Chag Sameach! Today is Hoshana Rabbah O Lord, save us [hoshiana]; O Lord, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. (Psalm 118:25–26) The eight-day festival of Sukkot is almost finished, and since it is a holiday of rejoicing, it closes with three final festive days: Hoshana Rabbah (Great Salvation), Shemini Atzeret (Eight Day of Assembly) and Simchat Torah (Joy of the Torah). Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh day of Sukkot, began last night and, as is customary, many stayed up all night reading the entire book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Psalms. Today, Jewish people all over the world are intensely worshiping the Lord their God, since according to tradition, today is the day that the judgment which was sealed on Yom Kippur is delivered. For that reason this day is characterized by prayer, repentance, and praise. Because this day is the day that judgment is delivered, it is customary to greet one another with Pitka Tova, which means a good note, referring to being sealed in the Book of Life. In Temple times, on Hoshana Rabbah, the Jewish People cried out Ana Adonai Hoshiana, which means Save us, Lord! This prayer is never uttered in vain: God promises that all who call upon His name will be saved. For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work. (Leviticus 23:36; see also Numbers 29:35) As the sun sets tonight, Hoshana Rabbah ends and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly) begins. The joyous holiday of Simchat Torah also begins at sunset. Rabbinic tradition teaches that on Shemini Atzeret, the world is judged concerning water, fruit and produce, and the amount of rainfall for the coming year is decided. For that reason, on the eighth day that is set aside by God for a closing assembly, the Jewish people recite special prayers for rain. In ancient times, a special water drawing ceremony was performed every night during Sukkot called Simchat Beit HaShoeva (Rejoicing at the House of the Water-Drawing). This ceremony is thought to have originated during the Second Temple period, when the Cohen HaGadol (High Priest) would draw water from the Pool of Siloam. He then poured it out upon the altar as a Water Libation (offering). The people would follow the cohen (priest) to the Pool of Siloam in a joyous processional of singing, dancing and rejoicing, reciting Hallel (praises) from Psalms 113–118 and 120–134, and chanting Isaiah 12:3:
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:06:03 +0000
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