Sukkot תרמ"ה 5

להושענא רבה.

For Hoshana Rabbah.

The Sefas Emes introduces a thought for Hoshana Rabbah, the great day of supplication at the close of Sukkos.

מה שקבעו חז"ל רוב הבקשות ביום הזה.

That which Chazal established the majority of the supplications on this day —

He addresses why Chazal concentrated the greatest number of prayers and Hoshana petitions specifically on this day, which is marked by the mitzvah of the aravah (willow).

כי הערבה הוא אותן שאין להם טעם וריח רק תפלה.

For the aravah represents those who have no taste and no fragrance — only prayer.

Among the Four Species, the willow has neither taste nor smell, symbolizing the simple Jew who lacks Torah learning (taste) and good deeds (fragrance), yet possesses the power of heartfelt tefillah.

וע"ז כתיב פנה אל תפלת הערער שהוא ער וריק מכל.

Concerning this it is written: "He turned to the prayer of the destitute (ar'ar)" (Tehillim 102:18) — one who is bare and empty of everything.

The verse speaks of Hashem turning toward the prayer of the "ar'ar," one stripped bare of all merit, corresponding to the empty-handed Jew whose only asset is his prayer.

[והרמז כערער בערבה]

[And the hint: "like a lone juniper (ar'ar) in the wilderness (aravah)" (Yirmiyahu 17:6).]

A bracketed allusion: the words "ar'ar" (destitute) and "aravah" (willow / wilderness) echo one another, linking the bare willow to the bare, empty supplicant.

ותפלתו מתקבלת ביותר כדכתיב שם תפלה לעני כי יעטוף.

And his prayer is accepted most of all, as it is written there: "A prayer of the poor man when he swoons" (Tehillim 102:1).

Precisely the prayer of the destitute and broken-hearted is most readily received by Hashem, for it rises from utter dependence and sincerity.

ואיתא שהקב"ה מניח כל התפלות ומקבל מקודם תפלת העני.

And it is brought that Hakadosh Baruch Hu sets aside all the prayers and receives the prayer of the poor man first.

Hashem, as it were, gives precedence to the prayer of the poor and empty over all other prayers, accepting it before the rest.

וי"ל בזה פירוש הפסוק ולא בזה את תפלתם ומדייק במד' אמור דהול"ל תפלתו.

And with this one may explain the verse "and He did not despise their prayer" (Tehillim 102:18), where the Midrash on Emor is precise: it should have said "his prayer" (singular).

The verse opens speaking of one destitute person ("his prayer") but concludes in the plural ("their prayer"). The Midrash notes this shift and the Sefas Emes will resolve it.

רק שבאמת כל הד' מינים אותן שיש בהם טעם וריח כו' כולם נושעו ע"י הערער.

Rather, in truth all of the Four Species — those that have taste and fragrance, etc. — are all saved through the destitute one (the willow).

The resolution: the willow's plain prayer carries along the others. Even the species rich in taste and fragrance — the learned and righteous — are ultimately delivered through being joined with the lowly willow.

וע"י שמשתתפין עמהם גם אותן הפחותים נתקבל תפלת כולם.

And because they join together with them — even those lowly ones — the prayer of them all is accepted.

When the higher species bind themselves together with the lowly willow, the unity of all of Bnei Yisrael causes everyone's prayer to be accepted as one. Hence the plural "their prayer."

וערבה דומה לשפתיים כמ"ש כחוט השני שפתותיך ומדברך נאוה.

And the aravah resembles the lips, as it is written: "Like a scarlet thread are your lips, and your speech (midbarech) is comely" (Shir HaShirim 4:3).

The shape of the willow leaf resembles lips, hinting that the aravah corresponds to the power of speech and prayer. The verse praises the "lips" and "speech" of Bnei Yisrael as beautiful before Hashem.

דרשו חז"ל על ימי הגלות אותן שהם כמדבר שממה.

Chazal expounded this concerning the days of galus — those that are like a desolate wilderness (midbar).

Reading "midbarech" as related to "midbar" (wilderness), Chazal applied the verse to the era of galus, when Bnei Yisrael are like a barren desert, stripped of the Bais Hamikdash and outward glory.

נאה ועריבה תפלתם לפניו ית':

Pleasant and sweet (areivah) is their prayer before Him, may He be blessed.

Precisely in the desolation of galus, when Bnei Yisrael have only their tefillah, their prayer is pleasing and "areivah" — sweet — before Hashem, just like the lowly willow (aravah) whose sole virtue is prayer.

Summary: On Hoshana Rabbah the willow takes center stage because it represents the Jew with neither Torah-learning (taste) nor good deeds (fragrance) — only heartfelt prayer, which Hashem accepts above all. When the loftier species bind together with the lowly willow, the prayers of all of Bnei Yisrael are accepted as one. And in the desolation of galus, when we are like a barren wilderness with only our tefillah, that very prayer is sweet and pleasing before Hashem.