ירמיהו, פרק ל״ד, פסוק ט״ו

The people engage in a profound and public act of repentance directed toward God [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Driven by a desire to correct the sins of their ancestors, they choose to go to the opposite extreme. Instead of waiting for the mandatory six years of servitude to end, they take on a strict moral commitment to release their Hebrew slaves early. This act of freeing a fellow man [מצודת דוד] is considered doing what is right in God's eyes because it goes completely beyond the strict requirements of the law [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, this noble decision is not carried out privately between a master and his slave. Rather, it is celebrated in a festive, public ceremony, likely attended by all the wealthy families of means [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

To solidify their decision, the people institutionalize it through a formal covenant. This raises a question regarding the necessity of such an agreement, considering the Israelites were already bound by the oath taken at Mount Sinai to observe the Torah's commandments. One approach explains that during this specific period, a belief had spread that the law requiring the release of slaves was no longer in effect. Therefore, a new covenant is necessary to settle their minds and firmly re-establish the obligation [חומת אנך]. Another perspective views the covenant as a psychological tool. Since a person is permitted to take an oath to motivate and push himself to fulfill a commandment, the agreement serves exactly this purpose [נחל שורק].

The entire event is conducted directly before God, whose glory fills the earth. To give the agreement maximum authority, urgency, and a sense of occasion, the ceremony is held in the Temple, a place that bears His name [מצודת דוד, נחל שורק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. By choosing this holy location, the people aim to deeply strengthen their commitment, effectively declaring that God Himself stands as the ultimate witness to the pact they have made with one another [נחל שורק, חומת אנך].