Every seventh year the whole law was to be read in the assembly of all Israel, as Moses commanded: "At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: and that their children, which have not known anything, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it." Deuteronomy 31:10-13.

Hvert syvende år skulle hele loven oplæses i hele Israels påhør i overensstemmelse med Moses' befaling: "Hver gang der er gået syv år, i friåret, på løvhyttefesten, når hele Israel kommer for at stedes for Herren din Guds åsyn på det sted, han udvælger, skal du læse denne lov højt for hele Israel. Kald da folket sammen, mænd, kvinder og børn og de fremmede, som bor inden dine porte, for at de kan høre og lære at frygte Herren Eders Gud og omhyggeligt handle efter alle denne lovs ord; og deres børn, som endnu ikke har lært den at kende, skal høre den og lære at frygte Herren Eders Gud, alle de dage I lever i det land, som I skal ind og tage i besiddelse efter at være gået over Jordan." 5. Mos. 31, 10-13.