of Shemitah alive for the next six years. This mitzvah is specifically done on Sukkot following a Shemitah year because Shemitah can teach two important lessons to counteract divisiveness. Firstly, during Shemitah we are taught the lesson of bitachon . This counteracts the sin of the Golden Calf, where the Jewish people didn’t feel that they could deal directly with G-d. Secondly, during Shemitah, we control our desires by limiting our intake, because we are not involved in maintaining our fields. Evidently, Shabbat and Hakel have a similar job: to correct the mistake of not relying directly on G-d and the mistake of getting too involved in worldly matters. On Shabbat, we shut our stores to show our reliance on G-d and our belief that He deals with us directly. Additionally, our eating and drinking on Shabbat is not merely to engage in worldly pleasures, but for kedusha , to uplift the physicality. Sukkot teaches a similar lesson. Sukkot is about going into the sukkah , living with less, and relying on G-d. It is for this reason that the king gathers everyone for Hakel on Sukkot in the year after Shmitah. Additionally, many have the custom to read Kohelet (which also stems from the root of kehillah , to gather). The lessons of Kohelet involve the same idea: הבל הבלים הכל הבל . It speaks about the seven vanities that exist when the world is not uplifted. This Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot we can tap into the lessons gleaned from Shabbat, the Sukkah, and Shemitah (this year follows the Shemitah year). Be’ezrat Hashem, we will internalize these two important messages: not chasing after the הבל , the emptiness and hot air of this world, and recognizing the need to rely on HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Have a Shabbat Shalom and a Chag Sameach.