The seventh day of Succos is
called Hashana Raba, literally the “Great Salvation”. It’s a coda to the period
of repentance that climaxed with Yom Kippur. In addition it marks the winter
and is considered when the world is judged for rain, hence its name. It is
considered a joyous day. There are hints of it in the Tenach and its first
explicit mention is in the Mishna (Succah 4:5)1.
Because willows consume a
large amount of water, branches from them were taken to the Temple and leaned
along the sides of the altar. The shofar
was sounded and the priests then seven circular processions around it. During
the processions they chanted, “Lord, please save us, Lord, please make us
successful”, (אָנָּא ה'
הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא אָנָּא ה' הַצְלִיחָה נָּא, Psalm 118:25) and perhaps “Lord save we I pray”, (אֲנִי וָהוֹ הוֹשִיעָה נָּא).
These two refrains are
preserved and expanded on in today’s liturgy for Hoshana Raba. Seven piyutim
are said, after which a bundle of five willow branches is whipped against the
floor. The origin of this ritual is yet to be found and it is not mentioned in
the Talmud. Many have difficulty explaining it, as beating does not seem to be
in the spirit of religion. Never the less its popularity is undeniable.
A common explanation is that
the four species represent four types of Jews. The esrog has flavor and
fragrance therefore corresponds to Jews who have both Torah and good deeds. The
fruit of the palm tree, dates, have taste but no fragrance, and are compared to
Jews who have Torah but not good deeds. The myrtle, by contrast has fragrance
but no taste, and is compared to those Jews who have good deeds but lack Torah.
The willow has neither taste nor fragrance and corresponds to those that have
neither Torah nor good deeds; therefore they should be beaten (see Vayikra
Rabbah 30:12).
The first six poems are pleas
for favor and salvation from heaven and make references to water. They are all
use an alphabetic motif with some starting with aleph and ending with tav (א"ב) or start with tav and end with aleph (תשר"ק). They all make use of the word “salvation”
(הוֹשִׁיעָה)
with the refrain progressively getting longer and more passionate.
The first piyut is “Lord save we, I, pray”, (אֲנִי וָהוֹ הוֹשִיעָה נָּא). The theme seems to be salvation through
the glory of religion especially the favor of heaven, wisdom, righteousness, and
Jerusalem. It includes the lines, “Cherish us like a tree planted on a stream
of water”, (תַּצִּיבֵנוּ כְּעֵץ עַל פַּלְגֵי מַיִם שְׁתוּלָה),
and “Give us a heritage on restful waters Selah”, (תְּנַהֲלֵנוּ
עַל מֵי מְנוּחוֹת סֶלָה).
The second piyut is “Please Rescue Us”, (אָנָּא הוֹשִׁיעָה
נָּא), which includes the line, “On rivers which stream with Your
recreation”, (בְּעַרְבֵי נַחַל לְשַׁעְשְׁעָךְ).
Its theme is the redemption of the nation specifically the common folk that are
likened to being G-d's plantation.
The third liturgical poem is “Please G-d, please save us and rescue us”,
(אָנָּא אֵל נָא הוֹשַׁע נָא וְהוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא).
Its theme is, please don’t abandon us, because we at least perform the mitzvah
of offering water on the altar.
Examples: G-d, please, we have strayed like a lost lamb, place us in
your reckoning don’t lose us (אֵל נָּא תָּעִינוּ כְּשֶׂה אוֹבֵד.
שְׁמֵנוּ מִסִּפְרְךָ אַל תְּאַבֵּד); Your flock and the flock You shepherd,
Your labor and Your companions (צֹאנְךָ וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתֶךָ.
פְּעוּלָתֶךָ וְרַעְיָתֶךָ); To those that offer water libations to
You, like wellsprings of the deliverance they draw water”, (לִמְנַסְּכֵי לְךָ מַיִם. כְּמִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְּשׁוּעָה יִשְׁאֲבוּן מַיִם).
The fourth piyut is “We pray thee G-d, please save us and please rescue
us, please You are our father”, (אָנָּא אֵל נָא הוֹשַׁע נָא
וְהוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא אָבִינוּ אָתָּה). At 480 words it is the longest and most
elaborate of the poems. It has 22 stanzas with the first and four lines in an אתב"ש format, which means that it goes through
the aleph-beis backwards and forwards. The first two lines are a rhymed couplet
and the third line ends with the word water. It focuses on the merits of the
Jewish people and is replete with references to Scripture. For example, “For
the sake of the palate that twirls with song. That teaches Torah with all
instruments of song. That makes a libation to you like they long for water”, refrain
(לְמַעַן חֵיךְ מְכַרְכֵּר בְּשִׁיר. הַמְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה בְּכָל
כְּלֵי שִׁיר. מְנַסֵּךְ לְפָנָיו כְּתָאַב שְׁתוֹת מַיִם). Another example is,
“for the sake of the one (Elisha) who served his rabbi in truth and was doubly
imbued with his spirit”, (לְמַעַן וְשֵׁרֵת בֶּאֱמֶת לְרַבּוֹ.
פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּרוּחוֹ נֶאֱצַל בּוֹ).
The fifth piyut is, “Please rescue us, please forgive us, please make us
successful, Save us G-d of our strength”, (הוֹשַׁע נָא סְלַח
נָּא. וְהַצְלִיחָה נָא. וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ אֵל מָעֻזֵנוּ). It makes use of
Biblical themes like, “Pouring our hearts out to You like water”, (שׁוֹפְכִים לְךָ לֵב כַּמַּיִם) (see Lamentations
2:19), and, “the rock that was struck and flowed water”, (סֶלַע הָךְ וַיָּזוּבוּ מַיִם).
The sixth piyut is “Have Mercy, Please, on the Congregation, Community
of Jeshurun, Pardon and Forgive their iniquities and save us G-d of our
Salvation”, רַחֶם נָא קְהַל עֲדַת יְשֻׁרוּן. סְלַח וּמְחַל
עֲוֹנָם וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ. It’s allusion to opening
the gates of heaven is reminiscent of the Yom Kippur Neilah service when the
gates of heaven are being closed; as it says “Open the gates of heaven, your
stores of good open to us, and save us and quarrel do not stress”, (שַׁעֲרֵי שָׁמַיִם פְּתַח. וְאוֹצָרְךָ הַטּוֹב לָנוּ תִפְתַּח. תּוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ
וְרִיב אַל תִּמְתַּח). The appeal is based on the oppressed and
weak state of the Jewish people who never the less are still recounting G-d’s
miracles and dovening to G-d for water.
The seventh piyut is “A voice proclaims it proclaims and says”, (קוֹל מְבַשֵּׂר מְבַשֵּׂר וְאוֹמֵר). It is different in
that it is a response to the others that redemption is coming in the form of
the Moshiach. It’s very exuberant and replete with imagery and Scriptural
references for example: “Have fortitude for your salvation is coming, the voice
of my beloved behold he is coming”, “the voice of my euphoria the rose of Sharon,
for they have risen those that sleep in Hevron”, “a voice sprouts and ‘man that
sprouts’ is his name, it is David himself”.
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לע"נ, הדוד ,שמואל בן נח ז"ל נלב"ע
ט"ו אב תשס"ט,
Acknowledgements to websites:
תורת אמת, וויקיטקסט, http://dictionary.reference.com/,
http://hebrewbooks.org/,
וגם בדואר אלקטרוני
ניתן באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
