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The seventh and final day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabba. Why? Throughout Sukkot, God decides how much rain there will be in the upcoming year. Since all life – plant, animal, and human – depends upon water, we pray extensively for it on the last day of judgment. Many of the prayers include the Hebrew words “hosha na” (please save us). Hence the name of the seventh day is Hoshana Rabba, which means the Great Hoshana.
There is another way to understand Hoshana Rabba as a day of heavenly judgment. Even though everyone’s verdict is recorded (“written”) on Rosh Ha-shana and finalized (“sealed”) on Yom Kippur, the directive to carry it out takes place only on Hoshana Rabba. This can be compared to a human court. Even after a verdict has been handed down, it may still be reversed as long as it has not been conveyed to those responsible for carrying it out. This is the concept behind Hoshana Rabba. That is when each person’s heavenly verdict is conveyed to the angels, who are not permitted to carry it out until the next day (Shemini Atzeret). Therefore, up until then, repentance can still be effective in changing one’s verdict.
When praying for rain on Hoshana Rabba, there is an ancient custom to take a bundle of aravot (sometimes referred to as hoshanot). Why? Because willow trees need more water than most trees and cut willow branches dry out quickly. If, as we have seen above (section 15), aravot have neither taste nor smell, representing simple Jews with neither Torah study nor good deeds, why do we take them on their own on Hoshana Rabba? Perhaps there is additional symbolism here. The aravot can be viewed positively as representing penitents. They are aware of their lowliness, and they realize that God alone can help them. (This might be the case with simple Jews as well.) It is with this type of self-awareness that all of us turn to God on Hoshana Rabba.
The custom includes beating the aravot on the ground. This symbolizes our repentance, which emerges out of humility and self-effacement and allows for great spiritual growth.
Some stay up late studying Torah on the night of Hoshana Rabba. Joyous Torah study dovetails with the joy of the holiday.
During the day on Hoshana Rabba, there is a custom to have a festive meal. It is appropriate to spend time in the sukka at the end of Hoshana Rabba. This is to take maximum advantage of the mitzva opportunity, which is about to come to an end until the next year.
In Israel, eating in the sukka is prohibited on the eighth day (Shemini Atzeret), as it is definitely no longer Sukkot, and one may not add to the Torah’s commandments. In the diaspora, some people do eat in the sukka on the eighth day, because the uncertainty about the date (29:16 above) means it may be the seventh day of Sukkot.
