02. Bundling the Four Species

The four species are all requisite; if one of them is missing, the mitzva is not fulfilled with the other three (Menaḥot 27a). The mitzva is to take the four species together. Be-di’avad, the mitzva is fulfilled, and the berakha may be recited, by taking them serially (SA 651:12).

Not only is there a mitzva to take all four species together, there is also a mitzva to bundle the lulav with the hadasim and aravot, as doing so beautifies the mitzva, and beautifying a mitzva is itself a mitzva, as the Torah says, “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Shemot 15:2). But the etrog is not bundled with the other three. The Sages derive this from a subtlety in the verse (Vayikra 23:40) that describes the four species. The lulav, hadasim, and aravot are joined by a conjunction, the letter “vav,” while the etrog stands alone (“pri etz hadar, kapot temarim va-anaf etz avot ve-arvei naḥal”). Thus, the etrog is not bundled with the rest.

Some say it is necessary to use a permanent knot – the kind forbidden to tie on Shabbat, like a double knot. Consequently, even those who use koishelakh (“little baskets” woven from lulav leaves) to hold the three species together should also bind them with a double knot (SA 651:1). Others say this is not necessary; rather, the main thing is for the three species to be bundled together (Ritva; see MB 651:8).

Despite the fact that many people bundle the three species using lulav leaves, one may use any type of thread or strap (SA 651:1).

When bundling the lulav with the hadasim and aravot, one must make sure that the spine of the lulav extends at least a tefaḥ beyond them (SA 650:2). If the hadasim and aravot are long and the lulav is so short that its spine does not extend a tefaḥ beyond them, one must either shorten the hadasim and aravot to the minimum requisite length of 3 tefaḥim, so that the spine of the lulav extends a tefaḥ beyond them, or one should bundle them lower than the lulav, so that the spine of the lulav extends a tefaḥ beyond their tips.

One should not take more than one lulav and one etrog at once. The minimum is three hadasim and two aravot, and if one wishes to add hadasim and aravot he may, although many are meticulous not to add to the required three hadasim and two aravot (SA 651:15).

One may not add a fifth species to the four mandated by the Torah. One who does so violates the prohibition of “bal tosif” (adding mitzvot to the Torah) (SA 651:14).^[1]

Some place the hadasim on the right of the spine of lulav and the aravot on the left (Shlah; MB 651:12). Others place one hadas on the right, one on the left, and one in the middle, and one arava on the right and one on the left (MA ad loc. 4 in the name of Arizal). Both ways fulfill the mitzva even for the most meticulous.

Some are meticulous to have the hadasim extend a little higher than the aravot, because hadasim symbolize the righteous, while aravot allude to the unlearned (Rema 651:1).

In addition to the mitzva of bundling the three species together, some are meticulous to bind the lulav itself with three additional knots, though Ashkenazim take care to leave the top of the lulav unbound, so that it rustles when shaken (Rema 651:1; MB ad loc. 14). Some have the custom of binding the lulav with 18 knots. (See Kaf Ha-ḥayim ad loc. 16.)

03. The Procedure for Taking the Lulav and Reciting the Berakha

The bundled lulav, hadasim, and aravot are picked up with the right hand, and the etrog with the left, because the three species together are more significant than the etrog and should therefore be picked up with the more prestigious and stronger right hand. If one mistakenly did the reverse, he has still fulfilled the obligation. Some maintain that even lefties should take the lulav in the right hand, because even for lefties, the right hand, which alludes to the divine attribute of kindness, has significance (SA 651:3). This is the kabbalistic practice. Others maintain that since the left hand is dominant and more important for him, a lefty should take the three bundled species in his left hand and the etrog in his right (Rema).

One must hold the four species in the direction they grow: their stems pointing downward and their tips pointing upward. Accordingly, the oketz of the etrog should be at the bottom and the nose on top, for this is how it begins to grow from the tree. If one of the species is reversed, he has not fulfilled the mitzva (Sukka 37b, 45b; SA 651:2).

When one picks up the lulav, its spine should face him. The etrog should be held next to the lulav bundle (SA 651:11). Holding the four species thus, one shakes them in each of the four directions, as well as up and down, as is explained in the next section.

Our Sages ordained reciting a berakha before fulfilling the mitzva: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has made us holy through His commandments, and has commanded us about taking the lulav” (“al netilat lulav”). So that the berakha is recited just before fulfilling the mitzva, one picks up the four species before reciting the berakha but holds the etrog upside down (oketz up, nose down, a manner that does not fulfill the mitzva). Then one recites the berakha and immediately flips the etrog and shakes the four species. Some hold only the bundled species when reciting the berakha; then, immediately upon concluding the berakha, they pick up the etrog and shake it with the other species (SA 651:5). On the first day, She-heḥeyanu is recited before performing the mitzva (ibid. 6).

It is customary to stand while reciting the berakha and taking the lulav. The berakha covers all the lulavim one might take and shake for the rest of the day (Rema 651:5).

The custom is to take the lulav and recite the berakha right before beginning Hallel (SA 644:1). Some show alacrity by taking the lulav and reciting the berakha in the sukka before going to the synagogue, in order to combine the mitzva of lulav with the mitzva of sukka (Arizal; Shlah). People who pray vatikin (reaching the Amida at sunrise) may not do so, as the time for taking the lulav begins at sunrise.

There must be no barrier between one’s hands and the four species; one who places them in a case or container and then picks up the container does not fulfill the obligation. However, the material used to bundle the three species together is not considered a barrier, as it is meant as an auxiliary to the species. Some people take care to remove rings, but technically rings are not considered barriers, as they cover only a very small part of the hand (SA 651:7).

If one’s hand is bandaged, but his fingers extend beyond the bandages so that he can still hold the species with them, he may, be-di’avad, fulfill the mitzva in this way (Ikarei Hadat 33:25; see Harḥavot). If he cannot hold the four species directly with his fingers, he should fulfill the mitzva using his unbandaged hand only. He should recite the berakha, pick up the bundled species, put them down, and then pick up the etrog. As we have learned, be-di’avad the species may be taken serially.

04. Shaking the Lulav

By merely taking the four species and lifting them, one fulfills the mitzva, as it is written: “You shall take the fruit of a hadar tree…” (Vayikra 23:40). The Sages ordained shaking the lulav in the way that the Torah commands the waving of certain offerings (Sukka 42a; Menaḥot 61a).

The Gemara describes how the offerings were waved: “One moves forth and back, up and down.” That is, one moves the lulav away from himself and then brings it back, lifts it up and brings it back down. This is also an expression of faith: “forth and back – for the sake of the One to Whom the four corners of the earth belong; up and down – for the sake of the One to Whom heaven and earth belong (Sukka 37b). This is why the custom is to wave the lulav toward all four directions plus up and down. Our Sages further expound: “forth and back – to halt harmful winds; up and down – to halt harmful dew” (ibid.).

Additionally, following Rosh Ha-shana and Yom Kippur, the days of judgment when we stood before God in prayer, we begin the new year joyously. We wave the four species as a symbol of our victory in successfully repenting and renewing our close relationship to God (Vayikra Rabba 30:2; above, 1:3).

The procedure for shaking the four species is as follows: The bundled species in the right hand and the etrog in the left are brought together and held close to the body. Some are careful to pull them all the way to the chest. From there, the lulav and etrog are moved in a given direction, with the top of the lulav pointing upward but angled toward that direction. Then the four species are brought back to the body. This is repeated three times for each of the six directions (east, west, north, south, up, down). When shaking the lulav in the downward direction, one does not turn it upside down; rather, the top continues to point upward, and the person moves the lulav downward from the chest.

Some begin by shaking eastward and then continue moving rightward – south, west, north – and then upward and downward (SA 651:10). Some follow this order but begin with the direction that worshippers are facing.

According to the custom of Arizal, the first shake is to the south, followed by north, east, up, down, and west.

Some turn their whole bodies in the direction in which they are shaking the lulav; when they shake it upward and downward, they face east. Others face east the whole time but angle the lulav according to the procedure for shaking. All of these customs are acceptable, and each person should continue his family’s custom. If the custom is unclear, he may do as he wishes.^[2]

Ashkenazic custom is to shake the lulav such that its upper leaves rustle (MB 651:47). Sephardim do not follow this practice.

05. When to Shake the Lulav

In addition to the shaking after the recitation of the berakha on the lulav, the Sages ordained holding the lulav during the recitation of Hallel and shaking it when reciting the verses of “Hodu la-Shem ki tov ki le-olam ḥasdo” (“Thank the Lord for He is good, for His kindness endures forever”) and “Ana Hashem hoshi’a na” (“Lord, please, save us”) (Sukka 37b). They linked their enactment to a verse: “Then shall all the trees of the forest shout for joy…. Thank the Lord for He is good, for His kindness endures forever. Declare: Save us (hoshi’enu), O God, our deliverer, and gather us and save us from the nations, to acclaim Your holy name, to glory in Your praise” (1 Divrei Hayamim 16:33-35). How can trees “shout for joy”? When they sway and rustle. And when is that? When they recite “hodu” and “hoshi’enu.” The end of this verse may allude to an additional function of shaking the lulav – it may serve as a prayer for the ingathering of the exiles from the four corners of the earth.

Since Sukkot is when we are judged concerning rain, shaking the four species – which grew from the rains of the previous year – expresses thanks for the blessings of the previous year and a prayer for the upcoming one: that from the heaven, the earth, and the four winds will come beneficial rain and dew, not harmful precipitation and destructive winds.

As we have learned, we shake the lulav when we recite the verses “Hodu la-Shem ki tov ki le-olam ḥasdo” and “Ana Hashem hoshi’a na” in Hallel. The shaking is parsed according to the words, and when saying God’s name, one stops and concentrates on the holiness of His name. Thus, when reciting “Hodu,” which contains six words apart from the name of God, one shakes in one direction with each word. When reciting “Ana,” which has only three words apart from the name of God, one shakes in two directions with each word (MB 651:37).

According to the kabbalists, we shake the lulav five times: 1) After reciting the berakha on the lulav; 2) at the first instance of “Hodu”; 3-4) at the two instances of “Ana Hashem hoshi’a na”; 5) during the recitation of “Hodu” at the end of Hallel. There is no difference between the ḥazan and the congregation in this respect. Sephardim and some Ḥasidim follow this practice. Yemenites shake the lulav only four times, as they recite “Ana Hashem hoshi’a na” only once.

According to Ashkenazic custom, the congregation shakes the lulav nine times, and the ḥazan seven, because according to this practice, the custom is to shake the lulav every time the verse of “Hodu” is recited. When the ḥazan recites “Hodu” and the next three verses (“Yomar Na,” “Yomru Na Beit Aharon,” and “Yomru Na Yir’ei Hashem”), the congregation responds with “Hodu.” The ḥazan shakes the lulav only to accompany the first two verses, “Hodu” and “Yomar Na”: the first because he is praising God, and the second because he is calling on all of Israel to praise God, and he is part of their subsequent praise. In contrast, the last two verses are not all-inclusive but are limited to the house of Aharon and God-fearers; he is not included among them, so he does not shake the lulav then (SA and Rema 651:8). The ninth shake (the ḥazan’s seventh) is at the end of Hallel, when Ashkenazim recite the verse of “Hodu” twice and shake the lulav each time, whereas, as we said in the previous paragraph, the kabbalistic practice is to shake only once then.^[3]

06. Women and Children

Women are exempt from the mitzva to take the lulav since it is time-bound, and as a rule, women are exempt from time-bound positive mitzvot (Kiddushin 29a). Nevertheless, a woman who wishes to fulfill a time-bound positive mitzva is rewarded for doing so.

According to most Sephardim, women do not recite a berakha over the performance of a time-bound positive mitzva, for how can one who is not commanded recite a berakha that contains the word “ve-tzivanu” (“and commanded us”)? According to Ashkenazic custom, since women are fulfilling a mitzva, they recite the berakha; the language of the berakha is not a problem, as they do not recite “and commanded me” but “and commanded us” – “us” connotes the Jewish people as a whole. Even though Sephardic women generally do not recite berakhot over time-bound positive mitzvot, many recite the berakha over the lulav, and some have offered kabbalistic reasons for this.^[4]

Once a young boy knows how to properly shake the lulav, forth and back, up and down, his father must train him to do so. When the son has reached an age when he can go to the synagogue and pray, his father should buy him his own set of four species, so he can shake the lulav at the times ordained by the Sages. If a father does not have the means to buy his son his own set, he should allow his son to use his, so that the son can fulfill the mitzva (Sukka 42a; SA 657:1; MB ad loc. 4).^[5]

Young girls should be encouraged to shake the lulav each day of Sukkot. Even though women and girls are exempt, they fulfill a mitzva by doing so, and it teaches them to love mitzvot.

07. Caring for the Four Species

One must try to keep the hadasim and aravot fresh, and to that end the longstanding practice is to keep them in water. The Mishna states that it is permissible on Yom Tov to return the three bundled species to a container of water where they had already been kept, and even to add water to the container (Sukka 42a). However, the Sages forbade filling a container with water or changing the water in the original container on Yom Tov, as it is bothersome and resembles the action one would take to fix a kli, as it allows the species to last (SA 654:1).

On Ḥol Ha-mo’ed, some people would change the water in which they hydrated the lulav, hadasim, and aravot to keep them fresh. Others would unbundle the species and place the hadasim in a vase with water and wrap the aravot in a damp towel or place them in water. Another way to keep the species fresh is to place them in a sealed carrying case, but this works only if they have not been out for very long; if they were out for a long time and have already started drying out, it is better to first place them in water to revive them.

Some beautify the mitzva by changing the aravot every day, as the main way to beautify the aravot is to keep them fresh (Rema 654:1). Many are content to make efforts to keep them from drying out.

As we learned above (section 2), there is a mitzva to bundle the lulav with the hadasim and aravot. Therefore, when one introduces new aravot or returns the hadasim from the vase, he should not just jam them into the existing bundle. Rather, he should re-tie the knot, gently reinsert them into the koishelakh, or at least add a new knot, to fulfill the mitzva of bundling (MB 654:5).

08. Muktzeh and the Four Species

Once the four species have been taken on the first day, they are considered to be set aside (muktzeh) for the mitzva and may not be used for any other purpose. Therefore, one may not eat the etrog or smell the hadasim during the festival. One may not even use the hadasim for havdala after Shabbat. Even if the etrog or hadasim become invalid during the course of Sukkot, they are still muktzeh until the end of the festival (SA 653:1 and 665:1).

It is, however, permissible to smell an etrog, because its primary purpose is for eating, so it is muktzeh only in this regard; it is not muktzeh with respect to its aroma (Sukka 37b). If one picks up an etrog with the idea of fulfilling the mitzva and also enjoying its smell, uncertainty arises regarding the proper berakha. Some say that since he is deriving pleasure from its fragrance, he should recite the berakha of “Who gives pleasant fragrance to fruits.” Others say that since the primary reason he is picking it up is to fulfill the mitzva, he should not recite this berakha. In order to remove this uncertainty, it is proper for one to have in mind when picking up the etrog that he is doing so in order to fulfill the mitzva and not to enjoy its scent (SA 216:14 and 653:1). However, if someone wishes to smell the etrog at a time when he is not fulfilling the mitzva, he recites the berakha of “Who gives pleasant fragrance to fruits.”^[6]

When the festival ends, the species cease being muktzeh and may be used for any purpose. However, they may not be treated disrespectfully; for instance, they may not be stepped on or thrown into the garbage (SA 664:8).

If one had in mind before taking the four species that they would not become muktzeh, but rather could be used in whatever way he wanted, this condition is effective. They do not become muktzeh and can be used without restriction during the festival.^[7]

09. Hakafot (Circling the Altar) in Temple Times

On each day of Sukkot, the kohanim in the Temple would circle the altar once; on the seventh day they circled it seven times. During these hakafot (circuits) they called out: “Lord, please, save us. Lord, please, grant us success” (“Ana Hashem hoshi’a na. Ana Hashem hatzliḥa na”). According to R. Yehuda, they called out: “Ani Va-hu, hoshi’a na” (Sukka 45a). Some maintain that they carried the lulav with them during the hakafot, while others maintain that they carried the aravot (Sukka 43b).^[8]

The Sages tell us that the Temple hakafot were instituted in commemoration of God’s command to Israel to circle Yeriḥo (Jericho) at the time of Yehoshua bin Nun, enabling them to conquer it and the rest of the land (y. Sukka 4:3). The circuits at Yeriḥo were done as follows: The procession was led by soldiers and kohanim. A vanguard walked at the very front, followed by seven kohanim blowing the shofar. Then came the Ark, carried by other kohanim. The rest of the soldiers walked behind the Ark. They circled Jericho once a day for six days; on the seventh day, they made seven circuits. With the conclusion of the final circuit, the kohanim blew a teki’a gedola, the entire nation shouted, and miraculously the walls of Jericho sank into the ground, allowing Israel to conquer the city (Yehoshua ch. 6).

According to the kabbalists, Jericho, which is the lowest city in the world, was the center of Canaanite culture; Canaan’s spirit of impurity was concentrated there. The Canaanites subverted the sanctity of Eretz Yisrael to serve their mundane desires. The great walls that surrounded the city served as a barrier blocking the divine light and allowing the Canaanites to carry on with their corrupt ways without any disturbing thoughts of repentance or pangs of conscience that emanate from the divine illumination that envelops all of existence. This is why Jericho was the “lock” that prevented Israel from entering the land and revealing God’s word there. (See Bamidbar Rabba 15:15.) God commanded Israel to circle (lehakif) Jericho and thus disclose the divine light that envelops (makif) all existence. This caused the walls of Jericho to fall, allowing Israel to conquer it and begin revealing the sanctity of the mundane.

Just as the mitzva of settling Eretz Yisrael illuminates all of existence and discloses the sanctity of the mundane, so too the mitzva of dwelling in the sukka, which encompasses the entire human being, reveals the sanctity of the mundane by transforming the physical aspects of life, such as eating and sleeping, into mitzvot.

The Sages instituted hakafot around the altar on Sukkot in order to bring down the walls of impurity that block the divine light from shining upon us, and to strengthen the illumination of the enveloping light. Through this we can increase our faith and reveal the sanctity within the physical world.

10. The Contemporary Custom of Hakafot (Hoshanot)

Following the destruction of the Temple, Israel adopted the practice of performing hakafot in the synagogue to commemorate the Temple. Since this was never formally ordained, we find that different customs emerged in the Geonic era, though by the time of the Rishonim, custom crystallized into the relatively uniform custom that is practiced today.

The Torah scroll is placed on the bima, the entire congregation takes their four species in hand, and they circle the bima once each day, and seven times on the seventh day. We circle the Torah because after the destruction of the Temple, Torah study is in lieu of the altar, for one who studies the laws of the offerings is considered as having brought them on the altar. The prevailing custom is that one person stands at the bima and holds the Torah scroll during the hakafot (Ḥida; Pri Megadim), although some Sephardic communities do not insist on this (Kaf Ha-ḥayim 660:6).

Over time, special prayers were composed for recitation during these hakafot. The refrain of these prayers is the phrase “hosha na” (“please save”) and the similar phrase “hoshi’a na,” which is why these prayers are often called “hoshanot.” Depending on custom, these prayers are recited before, during, or after the hakafot.

Someone without a lulav does not circle the bima (Rema 660:2; Birkei Yosef; Kaf Ha-ḥayim 660:13), so it is customary to have such a person stand at the bima and hold the Torah scroll.

The circuits are counterclockwise; that is, if one is facing the bima, he turns to his right to begin his circuit (SA 660:1; MB ad loc. 3).

Some maintain that during hakafot the lulav is held in the same way as it is held to perform the mitzva – with the bundled species in the right hand and the etrog in the left, with the two hands close together (Roke’aḥ; Maharil; Ben Ish Ḥai). Others say that one who needs to hold his siddur in one hand may hold the bundled species and the etrog together in the other (Yafeh La-lev; Ginat Veradim). Both customs are fine.

It is customary to leave the ark open during the hakafot (Kitzur Shulḥan Arukh 137:11).

Some maintain that if there is no Torah scroll, there are no hakafot (Bikurei Yaakov 660:2), while others say hakafot are done even without a Torah scroll (Ben Ish Ḥai, Ha’azinu §15).

The custom of Sephardim and ḥasidim is to perform hakafot after the recitation of Hallel and before the recitation of Kaddish Titkabel (Kaf Ha-ḥayim 660:4). Some Ashkenazim perform hakafot after Musaf (Olat Re’iya, vol. 2, p. 370).

On Shabbat, hakafot are not performed. Some recite the accompanying hoshanot prayers anyway, while others do not (SA 660:3; Kaf Ha-ḥayim ad loc. 23).

Some say that a mourner within the year of the death of a parent does not perform hakafot, since they were instituted to bring joy (Rema 660:2; MB ad loc. 9). Many maintain that a mourner does participate in the hakafot (Beit Yosef; Arizal; Ḥayei Adam 148:19). This is the custom of all Sephardim and many Ashkenazim (Gesher Ha-ḥayim 20:3:60).

01. Hoshana Rabba

The seventh day of Sukkot is also known as Hoshana Rabba. It is an especially significant day because on Sukkot, God renders judgment about how much water there will be during the upcoming year, so on the seventh day of Sukkot, the final verdict is sealed. Since all plant, animal, and human life depends upon water, on this last day of judgment, we multiply our pleas of “hosha na” (“please save”) to God. On this day, we take aravot (sometimes called hoshanot), because they require more water than the other species, and it is easily discernable when they dry out. The Sages made sure that Hoshana Rabba never falls on Shabbat, so that we have the opportunity to plead and cry out for water (Roke’aḥ §221).

Just as water sustains physical life, the Torah sustains the life of the spirit. In the words of the Sages, “Water refers to Torah” (Bava Kamma 17a). Accordingly, the judgment concerning water on Hoshana Rabba includes judgment about human life in its entirety, the physical and the spiritual. This is the meaning of Zohar’s statement that there are three times of judgment: Rosh Ha-shana, Yom Kippur, and Hoshana Rabba (Zohar II 142a). Similarly, there is a tradition that God told Avraham, “If your children are not forgiven on Rosh Ha-shana, they will be forgiven on Yom Kippur; and if not on Yom Kippur, then on Hoshana Rabba” (Mateh Moshe §957; Kaf Ha-ḥayim 664:2).

This is also expressed in another way: Even though verdicts are recorded (“written”) on Rosh Ha-shana and finalized (“sealed”) on Yom Kippur, the directive to execute the verdict takes place only on Hoshana Rabba. This can be compared to a human court. Even after a verdict has been handed down, if it has not yet been written in an execution order and conveyed to the agents of justice responsible for carrying it out, it is still possible to work for its reversal. This is the idea of Hoshana Rabba, when each verdict is written on an execution order, or “petek,” and given to messengers to convey to the angels in charge of carrying it out. Until then, it is still possible to reverse the judgment, as the execution orders have not yet been written and sent out with couriers. Therefore, it is appropriate to repent on Hoshana Rabba (Zohar III 31b). Furthermore, even after the verdict is conveyed to the angels on Hoshana Rabba, they are not permitted to carry it out until the end of Shemini Atzeret. Therefore, repentance is still effective in reversing or improving one’s verdict until then (Zohar I 220a and II 142a; Sha’ar Ha-kavanot, Derushei Ḥag Ha-Sukkot, pp. 314-316).

Some hold a large, joyful celebration on the night of Hoshana Rabba, like on the other nights of Sukkot (Zera Emet 2:157), but the widespread custom is to study Torah on the night of Hoshana Rabba, thus combining Torah study with festival joy, albeit without music and dancing. There is a pious custom to stay awake all night studying Torah on Hoshana Rabba, to repair and purify the soul before judgment is final. Some have the custom to read the entire Torah on this night (Shibolei Ha-leket §371). Based on Arizal’s teachings, a tikun focusing on Devarim and Tehilim was composed for recitation on this night (Kaf Ha-ḥayim 664:3-4).

As we have learned (5:10), on each day of Sukkot there is a custom to circle the bima once while carrying the four species, reciting supplications before, during, and after the circuit. On Hoshana Rabba, we circle seven times, after which we recite many supplications.

Because of Hoshana Rabba’s sanctity and its special mitzvot, it is customary to have a festive meal during the day (AHS 664:13).

02. The Custom of the Arava in Temple Times and Today

In addition to the Torah’s commandment to take aravot as one of the four species (4:1 above), there is another mitzva, which originates as halakha le-Moshe mi-Sinai, to bring long aravot branches to the Temple and stand them next to the altar with their tops bent over onto the altar. When the aravot were brought, the kohanim sounded a teki’a–teru’a–teki’a blast on the shofar. This was done on each day of Sukkot except for Shabbat. However, if Hoshana Rabba coincided with Shabbat, it was done, because the main significance of the mitzva of arava was on this day. To avoid Shabbat desecration, the aravot were picked before Shabbat and left in golden vases filled with water to prevent their withering. Then, on Shabbat, the kohanim would simply stand up the aravot next to the altar (Sukka 45a).^[1]

Extending this practice, the prophets instituted that aravot be taken not only in the Temple, but by Jews everywhere. They also instituted that the aravot are beaten. After the destruction, the Jews continued this custom in commemoration of the Temple. Even though in Temple times they took aravot every day, after the destruction it became the custom to do so on one day only. The seventh day was chosen, as it had been the primary day for the mitzva in the Temple, when they circled the altar seven times. According to the kabbalists, there is a hidden link between the mitzva of arava and the seventh day.

The mitzva of arava is so important that according to some Amora’im, after the destruction, when the Sanhedrin was still sanctifying each month, it avoided declaring Rosh Ha-shana on Sunday, so that Hoshana Rabba would never be on Shabbat, and people would always be able to take the aravot (Sukka 43b). Likewise, when the last Sanhedrin in Eretz Yisrael fixed the Jewish calendar as we know it, they made sure that Hoshana Rabba would never fall on Shabbat (Ran; Levush; see Peninei Halakha: Zemanim 1:3).

It would seem, at first glance, that since an arava has neither taste nor smell, it represents the simplest Jew, who has neither Torah nor good deeds. The Torah commands us to bundle the aravot with the other species in order to protect this type of Jew (Vayikra Rabba 30:12; 4:2-3 above). Given this, we may ask: Why take the arava on its own? Clearly, the arava has another dimension. Precisely because it lacks both taste and smell, it represents the penitent, who is aware of his limited value and many deficiencies, and who realizes that God alone can help him. From this perspective, a penitent is closer to God than someone who is completely righteous. The latter has earned his right to exist in the merit of his good deeds; he does not need special help from heaven. In contrast, a penitent is aware that he is totally dependent upon God, Who extends a hand to him despite his sins and accepts his repentance. This connects him to God more profoundly. Of this, the Sages declared: “Where penitents stand, even completely righteous people cannot stand” (Berakhot 34b).

By the time Hoshana Rabba arrives, after we have already done our best to repent, praying extensively on Rosh Ha-shana and Yom Kippur, we now approach God to humbly ask for help. We take the aravot to show that, like penitents, we know that our salvation is dependent upon God alone. Perhaps this is why the aravot are called hoshanot, which allude to our repeated plea to God to “save us.” For if we deserve to be saved, it is in the merit of the humility that they represent. The custom of beating the aravot also expresses our willingness to disregard ourselves and our evil inclination in order to serve God wholeheartedly.

03. Beating the Aravot

The custom of Israel is to take aravot on the seventh day, to commemorate the Temple, and to beat them on the ground or something else, as the prophets instituted in Temple times (MT, Laws of Shofar, Sukka, and Lulav 7:22). The Amora’im disagree as to whether the prophets introduced this practice as an enactment, in which case a berakha is recited, or as a custom, in which case no berakha is recited (Sukka 42a-b with Rashi). The accepted practical ruling is that it is a custom, and no berakha is recited (SA 664:2).

The aravot need to be 3 tefaḥim long (like the aravot bundled with the lulav). Technically, one arava is enough, but it is customary nowadays to follow Arizal and take five aravot (SA 664:4; MB ad loc. 16). Some prefer not to tie the five aravot together. Others prefer to tie them, and this is the custom (MB 664:17; Kaf Ha-ḥayim ad loc. 35).

Although the aravot used for the mitzva of the four species are invalid if most of its leaves have fallen off, aravot used for the custom of beating are acceptable as long as one leaf remains on each arava. Nevertheless, one should not be lenient. Rather, one should beautify the custom and use nice aravot that are valid for use with the lulav (SA and Rema 664:4; Kaf Ha-ḥayim ad loc. 34).

Le-khatḥila, one should take new aravot for beating, rather than those that have already been used by someone else. However, technically, many people can fulfill the custom with the same aravot. The beating itself does not disqualify them. As long as each is 3 tefaḥim long and has at least one remaining leaf, they may be used multiple times to fulfill the custom.

The aravot are beaten two or three times on the ground or something else (Rambam; SA 664:4). According to Arizal, the custom is to beat the aravot five times on the ground. Some Aḥaronim write that it is preferable to first beat the aravot on the ground in accordance with Arizal’s custom and then beat them on pews or other furniture, because some maintain that it is better when the beating tears off leaves, which is more likely to happen when beating them on furniture (Bikurei Yaakov 664:16; MB ad loc. 19). Those who follow Arizal meticulously beat the aravot five times on unpaved ground and make sure that the aravot remain kosher enough to be used for a lulav throughout the beating (Kaf Ha-ḥayim 664:37).

In most communities, the four species are not taken together with the aravot for beating. Rather, the seven hakafot and the subsequent prayers and liturgical poems are conducted while holding the four species. Then the four species are put aside and the aravot picked up. Additional prayers and liturgical poems are then recited, and the service concludes with the beating of the aravot (Rema 664:7; MB ad loc. 26 based on Arizal; Kaf Ha-ḥayim ad loc. 32). The Yemenite custom is to hold the four species plus the aravot during the hakafot of Hoshana Rabba (as described in SA 664:3).

One cannot fulfill this obligation using aravot that are still bundled with the lulav. However, if the aravot are removed from the bundle after the four species have been taken, one may use them for the mitzva of beating aravot (SA 664:5; MB ad loc. 21).

04. The Status of the Four Species After the Festival

As we have seen (5:8 above), during the festival the four species are set aside (muktzeh) for mitzva purposes and may not be used for any other purpose. Therefore, even after one has taken the lulav on Hoshana Rabba and is finished with the mitzva until next Sukkot, he may not eat the etrog or smell the hadasim (unless he had made a condition before the festival). With the completion of Hoshana Rabba, they are released from the prohibition, and they may be smelled or eaten (Tosafot, Sukka 10b, s.v. “ad”; BHL 665:1, s.v. “etrog”). In fact, if one has no further use for the four species after fulfilling the mitzva on the final day of Sukkot, he may leave them in the yard or anywhere that people leave grass clippings or yard trim. Since they are considered tashmishei mitzva (objects used in a mitzva), they need not be buried (as do tashmishei kedusha – objects with intrinsic sanctity, like a Torah scroll, tefilin, or mezuza). Nevertheless, they should not be thrown in the garbage or left where they will be trampled. Since they were used to perform a mitzva, they may not be treated disrespectfully (SA 664:8).

As for the aravot that were beaten on Hoshana Rabba, some have a custom to leave them atop the ark. Perhaps this was to ensure that they are not thrown on the ground outside of the synagogue where they would be trampled. Ultimately, however, it is preferable to protect the dignity of the ark and not leave the aravot there. Instead, they should be left on the side of the yard or wherever yard trim is left. Some set aside the aravot until Erev Pesaḥ, at which point they burn them together with the ḥametz or use them to fuel the oven for baking matzot (Rema 664:9). Some keep the aravot in their house or yard as a protective charm.

05. Taking Leave of the Sukka

The sukka should not be taken down until Sukkot is over. Even if one finished eating on Hoshana Rabba and does not intend to sleep for the remainder of the day, he should not take down his sukka. This is because the mitzva of sitting in the sukka continues until day’s end, so if one wants to study Torah or chat with friends, it is still a mitzva to do so in the sukka. However, c. 2.5 hours before sunset, one may move furniture from the sukka back into the house, in preparation for Shemini Atzeret (SA 666:1).

It is appropriate to spend time in the sukka at the end of Hoshana Rabba, in order to spend as much time as possible in the shade of a mitzva from which we are about to take leave for an entire year. Some kiss the sukka as they depart at the end of Hoshana Rabba (Shlah; MB 477:5). Some recite a prayer, found in some siddurim, when leaving the sukka, (Rema 667:1).

The sekhakh, walls, and decorations of the sukka were set aside for mitzva use, and therefore may not be used for any other purpose during the festival. Even though there is no longer a mitzva to sit in the sukka on the eighth day, they remain muktzeh then too, since the prohibition extends until the end of bein ha-shmashot of the seventh day, and at that point, the eighth day has already begun (SA 667:1;2:16 above).

Since the sekhakh, walls, and decorations are tashmishei mitzva, they do not require burial, but they may not be treated disrespectfully. For example, sukka beams may not be used as floorboards, and paper decorations may not be used as toilet paper (MB 638:24).

In Eretz Yisrael, it is forbidden to eat in the sukka on the eighth day. If one does so while intending to do a mitzva, he transgresses the Torah prohibition of bal tosif, as it is written: “Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you: neither add to it (lo tosef) nor take away from it” (Devarim 13:1). Even if he does not have in mind that he is fulfilling the mitzva, he is still transgressing the rabbinic prohibition to eat in the sukka on the eighth day, because it looks like he is trying to add to the mitzva. If someone has nowhere else to eat, before the eighth day he should remove sekhakh that covers an area 4 tefaḥim long (c. 32 cm) and 4 tefaḥim wide, making it clear that he is not interested in the sekhakh (SA 666:1). The concern that one appears to be adding to the mitzva applies only on the eighth day. One who wants to eat in the sukka any time after that need not remove sekhakh, because by that late date nobody would think that he means to add to the mitzva (Rema 666:1).

Outside of Eretz Yisrael, people eat in the sukka on the eighth day, because it is treated as though it might be the seventh day. However, no berakha is recited. Since the day is primarily treated as Shemini Atzeret and not Sukkot, reciting the berakha would render the day’s practices self-contradictory (Sukka 47a; SA 668:1; see Peninei Halakha: Mo’adim ch. 9 n. 4).

On the ninth day, when Simḥat Torah is celebrated outside of Eretz Yisrael, it is forbidden to eat in the sukka, because it looks like one is adding to the mitzva. If one has nowhere else to eat, he may not remove sekhakh before the ninth day, because of the prohibition of Soter on Yom Tov. To avoid looking like he is transgressing bal tosif, he should bring dirty pots and dishes into the sukka. Since it is prohibited to do so on Sukkot, this makes it clear that he is not intending to fulfill the mitzva of sukka when he eats there (SA 666:1).

01. Shemini Atzeret – a Holiday in Its Own Right

The Yom Tov of Shemini Atzeret is both a continuation of Sukkot and an independent festival. The fact that the Torah calls it the “eighth” (shemini) indicates that it is a continuation of the seven days of Sukkot. Likewise, with respect to the mitzva to make a pilgrimage and offer an olat re’iya (pilgrimage burnt offering) and shalmei ḥagiga (festival peace-offering), it was deemed a continuation of Sukkot; one who ascended to the Temple and offered the requisite sacrifices on Sukkot did not need to offer them again on Shemini Atzeret, while one who did not offer the sacrifices on Sukkot could offer them on Shemini Atzeret (Rosh Ha-shana 4b).

On the other hand, in several respects, Shemini Atzeret is considered an independent festival. First, the special mitzvot of Sukkot do not pertain to it: There is no mitzva to sit in the sukka, to take the lulav and etrog, or to offer a water libation with the tamid offering. Therefore, it has a different name; it is not called Sukkot, but Shemini Atzeret in the prayers, kiddush, and Birkat Ha-mazon.^[1] Second, the sacrifices offered on Shemini Atzeret in Temple times were different. On each day of Sukkot, fourteen lambs and two rams were offered, but on Shemini Atzeret, seven lambs and one ram were offered. On Sukkot, 13 bulls were offered on the first day, 12 on the second, and so forth until 7 bulls were offered on the seventh day. If Shemini Atzeret were a continuation of Sukkot, presumably 6 bulls would have been offered. In fact, only a single bull was offered, indicating that Shemini Atzeret is an independent festival (Bamidbar 29:32-39).

Since, in some ways, Shemini Atzeret is a holiday in its own right, we recite the berakha of She-heḥeyanu in kiddush at night; the She-heḥeyanu recited on the first night of Sukkot does not cover Shemini Atzeret (Sukka 47b; SA 668:1).

02. The Idea Behind Shemini Atzeret

The Sages tell us that the seventy bulls offered on Sukkot correspond to the seventy nations of the world, while the single bull offered on Shemini Atzeret corresponds to the singular nation of Israel. The Gemara illustrates: “This can be compared to a king of flesh and blood who told his servants, ‘Make me a big feast.’ Then on the last day of the celebration he said to his favorite, ‘Make me a small banquet, so that I can enjoy your company alone’” (Sukka 55b). A midrash makes a similar analogy. “This can be compared to a king who threw a week-long party and invited everyone in the country to it. Once the week was over, he said to his favorite, ‘We have already fulfilled our duty to the countrymen. Let the two of us continue with whatever we find – some meat, fish, or vegetable.’ Similarly, when God said to Israel, ‘On the eighth day you shall hold a joyous gathering for yourselves’ (Bamidbar 29:35), He was telling them, ‘Continue with whatever you find – a bull and a ram’” (Bamidbar Rabba 21:24).

Zohar (III 104b) presents a third variation on the analogy. All throughout Sukkot, Israel offered sacrifices on behalf of the seventy nations. Shemini Atzeret, though, is the King’s day to celebrate exclusively with Israel. It can be compared to a king who invited guests. Everyone in the palace worked on their behalf. Later on, the king said to them, “Thus far, you and I have made efforts on behalf of all the guests. You have brought all these offerings for the seventy nations. Now we will celebrate for one day, just us.” This is the meaning of: “On the eighth day you shall hold a joyous gathering for yourselves” – these offerings are for you.

Another midrash focuses on the joy of celebrating Shemini Atzeret with God. “When Israel heard about it, they began praising God with the verse, ‘This is the day that the Lord has made – let us delight and rejoice in it (bo)’ (Tehilim 118:24). Rabbi Avin asked: [The Hebrew word bo is ambiguous, so] we do not know whether to rejoice on the day or to rejoice in God. King Shlomo came and resolved it: ‘Let us delight and rejoice in You’ (Shir Ha-shirim 1:4) – in You, through Your Torah; in You through Your salvation…” (Yalkut Shimoni, Pinḥas §782).

This is what is unique about Shemini Atzeret. It has no special mitzva other than rejoicing in God, His Torah, and His salvation.

03. The Meaning of “Atzeret”

The word “atzeret” derives from “atzara,” a gathering, for on this day, we gather together to bid farewell to the annual holiday cycle. This cycle begins with Pesaḥ, when we left Egypt, continues to Shavu’ot, when we were given the Torah, goes on to Rosh Ha-shana and Yom Kippur, times of remembrance, repentance, and atonement, and culminates with Sukkot, the Festival of Ingathering, when we gather in all the physical and spiritual fruits of the year and rejoice in them, thus spreading joy and blessing throughout the world. On Shemini Atzeret, which wraps everything up, we have a farewell get-together. “This can be compared to a king who invited his children to a party that was scheduled for a certain amount of time. When the time for departure arrived, he said, ‘My children, please stay with me for one more day. Saying goodbye is hard for me” (Rashi on Vayikra 23:36).

From this perspective, it is appropriate to be happier on Shemini Atzeret than on any other holiday. It is on this day, which concludes the yearly cycle of uplifting holidays, that we reach the pinnacle of closeness and connection to God. The joy we experience on Shemini Atzeret does not hinge on a specific mitzva, such as the sukka or four species, but stems from the very fact that we are God’s children and people. Thus, the Vilna Gaon says that the mitzva is to rejoice in God exclusively, as it is written, “You shall have nothing but joy” (Devarim 16:15). It is told that the Vilna Gaon rejoiced greatly on Sukkot and was even more joyful on Shemini Atzeret, because, according to esoteric teachings of the Torah, it is the happiest day of all (Ma’aseh Rav §233).

In this festive farewell get-together, when we draw especially close to God, He gave us the opportunity to permanently conserve and preserve in our souls forever all the illumination that we absorbed over the previous year. This makes it possible for us to continue to ascend in the upcoming year.

There is another holiday that the Torah calls an atzeret, namely the seventh day of Pesaḥ: “You shall hold a joyous gathering (atzeret) for the Lord your God on the seventh day” (Devarim 16:8). It is described as an atzeret for God because all the light we gather and absorb during Pesaḥ we give back to God to guard it for us, as we are not yet on the level to permanently store it within us. But six months later on Shemini Atzeret, after completing all the year’s festivals, we have reached a point where we can store within ourselves, forever, all the light and goodness that we absorbed during the year. Thus, it is written: “On the eighth day you shall hold a joyous gathering (atzeret) for yourselves.” (See Peninei Halakha: Moadim 13:6 for why Shavu’ot is also called Atzeret.)

The eighth day is fitting for this celebration, as this world, the natural world, is linked with the number seven. It was created in seven days, and everything in it is temporary and finite. In order to store all of the goodness and divine illumination that manifests in it, we must sanctify ourselves and ascend to a level beyond nature and time, a level that is linked to the number eight. The power of this level that is beyond nature makes it possible to improve the world. We are similarly commanded to perform a brit mila, which improves upon nature, on the eighth day, for the covenant is eternal, beyond nature and time. God also gave us the eternal Torah on an “eighth day” of sorts – the day after we finished counting seven weeks of seven days. For this reason, it is appropriate to associate Simḥat Torah with Shemini Atzeret, the holiday correlated with the number eight (Maharal, Tiferet Yisrael ch. 2).

04. Tefilat Geshem – the Prayer for Rain

Rain brings water to the world, allowing all plants, animals, and people to survive. Therefore, it is proper to praise God and pray to Him for beneficial rain. The Sages thus instituted two mentions of rain into the Amida, to be recited during the rainy season, between Sukkot and Pesaḥ. In the second berakha, on the theme of God’s might, the Sages ordained that we praise the omnipotent God by declaring that He “makes the wind blow and the rain fall” (“mashiv ha-ru’aḥ u-morid ha-geshem”). This invocation is called “hazkarat geshamim” (“the mention of rain”). In the ninth berakha, in which we petition God for sustenance and livelihood, we ask Him to bring down “benevolent dew and rain” during the winter months. This is called “she’elat geshamim” (“the request for rain”).

Sukkot marks the start of the rainy season, so it would have been reasonable to start mentioning and requesting rain already at the beginning of the festival. However, rain on Sukkot is seen as a bad omen, since we cannot fulfill the mitzva of sitting in the sukka in the rain. For this reason, the Sages delayed hazkarat geshamim until after Sukkot and ordained that we begin reciting “mashiv ha-ru’aḥ” at Musaf of Shemini Atzeret, when synagogue attendance is high and it is a good time to announce the beginning of hazkarat geshamim. Since not everyone comes to Ma’ariv, and it is forbidden to announce anything just prior to the Amida of Shaḥarit, so the announcement is made at Musaf (Beit Yosef and SA 114:1-2).

Along with starting hazkarat geshamim, at Musaf of Shemini Atzeret we also recite Tefilat Geshem, the prayer for rain, in which we ask God that all the upcoming year’s rain be beneficial. It is customary to open the ark for Tefilat Geshem and to recite it with great intent and supplication. Ashkenazic custom treats this prayer like the prayers of the Days of Awe; the ḥazan wears a kittel and chants a special melody, as on the Days of Awe.

The custom of Sephardim and some Ashkenazim is to recite Tefilat Geshem before Musaf, and the custom of most Ashkenazim is to insert it into the ḥazan’s repetition of the Amida, in the second berakha, at the point where hazkarat geshamim appears. For those who follow this custom, the gabbai must declare loudly, before the silent Amida: “Mashiv ha-ru’aḥ u-morid ha-geshem!” By virtue of this announcement, the congregants recite this phrase during their silent Amida, even though they have not yet recited Tefilat Geshem.

The Torah is likened to water: “Just as water gives life to the world, so the words of Torah give life to the world” (Sifrei, Ekev §48). Water animates the body and Torah animates the soul. Therefore, it is proper during Tefilat Geshem to have in mind spiritual water as well as physical water, so that the next year will be blessed with Torah.

It would make sense to begin she’elat geshamim with the first Ma’ariv after the festival. However, the Sages were concerned about pilgrims who traveled great distances, so they delayed the beginning of she’elat geshamim for another 15 days, until the night of the seventh of Marḥeshvan. This allowed the last of the pilgrims, who came from across the Euphrates, to return home without getting caught in a downpour (SA 117:1). In Eretz Yisrael, we continue this beautiful custom, which reminds us of Temple times, to this day. (Regarding the proper practice outside of Eretz Yisrael, see Peninei Halakha: Prayer 18:7.)

If one forgot to say “mashiv ha-ru’aḥ” in Musaf on Shemini Atzeret or anytime afterward, he need not repeat the Amida as long as he said “morid ha-tal” (“Who brings down dew”; this is the prevailing custom in Eretz Yisrael). If one forgot she’elat geshamim anytime after the seventh of Marḥeshvan, he should insert it into the berakha of Shome’a Tefila. If he forgot to say it there, he should return to the ninth berakha (where it is normally recited) and continue the Amida from there. If he finished the Amida before realizing his omission, he must repeat the entire Amida. (See Peninei Halakha: Prayer 18:4-5.)

In the Diaspora, where there are two days of Yom Tov, Tefilat Geshem is also recited on the first day (Shemini Atzeret), just as in Eretz Yisrael. On the second day (Simḥat Torah), the yearly cycle of reading the Torah is completed.

05. The Completion of the Torah

Jewish custom is to read one portion (parasha) of the Torah each week and to complete the entire Torah each year on Simḥat Torah. In Eretz Yisrael, this is the same day as Shemini Atzeret, whereas outside of Eretz Yisrael, Simḥat Torah is the day after Shemini Atzeret.^[2]

Even though the standard practice on Yom Tov is to call up five people to the Torah for aliyot, on Simḥat Torah, the parasha, Vezot Haberakha, is divided into seven aliyot. In addition, to honor the completion of the Torah, it is customary to call up every congregant for an aliya. To this end, the first five aliyot are read over and over, until everyone present has been called up, except for the four people who will be called up later: two for the last two aliyot, one for the beginning of Bereishit, and one for maftir.

Le-khatḥila, each time the parasha is repeated, people are called up in the standard order: first a kohen, then a Levite, and then three Yisraelim. If there are more kohanim or Levites to call up, they can be called up for the fourth and fifth aliyot as well as the usual first and second. When possible, they should still be called up in order, meaning, the fourth aliya should be given to the kohen and the fifth to the Levite (MB 135:37). If many kohanim are present but only a few Levites, a kohen should be called up for the first aliya but then a Yisrael may be called up for the second (Meshiv Davar 2:48). Once all kohanim and Levites have been called up, Yisraelim can be called up for all five aliyot.

When there are many congregants, it is customary to split up into multiple minyanim for the Torah reading, in order to shorten the time it takes to give everyone an aliya. Afterward the congregation reassembles for the final aliyot that conclude the Torah.

On Simḥat Torah it is customary to give aliyot to minors under the age of bar mitzvah. The widespread custom is to give an individual aliya to every child who knows how to recite the berakhot and can read along silently with the Torah reader. Minors who are not yet able to do that go up to the bima together with an esteemed member of the community for the aliya called “Kol Ha-ne’arim” (“All the Children”). The accompanying adult recites the berakhot slowly and loudly, and the children repeat each word after him. This is the penultimate aliya, and it begins with the word “me’ona.”

By giving every congregant an aliya, we show that every Jew – young and old, scholar and layperson – has a part in the Torah.

06. The “Ḥatanim”

There are four especially prestigious aliyot on Simḥat Torah, and the most important of all is the one that concludes the Torah. The person honored with this aliya is called the “Ḥatan Torah.” The penultimate aliya is Kol Ha-ne’arim, discussed above, and it, too, is prestigious. The person called up for this aliyah is sometimes called the “Ḥatan Me’ona,” as “me’ona” is the first word of this aliya.

Immediately after the Torah is concluded, another Torah scroll is brought out. Another person is called up, and the first verses of Bereishit are read. It is a great honor to receive this aliya, and the person who receives it is called the “Ḥatan Bereishit.” This aliya expresses our devotion to Torah. When we finish reading the Torah, we do not bid it farewell, not even for a moment. Rather, we immediately begin it again (MB 668:10).

After the Ḥatan Bereishit, a third Torah scroll is brought out, and the aliya of maftir is read. This reading is about the offerings of the festival as described in Parashat Pinḥas (SA 668:2).

It is customary to read the beginning of Yehoshua as the haftara. Since the entire objective of the Torah is for it to be fulfilled in Eretz Yisrael, after completing the Torah it is appropriate to begin Yehoshua, which is about “the value of Eretz Yisrael” (see Nedarim 22b). Another reason to read Yehoshua at this point is because of its important verses about the value of Torah:

But you must be very strong and resolute to observe faithfully all the Torah that My servant Moses enjoined upon you. Do not deviate from it to the right or to the left, so that you will be successful wherever you go. Let not this book of the Torah cease from your mouth, but recite it day and night, so that you will observe faithfully all that is written in it. (Yehoshua 1:7-8)

It is also appropriate to begin studying the Prophets right after completing the Torah.

In many places, it is customary to sell these four prestigious aliyot to the largest donors to the synagogue and financial supporters of Torah scholars. Elsewhere, these aliyot are given to Torah scholars or community leaders. If choosing honorees is likely to cause conflict, because it is difficult to determine who is most deserving, it is better to sell the aliyot to the highest bidder. It is an added bonus if a buyer is also a Torah scholar or community leader (Kenesset Ha-gedola; Bikurei Yaakov 669:3). In some places, the wealthy buy these aliyot and then give them to Torah scholars. Their merit is great, as they both make a donation and honor the Torah.

Some have a custom that each person who receives an aliya pledges to make a donation to synagogue upkeep and Torah study (MB 669:7).

If one already had an aliya and then finds out that the congregation wishes to honor him as Ḥatan Torah, Ḥatan Me’ona, Ḥatan Bereishit, or maftir, he may accept this additional aliya, and there is no concern that he is making an unnecessary berakha. However, if one is honored as Ḥatan Torah, he should not receive the aliya of Ḥatan Bereishit as well, as it would be disrespectful toward the first Torah scroll; it would look as though he had to come back for an extra aliya because the first Torah scroll was found to be invalid (Eliya Rabba; Pri Megadim; Bikurei Yaakov 669:4; MB ad loc. 2). A kohen or Levite can be Ḥatan Torah or Ḥatan Bereishit (Maharil; Bikurei Yaakov 669:4).

Ashkenazic custom is to read three aliyot from Parashat Vezot Haberakha on the night of Simḥat Torah, after the hakafot. Those who are called up recite the berakhot (MB 669:15).

07. Customs of Hakafot

It is customary on Simḥat Torah to have seven hakafot at night and another seven during the day. As we have learned, hakafot allude to the or makif, the highest illumination that envelops us, uplifts us, and inspires us, but which is so sublime that we cannot apprehend it through our intellects in any definite way (above, 1:7 and 5:9). Everything that we learned and had the privilege to understand in the course of the year is a type of internal light, which our intellect absorbs in a definite, demarcated manner. Through this, when we complete the Torah, we can absorb something of the or makif, which emerges from the Torah as a whole. The intensity of Simḥat Torah facilitates this process.

Before the hakafot, the custom is to take all the Torah scrolls out of the ark, including invalid scrolls. Ashkenazic custom is to carry all the scrolls and dance with them for the duration of the hakafot. If there are more scrolls than the dancers can carry, only those scrolls that have someone to carry them are taken out. According to Sephardic custom, for most of the hakafot, almost all of the Torah scrolls are placed on the bima, while one person holds one Torah scroll, and everyone else dances around them. Based on the teachings of Arizal, some have the custom to circle the bima with one Torah scroll exactly once for each of the seven hakafot. (See Ben Ish Ḥai, Vezot Ha-berakha §17.) All these customs are acceptable.

Seven circuits suffice to uphold the custom of hakafot, but to rejoice with and honor the Torah, the main focus of Simḥat Torah, one should expand and extend the dancing. The extra dancing does not have to take the form of circuits around the bima. It is customary (but not required) to sing liturgical poems during hakafot, each community according to its customs.

The night hakafot take place after Ma’ariv. During the day, some have the hakafot after Musaf and some have them after the Torah reading (Ḥida, Le-David Emet, end of §26). But in most congregations, hakafot take place earlier, after Shaḥarit and before the Torah reading.

Many synagogues have a kiddush during hakafot, where some people drink a lot of wine and get tipsy, but they make sure to avoid intoxication. One must make sure to leave enough time to become sober and clearheaded before Musaf and Minḥa, as it is prohibited to pray the Amida while under the influence of alcohol (SA 99:1; Peninei Halakha: Prayer 5:11). It is also prohibited for a kohen to perform Birkat Kohanim while under the influence (SA 128:38).

Le-khatḥila, everyone present in the synagogue should stand during the entire time of hakafot. However, if it is difficult for someone to stand, he may sit, but he should stand up at the beginning of each hakafa.^[3]

Based on a kabbalistic custom from Arizal’s time, some Israeli communities hold “second” hakafot (“hakafot sheniyot”) at night after Shemini Atzeret ends. They, too, are in honor of the Torah, so there is an element of mitzva in them. Rav Kook says that musical instruments should be played during hakafot sheniyot to make it clear that Yom Tov is over, and that they are not celebrating Yom Tov Sheni shel Galuyot in Eretz Yisrael (Oraḥ Mishpat §142).

08. Intense Joy

The joy of Simḥat Torah is so intense because there is no greater joy than that associated with Torah. Thus we find that when King Shlomo attained wisdom, he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and made a great feast for all his servants. We learn from this that we make a feast to celebrate the completion of the Torah (Shir Hashirim Rabba 1:9).

It was said in praise of Abaye, one of the greatest of the Amora’im, that he declared a holiday with a festive meal for the sages every time one of his students completed a tractate (Shabbat 128b). Thus, there is a custom to have a great feast on Simḥat Torah. In many places, the Ḥatan Torah and Ḥatan Bereishit invite the whole congregation to a kiddush or provide wine for the feast.

The importance of this joy is evident from the fact that the Ge’onim ruled that in honor of Simḥat Torah, it is permissible to dance and clap, even though the Sages prohibited dancing and clapping on Shabbat and Yom Tov, out of concern that people might end up fixing their musical instruments (Beitza 36b; SA 339:3). More recently, after the great Ḥasidic masters emphasized the value and importance of the mitzva to be joyful, many are lenient about this even on an ordinary Shabbat. (See Peninei Halakha: Shabbat 22:18.)^[4]

It is customary for women and children to come to synagogue in honor of Simḥat Torah. Some say that there is a certain similarity between Simḥat Torah and the mitzva of Hak’hel, which took place on Sukkot every seven years. (See chapter 8 below.) Just as all Israel assembled to hear the king read the Torah, so too all Israel assembles to honor the Torah.

Many Torah giants would dance their hearts out on Simḥat Torah. It is told of the Vilna Gaon:

He was very happy on Sukkot, and even happier on Shemini Atzeret, because it is the happiest time of all according to esoteric teachings…. He would march before the Torah scroll joyously and energetically, his face alight with wisdom like a burning torch. He clapped and twirled and leapt with all his might before the Torah scroll. The song leaders would sing a verse, and he would repeat after them…. (Ma’aseh Rav §233; see Harḥavot)

Some do not stand on their dignity during the dancing. They are following the example of King David. When he escorted the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, he wore his best clothing, made with links of gold; he danced and leapt with all his might before the Ark, kicking his legs high, even exposing himself a bit, while the gold links of his clothing clanked and jingled (Bamidbar Rabba 4:20). When his wife, Michal the daughter of King Shaul, saw this, she was disgusted with him. When he returned home, she greeted him with rebuke, because she felt he had degraded the honor of the monarchy by acting like riffraff in the presence of his slaves and maidservants. King David responded that he was not dancing for his honor. Rather, he danced “before the Lord, Who chose me instead of your father and all his family, and appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel! I will dance before the Lord and dishonor myself even more, and be low in my own esteem, but among the maidservants that you speak of I will be honored” (2 Shmuel 6:21-22).

It is said that anyone who dances and rejoices with all his might in honor of the Torah is guaranteed that the Torah will not be alien to his descendants (Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov Algazi, Shalmei Ḥagiga 17:16). Others say that all of our imperfect prayers and supplications, which could not ascend to heaven during the year and even during the Days of Awe, now ascend and are well received thanks to our dancing on Simḥat Torah (Rabbi Shalom Rokeach, the first Belzer Rebbe). It is also said that the holy Arizal attained the highest levels of insight into the esoteric aspects of the Torah because he rejoiced with all his might when performing mitzvot (MB 669:11).

01. The Mitzva of Hak’hel

It is a positive mitzva to assemble all of Israel – men, women, and children – on Sukkot at the end of each Shemita year, during their pilgrimage to the Temple. Sections of the Torah that encourage faith, reverence, Torah study, and mitzva observance are then read to them, as it is written:

And Moses instructed them as follows: Every seventh year, at the time of the Shemita year, at the Festival of Sukkot, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place that He will choose, you shall read this Torah aloud in the presence of all Israel. Assemble (Hak’hel) the people – men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities – that they may hear and so learn to revere the Lord your God and to observe faithfully every word of this Torah. Their children, too, who have not had the experience, shall hear and learn to revere the Lord your God as long as they live, in the land that you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. (Devarim 31:10-13)

The purpose of this assembly, which took place once in seven years, was to raise the honor of the Torah and its commandments. There was no grander, more impressive event than this, in which all of Israel participated – young and old, men and women, and most esteemed of all, the king, who would read from the Torah to the people. This spurred everyone to ask: What is the point of this large assembly? The answer was self-evident: “To hear the words of Torah, which is our foundation, our glory, and our grandeur. This would lead them to speak its great praises and its esteemed glory. They would all be implanted with desire for it, and from this desire they would learn to know God, earn the ultimate goodness, and God would be pleased with their actions” (Sefer Ha-ḥinukh §612).

Every participant benefited greatly from Hak’hel. Those able to study Torah in depth were inspired to increase their study. Those able to listen and understand were inspired to listen avidly to the Torah’s words and to live by them. Children who were old enough to understand listened to the words, and the sanctity of the occasion inspired and encouraged them to study Torah and keep mitzvot. As for those children who were too young to understand, their souls absorbed the tremendous value and incomparable importance of Torah, when they saw that everyone was gathering together to hear it. Their parents were inspired too, recognizing the monumental mission incumbent upon them: to educate their children to Torah and mitzvot (Ramban on Devarim 31:12-13; Maharal, Gur Aryeh, ad loc.; see Harḥavot).

All were obligated in this mitzva, from converts who did not yet understand Hebrew to great sages who knew the entire Torah, for Hak’hel is a reflection of the revelation at Mount Sinai; the entire people must imagine and feel that they are now accepting the Torah directly from God. (See MT, Laws of Pilgrimage Offerings 3:6.)

The Sages ordained that the king read from the Torah to further dignify the event. However, even when there is no king, the king’s voice is weak, or he is a minor, the mitzva is not abrogated. Rather, a very prominent person does the reading – a prince, Kohen Gadol, or great Torah sage. (See: Tiferet Yisrael on Sota 7:8; Minḥat Ḥinukh §612; Ha’amek Davar on Devarim 31:11; R. Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Teomim (Aderet), Zekher Le-Mikdash ch. 1.)

02. The Reading

Hak’hel must be read in the holy tongue, the Hebrew of Scripture, as the verse states, “You shall read this Torah aloud” (Devarim 31:11) – as it is written. Those who do not understand the holy tongue are still required to listen, just as when the Torah was given on Sinai (Sota 32a; MT, op. cit. 3:5-6).

All the readings were from the book of Devarim. The first section was from the beginning of Devarim until the end of the Shema paragraph (1:1-6:9). These chapters describe the preparations for entering Eretz Yisrael, the sin of the spies and its consequences, the conquest of the east bank of the Jordan River, and Moshe’s supplications to enter the land. This is followed by a lengthy section about the revelation at Sinai and the prohibition of idol worship, and an admonition to future generations to keep Torah and mitzvot and teach them to their children. As a reward, they will endure in the land. The first selection concludes with Shema (ibid. 6:4-9), which expresses the foundation of faith and includes the commandment to love God.

The second selection was the paragraph of “Ve-haya im shamo’a” (11:13-21), which speaks of reward and punishment for keeping the mitzvot. The third and fourth sections had to do with tithing: “Aser te’aser” (14:22-27) and “Ki tekhaleh le’aser” (26:12-15). The fifth section was about the king and his commandments (17:14-20). Finally, the sixth and final section was the blessings and curses (ch. 28), detailing the reward for Israel if they keep Torah and mitzvot, and the punishment if they do not (Sota 41a).

According to Rambam, everything from the section on tithes to the end of the curses was read straight through (14:22-28:69). This lengthy reading includes many mitzvot; 138 mitzvot appear here for the first time (§473-611 in Sefer Ha-ḥinukh), as do many more mitzvot that were mentioned earlier in the Torah. These include many interpersonal mitzvot, including tithing, charity, returning lost objects, appointing judges, rules of justice, and the prohibition upon charging interest. Other mitzvot relate to kings and war, prophecy and priesthood, and marriage, as well as many prohibitions connected to idolatry and magic.^[1]

03. The Timing of the Mitzva and Those Obligated in It

Hak’hel took place on Sukkot right after the Shemita year: “Every seventh year, at the time of the Shemita year, at the Festival of Sukkot, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God” (Devarim 31:10-11). Based on the phrase “when all Israel comes,” the Sages extrapolate that the verse refers to the beginning of the festival, as that was when everyone came to Jerusalem (Sota 41a). However, the Sages did not want to hold the assembly on the first day of the festival, because that day is Yom Tov, and it would be forbidden to erect the platform on which the king stood. Putting it up before the festival was not a good option either, because that would have led to crowding in the Temple courtyard when everyone came to offer sacrifices. Therefore, Hak’hel was postponed until right after the first Yom Tov (Rashi). Alternatively, it can be derived from the verse’s use of the word “ba-mo’ed” (translated above “at the time”), which can be understood to mean “in the festival,” that Hak’hel took place in the middle of the festival, not at the very beginning (Tosafot).

Some say that Hak’hel took place at night, right after the first Yom Tov (Tiferet Yisrael). Others maintain that it took place the next day, on the first day of Ḥol Ha-mo’ed (Aderet).

The Hak’hel assembly put the stamp of sanctity on the concluding Shemita cycle. The gathering of the entire nation then to hear the Torah conveyed a powerful message: everything connected to Torah has eternal value, while everything else is eventually lost and forgotten. This message strengthened and enlightened Israel to continue following the Torah’s ways for the next seven-year cycle.

Since Hak’hel took place on a pilgrimage festival, the Sages derived from a gezera shava that men who are exempt from making the pilgrimage and offering the festival sacrifices (Peninei Halakha: Mo’adim 1:15) are also exempt from Hak’hel. Therefore, the deaf, mute, blind, lame, and tamei are exempt from Hak’hel, as are slaves. Elderly and sick men unable to walk from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount are exempt as well. However, women are obligated in Hak’hel even though they are not obligated to make the pilgrimage.

Parents are obligated to bring a minor with a disability to Hak’hel, just as they were obligated to bring the rest of their children. This was true even if the disability would exempt the child from the obligation to undertake the pilgrimage himself as an adult (Minḥat Ḥinukh 612:4). The uncircumcised are also obligated in Hak’hel (MT, Laws of Pilgrimage Offerings 3:2).

Even if someone could not hear the king read – whether because he was forced to stand very far away due to the crowds or because he was hard of hearing – he was still expected to focus his attention on the reading. Rambam elaborates: “It was established by Scripture only to strengthen the true religion. One is meant to see himself as if he is being commanded directly by God, right now. The king is a messenger, conveying the words of God” (MT, op. cit. 3:6 as interpreted by Leḥem Mishneh ad loc.).

04. The Proceedings

In preparation for the assembly, the kohanim walked through Jerusalem blowing trumpets to gather everyone to the Temple Mount. A large wooden platform was erected in the middle of the women’s courtyard. The king ascended and sat there so that everyone could hear and see him as he read (MT, op. cit. 3:4). If he wanted to honor the Torah by standing up during the reading, this was deemed praiseworthy. (See Tosafot on Sota 41a, s.v. “mitzva.”)^[2]

To honor the Torah and the king, the people assembled would pass the Torah scroll from person to person until it reached the king. The attendant of the synagogue on the Temple Mount took the scroll and gave it to the head of the synagogue, who passed it to the Deputy Kohen Gadol, who gave it to the Kohen Gadol, who passed it to the king. The king accepted the Torah scroll while standing (Sota 41a; MT, op. cit. 3:4).

Before and after the reading, the king recited the berakhot that are normally said at the beginning and end of an aliya. Afterward, he added seven more berakhot: 1) Retzei (Birkat Ha-avoda, from the regular Amida); 2) Modim (Birkat Ha-hoda’a, also from the regular Amida); 3) Ata Veḥartanu (the fourth berakha of the Yom Tov Amida); 4) a prayer for the Temple to endure, concluding with “Barukh ata Hashem, ha-shokhen be-Tziyon” (“Blessed are You, Lord, Who dwells in Zion”); 5) a prayer for the monarchy of Israel to endure, concluding with “Barukh ata Hashem, ha-boḥer be-Yisrael” (“Blessed are You, Lord, Who chooses Israel”); 6) a prayer for the service of the kohanim to find favor with God, concluding with “Barukh ata Hashem, mekadesh ha-kohanim” (“Blessed are You, Lord, Who sanctifies the kohanim”); 7) an extensive, unscripted prayer, concluding with “Hosha Hashem et amkha Yisrael, she-amkha tzerikhin lehivashe’a” (“Lord, save Your people, Israel, for your people needs salvation”), followed by “Barukh ata Hashem, shome’a tefilla” (“Blessed are You, Lord, Who listens to prayer”) (Sota 41a; MT, op. cit. 3:4).

05. Commemorating Hak’hel

In recent times, the great of rabbis have encouraged the Jews of Eretz Yisrael to hold a commemoration of this precious mitzva, to honor the Torah and commemorate the Temple. We have learned that the Sages enacted several ordinances to commemorate Temple practices. They derived the impetus for these commemorations from a verse: “But I will bring healing to you and cure you of your wounds, declares the Lord. Though they called you ‘Outcast, that Zion whom no one seeks out’” (Yirmiyahu 30:17). The Gemara elaborates: “whom no one seeks out” implies that we should seek Zion and remember it. Doing so will help it heal (Rosh Ha-shana 30a).

All agree that there is no way to fulfill the mitzva of Hak’hel nowadays, because it is linked to the mitzva of making a pilgrimage to the Temple for the festival, as it is written: “At the Festival of Sukkot, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place that He will choose” (Devarim 31:10-11). As long as the Temple is in ruins and it is impossible to offer the festival sacrifices, the mitzva of making the pilgrimage does not apply (Peninei Halakha: Mo’adim 1:16). The Sages derived this from a gezera shava, as the Torah speaks of “appearing” in the context of both mitzvot (Ḥagiga 3a). Rambam codifies this succinctly: “All who are exempt from the pilgrimage are exempt from Hak’hel, except for women and children…” (MT, op. cit. 3:2).

Nevertheless, the greatest of rabbis considered it important to make a nationwide commemoration of Hak’hel, especially in our generation, as the Jewish people continue to gather in its land. The first person to put forth this idea was R. Eliyahu David Rabinowitz-Teomim, “the Aderet,” who composed a booklet called Zekher Le-Mikdash and then moved to Jerusalem at the end of his life to serve as its chief rabbi. His son-in-law, our master Rav Kook, supported the idea as well, but neither of them lived to see it happen.

Other rabbis who were in favor of a Hak’hel commemoration included R. Yeḥiel Michel Tikochinsky (Ir Ha-kodesh Ve-hamikdash 4:15) and two chief rabbis of Israel – R. Yitzḥak Ha-Levi Herzog and R. Ben-Zion Uziel – as well as R. Yaakov Moshe Charlap and R. Zvi Yehuda Kook. Two rabbis who worked hard to turn it into a reality were R. Shlomo David Kahana, who served for decades as the head of the Warsaw beit din and later as Chief Rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem, and his son, R. Dr. Shmuel Zanvil Kahana, who served for two decades as the Director General of Israel’s Ministry for Religious Services. It was during his tenure there he organized the Hak’hel commemoration.

In 1945, after the Holocaust and before the founding of the State of Israel, the initiative of these rabbis came to fruition, and the first Hak’hel commemoration took place, with the participation of the chief rabbis and other leading rabbis. It was organized by the cultural division of Hapoel Hamizrachi, a political party of Religious Zionist workers.

Every seven years since then, at the end of every Shemita, there has been a Hak’hel commemoration. The one exception was in 1973, at the height of the Yom Kippur War, when the men had been called up to fight and risk their lives to protect the land and its people.

In 1987 there was an especially impressive Hak’hel commemoration, led by Chief Rabbis R. Avraham Shapira and R. Mordechai Eliyahu. Tens of thousands gathered at the Kotel and the porches overlooking it. The Western Wall Plaza was filled to capacity, and the crowds overflowed into the alleyways. The event was broadcast live on TV. The President of Israel, Chaim Herzog, participated in the reading, along with the chief rabbis. Many of the country’s luminaries participated in the ceremony, including the Prime Minister, many other ministers, and the President of the Supreme Court. Ever since then, at the end of each Shemita on the first day of Ḥol Ha-mo’ed, a Hak’hel commemoration takes place at the Kotel, drawing huge crowds and bringing great honor to God and His Torah.^[3]