אוֹמְרִים אוֹם אֲנִי חוֹמָה וְגַם אָדוֹן הַמּוֹשִׁיעַ, אֲבָל אֵין מַקִּיפִים אֶלָּא פַּעַם אַחַת. אוֹמְרִים תֵּיבַת "הוֹשַׁעֲנָא", הֵן בְּרֹאשׁ וְהֵן בְּסוֹף - בְּאוֹתָם הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁאוֹמְרָם הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר בְּקוֹל רָם, בְּהַשְּׁאָר אוֹמְרִים רַק פַּעַם אַחַת. מִנְהָגֵנוּ לְהַתְחִיל בְּקוֹל רָם מֵאוֹת "ס" אוֹ "ע". מְדַיְּקִים לַעֲשׂוֹת הֶקֵּף שָׁלֵם וּמַשְׁלִימִים בְּאוֹת “ת".

1 [On this day, Sunday,] we recite both the hymn beginning Hoshana om ani chomah2 and the hymn beginning Hoshana Adon HaMoshia,3 but we circle [the reader’s dais] only once.4

[Every day,] we add the word Hoshana at the beginning and end of each of the phrases that the sheliach tzibbur chants aloud. (For the other phrases, the word Hoshana is said only once.5 ) According to our custom, the sheliach tzibbur begins to chant aloud from the phrases that begin with the letter samech or ayin.6

One should make a point of fully circling [the reader’s dais], completing the circuit as one reaches the phrase that begins with the [last] letter, taf.

Probing Beneath the Surface

The Hoshanos prayers, which are replete with poetic allusions to Scriptural and Rabbinic phrases, are all entreaties — for the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, for the deliverance of the Jewish people, and the like. This is true of the hymns that are recited throughout the first six days of the festival, and also of the hymns of Hoshana Rabbah, whose closing request is recited with willow twigs in hand.

The theme of entreaty is evident in the Sages’ description of how our forefathers, while holding willow twigs, used to circle the altar in the Beis HaMikdash.7 They would first go down to bring willow branches from a place near Jerusalem called Motza, and then lean them against the altar. As they circled the altar once every day, they would pray, as we do in Hallel throughout the festival, “We implore You, G‑d, deliver us. We implore You, G‑d, grant us success.” On Hoshana Rabbah they would circle the altar seven times.

In the well-known analogy that describes the Four Species,8 the willow, which lacks both taste and fragrance, represents those individuals who lack distinction in both Torah study and observance of the mitzvos. Nevertheless, that statement cannot be interpreted in a solely negative way. After all, our Sages state9 that even “the sinners among Israel are filled with mitzvos like a pomegranate is filled with seeds.” And since one cannot observe without knowing the laws, we can assume that they also possess Torah knowledge.

Why, then, are they described as lacking distinction in study and observance? For they are, to quote the Rebbe Rayatz,10 “simple Jews whose observance of the mitzvos is motivated by simple faith.” These “willow twigs” do not focus on the intellectual and emotional advantages with which study and observance will endow them. Rather, their study and observance is motivated by simple faith and commitment. And when we beseech G‑d to grant us success and deliverance, it is this quality of theirs that we seek to highlight.11