דברים, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ז׳

The gathering at the mountain marks a profound spiritual and public peak for the people, transforming the physical acts of eating and offering sacrifices into a festive, shared meal of a Commandment. This moment is compared to a master who eagerly waits for his servant to come and dine at his table, reflecting the deep and unique closeness between God and His nation [תורה תמימה]. The sacrifices are intended to create a massive public feast [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Participants eat together near the altar, united by a shared sense of gratitude for all the good that God has granted them [ביאור יש״ר].

The requirement to bring peace offerings is highly specific, applying exclusively to animal sacrifices and excluding birds or grain offerings. These offerings can even be purchased using tithe funds [תורה תמימה]. Furthermore, the location for this meal is not a general suggestion but a precise legal boundary. The food must be eaten specifically on Mount Ebal, exactly where the people were commanded to build the altar. Just as it was later forbidden to eat holy foods outside of Jerusalem when the Temple stood, eating these offerings outside the defined area of the mountain is strictly prohibited [העמק דבר].

The command to rejoice before God is rooted in the historic covenant being forged with Him at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal during this very event [ספורנו]. There is a deep connection between this joy and the consumption of the sacrificial meat. When the Temple stood, a state of complete joy was achieved specifically by eating the meat of the peace offerings. While meat naturally brings a sense of gladness and comfort to the soul, ordinary meat consumed today lacks the elevating holiness of the Temple and Jerusalem. Without that sacred context, meat alone is no longer enough to reach perfect joy, and drinking wine is now required to complete the spiritual experience [תורה תמימה].