When During Davening To Do Hoshanos

See also:
‘Hoshanos: Understanding the Hoshana Chart & Daily Order Found in the Siddur’

Sukkos 5783

There are certain questions a rav always receives at certain times of the year. For instance, I am writing this article on Tzom Gedaliah, and I was reminded again this year that the most common sh’eilah a rav receives on Rosh Hashanah is “Rabbi, I am so tired! Is there any heter to lie down this afternoon?”

On Sukkos, every year without fail, I will be asked a series of questions regarding Hoshanos. It is not that the daled minim, hilchos Yom Tov, and the sukkah don’t carry their own sh’eilos, but rather that certain very specific aspects of the Hoshanos are mysterious to many people.

The Story of Hoshanos

When to say Hoshanos is always the first question I am asked. It is rare that such a universal element of the siddur is recited at different points in the tefillah depending on the shul where one davens. In fact, sometimes it can change in that same shul, depending on which day of Sukkos one davens there!

To explain this phenomenon, a little background would be apt. Hoshanos were recited in the Beis Hamikdash on all seven days of Sukkos, culminating in seven circuits around the Mizbei’ach on Hoshana Rabbah. They were done with aravos by the kohanim, as only they can walk around the Mizbei’ach (see Bi’ur HaGra 660, who asks why even Yisraelim do it nowadays).

The Ohr Zarua (315) contends, amazingly, that in the time of the Beis Hamikdash, even Yisraelim were allowed to circle the Mizbei’ach because of the holiness of this act!

Eventually, Jews living outside of Yerushalayim implemented a similar practice in their shuls, mirroring what was done at the Mizbei’ach. After the Churban, we adopted this practice in order to recall the days when we had a Mikdash.

When to Do Hoshanos

It seems that there are three historical minhagim regarding when to recite Hoshanos. The first is cited by the Tur (siman 660) in the name of Rav Saadia Gaon. Hoshanos was said right after krias haTorah. Oddly, and as the Tur himself points out, although this makes the most sense, it was not the accepted practice anywhere then, and it is not today either. The reason this seems to be the best time for Hoshanos is because the Torah is already out for leining, and taking a Torah out for any reason other than leining is something we typically avoid.

The second opinion comes from the Bach and others. They argue that since Hoshanos in the Mikdash were recited after that day’s Mussaf offering, we should say them after we daven Mussaf.

The third approach is to say Hoshanos after Hallel. Various reasons are offered, but Rav Moshe Feinstein (Orach Chaim 3:99) posits that perhaps once one is already holding his daled minim for Hallel, putting them down until after Mussaf may appear to be an example of the principle of ein maavirim al hamitzvos—not passing over a mitzvah that is in front of you. However, reciting Hoshanos then leads to the question of whether the Torah should be returned to the aron before taking it out again immediately for leining.

While shuls choose either the second or third option, many change the practice during Yom Tov. On Yom Tovthey will do Hoshanos after Mussaf; on Chol Hamoed (save for Hoshana Rabbah) they will do it following Hallel. The Chazon Ish has a similar minhag (Dinim 22:17).

It is likely that this is often done for baalei batim who have a heter to work on Chol Hamoed and may have to leave early. This way they will already have said Hoshanos.

What’s With This Order?

“Rabbi, can you explain the Hoshanos? Why does the order change depending on which day Sukkos falls out?”

I should first point out that, as in the case of Selichos, there are many minhagim about what is recited and when. Sephardic, German and Chabad kehillos have their own systems. What follows is a brief explanation of the nusach found in the most influential compendium of hilchos tefillah in our time—the ArtScroll siddur. There are several special Hoshanos that are said on specific days, and they change depending on when Sukkos falls each year.

The Machatzitz Hashekel (d. 1806; siman 663:4) writes, “I have not found reasons for our ordering of the Hoshanos. But the Levush explains…” What follows is based on his words (as well as on Magen Avraham, Pri Megadim, and Mishnah Brurah ad loc #6).

Before we continue, I should point out two constants: The first day of Chol Hamoed Sukkos will always fall on the same day as Yom Kippur, and Sukkos can only begin on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Shabbos.

The Hoshana E’eroch Shu’i is the one we want to say first as it alludes to our fasting and teshuvah on Yom Kippur. However, because such supplication should be avoided on Shabbos or Yom Tov, it is postponed to the first day of Chol Hamoed, which is appropriate in any case as it is always the same day of the week as Yom Kippur of that year.

So then, by default, we must choose which Hoshana should always be the first one. L’maan Amitach is chosen as it describes the characteristics of the Ribbono Shel Olam. Even Shesiyah follows as it focuses on the Beis Hamikdash, which is commemorated by this minhag.

On Shabbos, we always say Om Netzurah as the laws of Shabbos are explicated in it. Should Shabbos be the first day of Sukkos, it is recited then. The next day we go straight to the traits of Hashem with L’maan Amitach and maintain the Yom Kippur reference for the first day of Chol Hamoed with E’eroch Shu’i. On the second day of Chol Hamoed, we go back to the skipped Even Shesiyah.

Because Adon Hamoshiyah references our need for rain, we obviously save it for the last day (before Hoshana Rabbah) so as not to disturb our time in the sukkah. However, when Sukkos begins on a Monday, the penultimate day of Chol Hamoed will fall on Shabbos. This forces us to say Om Netzurah and skip Adon Hamoshiyah entirely that year.

To conclude, it always bothered me why, in the time of the Beis Hamikdash, they would do Hoshanos and say, “Hoshia na!” I understand why we say it today, but during that time—especially during Bayis Rishon—hadn’t they already arrived at their salvation?

I think the explanation is that we tend to forget that, as we said during V’chol Maaminim during the Yomim Nora’im, “vadai shemo”—the only certainty comes from Hashem. So whether we have all that we need or desire more, both are given by Hashem. We have to daven not just for what we want, but also for what we have, praying that Hashem will maintains it for us.

May Hashem grant us all of our wants, and preserve and sustain for us all the gifts that He has already bequeathed to us.

Ah gut kvittel!l