Q:
What is the avodah of Hoshana Raba? It seems to be the end of the “Days of Din” but why is so little mentioned about it in the Gemara?
A:
Hoshana Rabba is really a prelude to Shemini Atzeres and the importance of Shemini Atzeres is mentioned in the Torah with a hint; it says ביום השמיני עצרת תהיה לכם – On the eighth day it should be for you a restraining, a holding back (Pinchas 29:35). It’s a hint that although all the days of Sukkos were days of rejoicing, but the eighth day we’re being held back by Hakodosh Boruch Hu for one more day and that is the climax, the peak of the happiness.
And the reason is, because now, after so many days of closeness, we are saying farewell finally. Because we came into these days on Rosh Hashana and then Yom Kippur too; we were concentrating on our tefillos and many people are praying better now than they did before because they were practicing up with the selichos and all the tefillos. And they are more aware of Hakodosh Boruch Hu, they are closer to Him because of Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur and the Aseres Yimei Teshuva. Especially in the ancient days, when they came to Yerushalayim there was an especial closeness during the yomtiv of Sukkos. And now finally comes Shemini Atzeres.
Now, it’s true that Shemini Atzeres has a certain element of sadness because you are about to take leave. We have to go back to our regular living. But you know, when you are about to take leave of your beloved, then the love swells up in your breast more than before because now you are saying farewell. Let’s say you are leaving your best friend and you won’t see him for some time – of course Hakodosh Boruch Hu is always around but to that especial measure of presence of the Shechina we are bidding farewell now. And that’s why Shemini Atzeres is an extraordinary period of time between us and Hakodosh Boruch Hu.
And so, Shemini Atzeres is לכם, it’s for you; לכם means that it’s especially for you. The Gemara says it’s the time of the greatest love between Hashem and His people. That’s why although on all the days of Sukkos we offer seventy offerings, seventy oxen that we offer for the welfare of the nations of the world, but on Shemini Atzeres Hashem says, “Today is different. Today bring only one korban, something special between Me and you.”
And our Sages compare it to a king who made a big banquet and he invited all the nobles and after the banquet is over and all the dukes and lords went home and the tables were littered with the remains of the banquet, so the king spied his best friend who was still lingering around; his friend didn’t want to leave. Everybody else left but the friend is still lingering. So the king said, “Come over here; let’s sit down and make a meal just between me and you. It’ll be a banquet of love between us two.” And that is what Shemini Atzeres means, a special love banquet between us and Hashem.
And because that is such a great occasion, so Hoshana Rabba is a preparation for that; Hoshana Rabba is a great day, it’s erev the day when we take leave. In chutz l’aaretz because we are in exile and we live among gentiles, so Hakodosh Boruch Hu comforts us with one more day alone; we dance on Simchas Torah too. In Eretz Yisroel however they finished. So Shemini Atzeres, that’s really the last day, and that’s why erev that day is such an important occasion.
(October 1976)
