[Avodah] Who did Hakhel?

[Joel C. Salomon]

On Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 5:43 PM, Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org> wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 04:58:49PM -0400, R J Chesky Salomon wrote to Areivim:
> : Enough of the 10 shevatim returned under Yoshiyahu so they could have
> : a Yovel year; would Hakhel not have occurred as well?
>
> Since according to Qoheles Rabba it didn't, this shitah's answer must be
> "no". (I now also see that QR includes Rashi's source.) Now we just
> have to figure out why.
<snip>
> Yoshiahu's restoration of enough of the shevatim to restart yovel didn't
> lead to an opportunity for Haqhel.

But Haqhel takes place every 7 years, after shemitta.

Perhaps because the bulk of the 10 tribes remained in galus the
Haqhels under Yoshiyahu don't count?  (Presumably kings after Shelomo
-- Chizkiyahu at least -- read the torah in the Azarah but since the
10 tribes absented themselves QR doesn't count them.)

—Chesky