{"id":273,"date":"2005-10-23T13:45:09","date_gmt":"2005-10-23T21:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/?p=273"},"modified":"2007-01-22T02:37:36","modified_gmt":"2007-01-22T10:37:36","slug":"whumping-the-willow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/?p=273","title":{"rendered":"Whumping the Willow"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Hoshana Rabba service (or, as my Siddur puts it, The Seventh Day of Tabernacles, Called Hosha-gnana The Great) is something of an omnium gatherum of Jewish liturgy — apart from counting the omer and a megilla reading it has just about everything. Extended pesukei de-zimra<\/span>, ya’aleh veyavo<\/span>, shaking the lulav, Hallel<\/span>, Torah reading, Mussaf<\/span>, seven circuits round the Torah, last chance Selihhot<\/span>, shofar blowing, prayers for rain, and of course whumping the willow.<\/p>\n

By the way, two of my favourite Yiddish phrases are associated with the day: the word for willow whumping itself, \u05e9\u05dc\u05d0\u05b8\u05d2\u05e2\u05df \u05e2\u05e8\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea<\/span> (shloggen arovves<\/span>), and the expression for a willow branch after the service, or somebody who feels like one, an \u05d0\u05d5\u05d9\u05e1\u05d2\u05e2\u05e7\u05dc\u05d0\u05b7\u05e4\u05d8\u05e2 \u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0<\/span> (oysgeklopte hoshana<\/span>).<\/p>\n

It’s interesting that performing the willow whumping every year was considered important enough that one of the reasons to hold over Rosh Hashana for 24 hours is to prevent Hoshana Rabba falling on Shabbat. \u05dc\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d3”\u05d5 \u05e8\u05d0\u05e9<\/span>, lo Ido Rosh<\/span>: Rosh Hashana can’t fall on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. Not Wednesday or Friday because then Yom Kippur would be on Friday or Sunday and there would be two consecutive days of full Shabbat restrictions; but not Sunday because then Hoshana Rabba would fall on Shabbat and there would be no willow whumping. No other mitzva which can’t be performed on Shabbat gets this consideration. I wonder if it’s because of some special significance that it possesses, or maybe more mundanely because other mitzvot can be fitted round Shabbat. There is no shofar blowing on Rosh Hashana that falls on Shabbat, but then there is always the second day. There is no lulav shaking on Shabbat, but there are six more days of Hhol haMo`ed<\/span> when the lulav can be shaken. There is no Megilla reading on Purim that falls on Shabbat, but then the Megilla can be brought forward to Friday (as it was in Jerusalem last year). But then, why can’t willow whumping be brought forward to the sixth day?<\/p>\n

The piyyutim for Hoshana Rabba don’t really compare to the piyyutim of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. I know it’s anachronistic, but I like to imagine that the really great paytanim, Yehuda HaLevi, Ibn Gabirol, Moshe ibn Ezra etc., had shot their bolt by the end of Kippur, and the second division had to be called in for Hoshana Rabba.<\/p>\n

Here’s one example, which I really can’t claim as great literature, but I have to admit I’m rather fond of it, maybe because I like lists as a literary device.<\/p>\n

\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05d0\u05d5\u05e6\u05e8\u05da \u05d4\u05d8\u05d5\u05d1 \u05e4\u05ea\u05d7 \u05de\u05d6\u05d1\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4
\n\u05d5\u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05ea\u05ea\u05df \u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05e0\u05d8\u05e4\u05d9 \u05e0\u05d3\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea \u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05d5 \u05d3\u05e9\u05d0\u05d9 \u05d7\u05e6\u05d9\u05e8
\n\u05d5\u05d4\u05e9\u05d9\u05d2 \u05dc\u05db\u05df \u05d3\u05d9\u05e9 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05d7\u05e6\u05d9\u05e8
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05dc \u05d4\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d4\u05e2\u05ea\u05e8
\n\u05d0\u05db\u05d5\u05dc \u05d5\u05e9\u05d1\u05d5\u05e2 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05ea\u05e8
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05d9\u05d5\u05dd \u05d6\u05d4 \u05d7\u05ea\u05d5\u05dd \u05e0\u05d0 \u05d7\u05d5\u05ea\u05de\u05ea
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d7\u05d8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05db\u05e1\u05de\u05ea
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05d5\u05d2\u05e9\u05dd \u05e0\u05d3\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea \u05ea\u05d7\u05d5\u05dc\u05dc \u05e8\u05d5\u05d7 \u05e6\u05e4\u05d5\u05df
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05e9\u05d1\u05dc\u05ea \u05e9\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc \u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e4\u05d5\u05df
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05e1\u05e4\u05e7 \u05e1\u05e4\u05e7 \u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05d7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9 \u05d5\u05d7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d6 \u05d5\u05d3\u05d5\u05d7\u05df \u05d5\u05e4\u05d5\u05dc \u05d5\u05e2\u05d3\u05e9
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05e4\u05e6\u05d4 \u05e9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d6\u05d5 \u05de\u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05e8 \u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05e2\u05e5 \u05e9\u05de\u05df \u05d5\u05d6\u05d9\u05ea
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05d1\u05de\u05d8\u05e8 \u05e8\u05d5\u05d4 \u05d7\u05e8\u05d1\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9\u05d9\u05de\u05d5\u05df
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d2\u05e4\u05df \u05d5\u05ea\u05d0\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d5\u05e8\u05de\u05d5\u05df
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05e0\u05d8\u05e4\u05d9 \u05e0\u05d3\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea \u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05d5 \u05d3\u05e9\u05d0\u05d9 \u05d7\u05e6\u05d9\u05e8
\n\u05d5\u05d4\u05e9\u05d9\u05d2 \u05dc\u05db\u05df \u05d3\u05d9\u05e9 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05d7\u05d6\u05d9\u05e8
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05e8\u05d5\u05de\u05dd \u05e2\u05e6\u05e8\u05ea \u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dc\u05d9 \u05d8\u05e4\u05d5\u05d7\u05d9\u05dd
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d0\u05d2\u05d5\u05d6 \u05d5\u05ea\u05de\u05e8 \u05d5\u05ea\u05e4\u05d5\u05d7\u05d9\u05dd
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05d9\u05d3\u05da \u05d4\u05e8\u05d7\u05d1 \u05d5\u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05d7\u05d6\u05d9\u05d6\u05d9 \u05de\u05e2\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d1\u05d8\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05e9\u05e7\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05e8\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05e6\u05d3\u05e7\u05da \u05de\u05e2\u05de\u05da \u05d1\u05dc \u05d9\u05e4\u05e1\u05e7
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d7\u05e8\u05d5\u05d1 \u05d5\u05e7\u05e8\u05e1\u05d8\u05de\u05dc \u05d5\u05d0\u05e4\u05e8\u05e1\u05e7
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05d7\u05dc\u05e5 \u05e7\u05d4\u05dc\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05e1\u05d1\u05d9\u05d1\u05da \u05ea\u05e2\u05e8\u05d5\u05d2
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d4\u05ea\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05d4\u05d0\u05d2\u05d5\u05d6 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\u05d5\u05d2
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05dc \u05e0\u05d0<\/span>
\n\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0 \u05e0\u05d0 \u05e9\u05d1\u05e2 \u05d1\u05de\u05d8\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea \u05e8\u05e7\u05d9\u05e2\u05d9\u05dd
\n\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05db\u05dc \u05de\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e8\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05d6\u05e8\u05e2\u05d9\u05dd
\n\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05e2\u05e0\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05e9\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05d0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Hoshana Rabba service (or, as my Siddur puts it, The Seventh Day of Tabernacles, Called Hosha-gnana The Great) is something of an omnium gatherum of Jewish liturgy — apart from counting the omer and a megilla reading it has just about everything. Extended pesukei de-zimra, ya’aleh veyavo, shaking the lulav, Hallel, Torah reading, Mussaf, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smontagu.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}