Hoshana Rabah 1: The Underdog's Day

We have been taught by Chazal that the various components that make up the Arba Minim represent different types of Jews. The Esrog, with both taste and scent parallels the Jew who is learned and has good deeds. The Lulav, with only its good taste represents the simple Jew who carries out Mitzvos without knowing much. The Hadas, who only provides a pleasant smell symbolizes the Jew who focuses more on ideas, concepts and study. The Aravah seems to be the lowliest. It has neither smell or taste to its name and corresponds to the Jew who is both unlearned and devoid of Mitzvos.

And then we arrive at Hoshana Rabah. The climax of Chagei Tishrei. Who, all of a sudden is the star of the show? The simple Aravah! The Magen Avraham brings down that there are those who take the Aravah bunch and preform full-fledged Na'anuim on them! Would it not be more sensible to conclude these lofty days with a Minhag revolving around the Esrog? Surely it is the grandest of the Arba Minim.

R' Shmuel Borenstein,
the Shem MiShmuel

The answer, says the Shem MiShmuel emerges by fully understanding the date of Hoshana Rabah. Hoshana Rabah is the twenty-first of Tishrei. But being as the world was really created on the twenty-fifth of Elul (man was created on Rosh HaShanah) - that makes Hoshana Rabah the twenty-sixth day of creation.

It is well known that the Gematria, the numerical value of Hashem's name י-ה-ו-ה is twenty six. Chazal explain that this name is an abbreviation of the phrase היה הוה ויהיה, that Hashem was, is and always will be. The implication is that Hashem is above time. Being above time allows for Hashem to be unmoved by the reality of cause-and-effect. With out a before or an after there is no longer room for causality. This is a profound and deep idea.

If Hashem is, in truth personally unaffected by our actions (rather they effect us and how we perceive our relationship with Him. But He Himself remains unchanged) then there is no difference between the "Esrog-Jew" and the "Aravah-Jew" in the eyes of the Lord. For there is a certain level of reality where actions are of zero consequence and the simple reality that the soul is Jewish is adequate.  On this day, the twenty-sixth of creation, the day of י-ה-ו-ה, all Yidden can stand equally before Hashem. And thus the Aravah is the center of attention. We learn that every Jew is essentially equal and is provided with a unique opportunity to thrive.