Holidays:

Hoshana Rabbah 

Description

Hoshannah Rabbah is an interesting day. From the Torah perspective, it has no special significance other than being the seventh day of Sukkoth. It doesn’t even have the status of a full holiday, as does the last day of Pesach, yet the day is invested with many customs. The overriding practice of the day is taking willow branches, circling the bimah seven times, reciting liturgical prayers of Hoshannot, and beating the willows on the ground. But customs also invest more holiday ritual into the day, from dressing in holiday attire to eating a festive meal. Some learn the entire night, and the prayers resemble Shabbat morning Tefilot. It behooves us then to examine the deeper meaning of the day and the significance of the Hoshannot ritual.