Beating the Aravot

From Halachipedia

Beating the Aravot

  1. It is our custom on Hoshana Rabba morning after mussaf to beat five aravot on the floor five times. [1]
  2. We hold like the opinion in the gemara that the beating of the aravot is a minhag neviim, and therefore there is no beracha recited on it. [2]

Who's obligated?

  1. Women are exempt from beating the Aravot. [3]

Which Aravot are fit?

  1. The Aravot used for beating the Aravot must be fit for shaking the four minim. [4]
  2. If necessary, it is permissible to use the two aravot that were tied to your lulav once you have fulfilled that mitzva, for the beating and removed the aravot from the tie. [5]
  3. If necessary, one can pass his aravot that he used to beat on the ground to a friend to fulfill his obligation as well as long as most of the leaves are still on the branch. [6]
  4. The minumum length for an aravah branch for beating is 3 tefachim, like it is for the aravah for the mitzva with lulav. [7]

Reasons for the Custom

  1. Some view the beating of the Aravot as a ritual of atonement, and interpret Hoshana Rabba as a day of final judgment and forgiveness. Beating the branches symbolizes, and mystically brings about, a sweetening of the Divine attribute of justice[8]
  2. Others have suggested that beating the Aravot is a prayer for rain, as the sound of beating Aravot evokes the sounds and sights of a rainstorm[9]
  3. Finally, a recent view proves that the beating of the Aravot is a re-enactment of a prophecy delivered and acted out by the prophet Chagai on the 21st of Tishrei (i.e. on Hoshana Rabba) in which Chagai assured Jews that God would ultimately overturn the nations of the world and redeem Israel and the Temple.[10]

Sources

  1. ↑ Chazon Ovadia Sukkot pg. 440, Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 183, Shaar Hakavanot 105A
  2. ↑ This argument about whether its a minhag neviim or yesod neviim appears on succa 44a-b. Rashi there says the practical difference halachically is whether or not we say a beracha, meaning since we hold its minhag therefore we don't say the beracha. Rambam Hilchot Succa 7:22
  3. ↑ Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 443). see also Sh"t Rav Pealim 1:Kuntres Sod Yesharim:12
  4. ↑ Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 443)
  5. ↑ Mishna Brurah 664:21 as well as Chazon Ovadia Succot pg. 442 say that although Shulchan Aruch 664:6 holds like the gemara sukkah 44b that you cannot be yotzei with the aravot with the lulav, that's only talking about when the aravot are still tied to the lulav. In addition, this is not a problem of maalin bakodesh viein moridin (we go up in holiness and don't go down) because the Mordechai says that's only referring to items that are holy and not items that are just used for a mitzva. Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 183, Sh"t Yechave Daat 3:48, Beit Yosef Yoreh Deah 259 and Shach 259:11 hold like this.
  6. ↑ Sh"T Yechave Daat 3:48
  7. ↑ Chazon Ovadia Sukkot pg. 443
  8. ↑ Zohar Parshat Tzav (end of 31b)
  9. ↑ e.g. Rabbi Dr. Louis Jacobs, in The Jewish Religion: A Companion
  10. ↑ See Chagai 2:1-9 and see article by Steven Weiner entitled "What Did the Willows Ever Do to Deserve Such a Beating? An Original Explanation for a Perplexing Custom" found here: http://seforim.blogspot.com/2015/09/what-did-willows-ever-do-to-deserve.html
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