by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

One of the customs of Hoshana Rabba is to circle the Bima seven times.  Generally, the circling of the Bima on Sukkos is to do so only once.  On Hoshana Rabbah, however, we do it seven times.  The Tur (OC 660) explains that it is done as a commemoration of what occurred in the Beis Hamikdash itself.  The Yerushalmi (Sukkah 4:3), cited by the Tur, explains that it was done in the Mikdash to commemorate the capture of the city of Yericho in the times of Yehoshua.

Jericho was encircled seven times before it was captured.

But why now — on Sukkos – do we make this commemoration?

The Aruch LaNer (Sukkah 45a) explains that Sukkos is the time of Simcha — where we praise and thank Hashem for tremendous acts of kindness that He has performed for us. The greatest kindnesses were done to us by HaKadosh Boruch Hu in regard to the land of Eretz Yisroel.  It is, therefore, appropriate for the seven times to occur on Sukkos itself.

This author would like to suggest yet another reason.  The capture of Yericho was one of the very first events that symbolized our emergence as a nation in our own land that which Hashem had given us.  Taishvu k’ain taduru implies a taduru – living in our land.  However, we should never fall so low in dwelling in our land that we should fall victim to vayashmen yeshurun.  Both going out into the Sukkah and the blowing of the shofar during the encirclement of Yericho show that we are always reliant on Hashem.  That is one of the internal messages of Sukkos – of which Hoshana Rabbah represents the culmination.

The author can be reached at [email protected]