The following is a beautiful thought related to Hoshana Raba, which is tonight.
As we know, the seven days of Succot correspond to the seven Ushpizin, the seven guests that visit our Succah- Avraham, Yitzhak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef and David- in that order, based on Mekubalim. David is the last one.
Whenever we connect to David HaMelech, we stay up all night- like on Shavuot night, and on Hoshana Raba night as well, because David HaMelech stayed up on those nights. So it’s customary in the Sephardic communities for some to stay up all night on Hoshana Raba. Some stay up at least until Hatzot, and pray at Netz. We try to be like David HaMelech and limit our sleep.
There’s a story about David HaMelech that connects to Hoshana Raba. There was a giant named Goliath who was taunting the Jews. Shaul HaMelech offered a bounty- his daughter in marriage, to the one who killed Goliath. David came along and said that, “The one who saved me from the lion and the bear will save me from this Pelishti.”
Shaul told him to go, and that Hashem would be with him. He then cloaked David in copper armor, helmet and shield. When, David, being a shepherd, tried to walk with the all of this armor, he couldn’t. So he dropped all the armor (which represented nature)
וַיִּקַּח מַקְלוֹ בְּיָדוֹ
and he took a stick in his hand.
(He didn’t end up using the stick at all. What was it for? We will soon see.)
He then chose חֲמִשָּׁה חַלֻּקֵי אֲבָנִים five smooth rocks, מִן הַנַּחַל from the stream, put them in his pouch, and proceeded toward Goliath.
When Goliath saw David, this little red kid, he said, “Do you think I’m a dog, that you come at me with your stick” And he started to curse.
As we know, David then took out his sling shot, and aimed it right at the space in between Goliath’s armor. It hit Goliath and he dropped dead.
The Sefer Imrei Noam, on Moadim Hoshana Raba, says that story took place on Hoshana Raba, and Maasei Avot Siman L’Banim- whatever happened with David will happen with us. The day of Hoshana Raba is David’s day. What was the מַקְלוֹ בְּיָדוֹ the stick that David took in his hand? It says that it was actually the lulav! David was coming with his Lulav, hadasim, aravot, and Etrog. The five stones that he took were the 5 aravot that were used to bang on Hoshana Raba. This fascinating concept is hidden in the words of the Navi! He’s telling us that David HaMelech was returning from Netz on Hoshana Raba and that’s how he did the job.
If we read further in the Navi, David tells the Pelishti, “You’re coming to me with your sword and shield, and I’m coming B’Shem Hashem/ with the name of G-d, the One who fights the wars of the Jewish people, whom you cursed.”
Our rabbis tell us that this power is what allows us to cut everything down. It’s our Emunah and Bitachon in the name of G-d.
Furthermore, specifically when it comes to the holiday of Succot, our rabbis tells us that the four minim that we hold in our hands correspond to the four letters of G-d’s name. This concept is so powerful that the Bet Yosef brings down a fascinating story based on the fact that it’s not clear in the Gemarah, that when holding the Lulav and etrog, they have to be touching. Technically, you can hold the Lulav in your right hand, and the etrog in the left, without them touching. So what is the source for the way we do it, with them touching? The Bet Yosef brings down the following story, from a great rabbi called the Recanti. One night, a rabbi had a dream that another rabbi from his shul was writing G-d’s name, with a Yud, a Heh, and a Vav. Then he took a break, and then wrote the last Heh. What a strange dream. The man was writing G-d’s name, but it wasn’t connected. The next day in shul, the rabbi saw that man holding his Lulav in one hand, his etrog in the other, but they weren’t touching. He then understood this to mean that the man wasn’t creating the complete name of G-d, (by having them put together).
When we hold the Lulav and etrog, we are coming B’Shem Hashem/ in G-d’s name.
These minim are all species that, unlike other species, have no angel telling them to grow. Hashem Himself tells them to grow. These species symbolize the power of Hashem to make things happen. That’s why we say Hallel while we hold them.
And there’s something very powerful that we say in Hallel, that I would like to share: After David HaMelech tells us
טוב לחסות בה׳ מבטח באדם
It’s better to rely on G-d than to rely on the guarantees man, (we have explained this in the past, to mean that even in a case where G-d didn’t promise, you seek His refuge- this is the holiday of Succot)
David HaMelech then says,
כל גוים סבבני
The goyim surround me
בשם ה׳ כי אמילם
With the name of G-d, I cut them down.
That refers to our hakafot. The goyim are all around us, but we walk around, and we cut them down with our hakafot.
David HaMelech, with all of his various challenges, always has the same answer-
Shem Hashem- the Name of G-d.
ברוך הבא בשם ה׳
Blessed is the one that comes in the Name of G-d.
It’s all about the Name of G-d, who controls everything.
That’s the power of Hoshana Raba.
Hoshana Raba is when we say we are going to overcome our enemies in a supernatural way. All of those interferences, the things stopping us, or taunting us, we will beat with the power of Shem Hashem.
We have to believe in the power of Hoshana Raba, and the power of David HaMelech, and utilize this special day. If you can stay up all night, beautiful! If you can say some tehilim, beautiful! Do what you can, to take advantage of this final, most powerful day.
There’s a lot to be said about it.
Bezrat Hashem, we will discuss it more tomorrow, on Hoshana Raba morning.