Hoshana Rabbah is the seventh and final day of the Jewish festival of Sukkot, which is also considered a day of judgment. Falling on the 21st day of Tishrei, it has special significance in Jewish tradition as a time when the final sealing of judgment for the new year, which began on Rosh Hashanah, is believed to occur.
The name "Hoshana Rabbah" means "Great Hoshana," referring to the special prayers recited during the day, in which worshippers repeatedly chant "Hoshana," meaning "Please save us." These prayers are accompanied by a ritual where participants walk around the synagogue carrying the lulav (palm branch) and etrog (citron), symbolizing unity and blessings for the year ahead.
Hoshana Rabbah is often marked by intense prayer, the beating of willow branches as a symbolic act of repentance, and the reading of special Torah passages. It combines the joy of Sukkot with the solemnity of the High Holy Days, making it a spiritually significant day in the Jewish calendar.
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