The willow: awaiting salvation as merit

ענין הערבה בהו"ר.

The matter of the aravah (willow) on Hoshana Rabbah.

The Sefas Emes turns to the special significance of the willow taken on Hoshana Rabbah.

הוא בחי' צפית לישועה.

It is the aspect of "tzipisa li'yeshuah" — anticipating/awaiting the salvation.

The willow represents the quality of yearning and waiting for Hashem's salvation.

והוא בחי' דוד המע"ה.

And it is the aspect of David HaMelech, alav hashalom.

This trait of hopeful anticipation is embodied by David, who longed constantly for Hashem's deliverance.

לכן תקנו את צמח דוד כו' בברכת מצמיח קרן ישועה.

Therefore the Sages established "es tzemach David… (the offshoot of David)" within the berachah that concludes "Matzmiach keren yeshuah" ("who causes the horn of salvation to flourish").

The blessing for the flourishing of David's kingship is sealed precisely with the theme of salvation sprouting forth — tying David to the anticipation of yeshuah.

כי אמרו הערבה רומז למי שאין בו טעם וריח.

For they said that the aravah alludes to one who has in him neither taste (taam) nor smell (rei'ach) — neither Torah nor good deeds.

Chazal compare the willow, which has no taste and no fragrance, to a Jew lacking both Torah learning and mitzvos.

א"כ מה החשיבות רק להיות מצפה לישועה.

If so, what is its importance? Only that it represents being one who awaits the salvation.

What worth, then, does such a person (the willow) have? His entire merit lies in his longing and hope for Hashem's yeshuah.

ואז הוא כלי מוכן להיות נושע בה'.

And then he becomes a fitting vessel (kli muchan) to be saved by Hashem.

That very yearning makes a person a prepared vessel — ready and able to receive Hashem's salvation, even without Torah or mitzvos to his credit.

וכן הוא בדורות השפלים כי עיקר הישועה תהי' ב"ב בדורות השפלים דוקא כמ"ש עם עני ודל וחסו בשם ה'.

And so it is with the lowly generations, for the essential salvation will come, speedily, specifically in the lowly generations, as it is written: "a poor and lowly people, and they take refuge in the Name of Hashem" (Tzefaniah 3:12).

The final geulah will come specifically through the humble later generations — poor in spiritual attainments — whose one strength is taking refuge in and hoping toward Hashem's Name.

[ועיין ברוקח שמביא ד' פסוקים בתמני אפי לד' מינים בפקודיך אשיחה ואביטה אורחותיך.

[And see the Rokeach, who brings four verses from the alphabetical "tamnei apei" section (Tehillim 119, the eight-fold "pei" stanza) corresponding to the four species: "In Your precepts I will converse, and I will gaze upon Your ways" (Tehillim 119:15).

The Sefas Emes notes the Rokeach's tradition that four verses from the "pei" stanza of Tehillim 119 correspond to the four minim. This first verse, about meditating on the mitzvos, is one of them.

הוא תורה ומצות.

This [verse] is Torah and mitzvos.

It corresponds to the esrog, which has both taste and fragrance — Torah together with mitzvos.

ואשתעשע במצותיך הוא מצות.

"And I will delight in Your mitzvos" (Tehillim 119:16) — this is mitzvos.

This verse corresponds to the lulav (the date palm), which has taste but no fragrance — mitzvos without Torah.

סעפים שנאתי ותורתך אהבתי הוא תורה.

"I hate vacillating thoughts, but I love Your Torah" (Tehillim 119:113) — this is Torah.

This verse corresponds to the hadas (myrtle), which has fragrance but no taste — Torah-fragrance.

קראתיך הושיענו ואשמרה כו' זה ערבה שמצפה לישועה ומוכן לשמור המצות.

"I called to You, save me, and I will guard [Your testimonies]…" (cf. Tehillim 119:146) — this is the aravah, which awaits the salvation and is prepared to keep the mitzvos.

The willow's verse is a cry for rescue coupled with readiness to observe — exactly the one who, lacking taste and fragrance, possesses only his plea for salvation and his willingness to keep the mitzvos.

ע"ש ברוקח ותראה כמה גדולים דברי חכמים]:

See there in the Rokeach, and you will behold how great are the words of the Chachamim.]

The Sefas Emes directs the reader to the Rokeach's full treatment, marveling at the depth of the Sages' allusions.

Summary: The aravah of Hoshana Rabbah, which has neither taste nor fragrance, represents the Jew without Torah or mitzvos — yet his whole greatness lies in tzipisa li'yeshuah, the longing for Hashem's salvation, the trait of David HaMelech. That very yearning makes him a fit vessel to be saved, which is why the final geulah will come specifically through the lowly generations who take refuge in Hashem's Name. The Rokeach's four verses from Tehillim 119, matched to the four species, confirm that the willow's portion is the cry for salvation joined to readiness to keep the mitzvos.