Beating the Aravot

From Halachipedia

Beating the Aravot

  1. It is our custom on Hoshana Rabba morning 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. 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]

Sources

  1. ↑ Chazon Ovadia 440
  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)
  4. ↑ Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 443)
  5. ↑ Mishna Berura 664:21 as well as Chazon Ovadia Succot 442 say that although Shulchan Aruch 664:6 holds like the gemara succa 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. Beit Yosef Yoreh Deah 259 and Shach 259:11 hold like this.
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