Watch authentic Jewish prayer holiday service- Happy Minyan's Sukkot - Hoshana Rabbah - full Version

• published: 28 Oct 2008
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Soulful modern Orthodox Jewish Sukkot prayer worship with lulav and etrog. Led by Jeff Rohatiner with guest Chazzan Yehuda Greene. Torah reading service, led by Chazzan Lazar Wax, 39-year veteran from NYC. The seventh day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, 21st day of Tishrei, is known as Hoshana Rabbah (Aramaic: הוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּא, "Great Hoshana/Supplication"). This day is marked by a special synagogue service, the Hoshana Rabbah, in which seven circuits are made by the worshippers with their lulav and etrog, while the congregation recites Hoshanot. It is customary for the scrolls of the Torah to be removed from the ark during this procession. In a few communities a shofar is sounded after each circuit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoshana_Rabbah Five willow branches At the conclusion of a number of Piyyutim (liturgical poems), five willow branches are beaten on the ground or other surface to symbolize the elimination of sin. This is also symbolic as a prayer for rain and success in agriculture. According to the Kabbalah, beating the ground with the five willow branches is done to "Sweeten the Five Severities". There is no blessing said for this ritual, but the Aramaic expression "chabit, chabit velah barich" is chanted. This happens to be the oldest known Jewish custom (or Minhag) in Orthodox Judaism. "It was customary to make one procession around the altar on each day of Sukkot, and seven on the seventh day" [Sukkah 4:5]. The priests carried the palm branches or willows in their hands. The entire ceremony is to demonstrate rejoicing and gratitude for a blessed and fruitful year. Moreover, it serves to tear down the iron wall that separates us from our Father in Heaven, as the wall of Jericho was encompassed "and the wall fell down flat" (Joshua 6). Furthermore, the seven circuits correspond to the seven words in the verse Erhatz benikayon kappay, va'asovevah et mizbahakha Hashem - "I wash my hands in purity and circle around Your altar, O Lord" (Psalms 26:6). Each "hoshana" is done in honor of a patriarch. Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses (the most important Hebrew prophet) Aaron (Moses's brother, the first Kohen Gadol, or High Priest) Joseph (the three Patriarchs and Jacob's most famous son) David (the most important king of Israel)