Another essential aspect of the sukkah (hut) is hospitality. The sukkah is placed outside. It thereby causes us to sympathize with those who do not have accommodations, so that we will welcome them to join us. According to tradition, in addition to physical guests, we are also visited in the sukkah by seven spiritual guests called "ushpizin," who are the patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, as well as Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David. Every day of the Holiday of Sukkot, during the prayer service, while holding the four species, the congregants circles the Bima (the structure upon which the Torah is read) and recites the poetic “Hoshanot” a word that comes from the liturgy of that prayer, "Hosha Na" (please save us). On the last day of Sukkot we circle the Bima seven times. Therefore, that day so is called "Hoshana Rabbah" (the great Hosha Na). This is the day that the judgment of Yom Kippur is signed and therefore on that day we increase in Torah study.
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 08:38:38 +0000
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