Hoshana Rabbah is a Jewish thanksgiving festival which marks the last of the Days of Judgement that began with Rosh Hashana. It falls on the seventh day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot and is observed on the 21st day of the month of Tishrei. “Hoshana” means “please save us,” and “Rabbah” means “great,” and this is a reference to “the great salvation” and this day is celebrated for expressing gratitude for a prosperous harvest. This day serves as a reminder for the Jews that God was their source of protection around 2,000 years ago when they wandered into the wilderness. It falls on the last day of the seven-day Jewish festival of thanksgiving, Sukkot, and way back in the 10th Century BCE, this was considered the most significant Jewish holiday. Read on to know more about the date, significance, history and ways of observing Hoshana Rabbah 2022. Rosh Hashanah 2022 Date & Significance: Know All About the Jewish New Year and Ways of Observing the ‘Ten Days of Repentance.'

Date and History of Hoshana Rabbah

This Jewish holiday will be observed on October 15, 2022, on the seventh day of the thanksgiving festival of Sukkot. There are specific customs associated with this day, with the main one being a tradition of the Four Kinds, where the person observing this day has to turn to the north, south, east and west and shake or wave a lulav in one hand and an etrog (citron) in the other, up and down while reciting prayers. A branch of a date palm tree, two willow branches and three myrtle branches bound together form the lulav. The Four Kinds represent the four types of Jews who are differentiated by their knowledge of Torah teaching and their good deeds.

Significance and Ways Of Observing Hoshana Rabbah

According to Midrash, which is a body of Biblical exegesis by generations of rabbinical scholars, God had told Abraham that if the children of Israel don’t atone on Yom Kippur, he will discharge it on Hoshana Rabbah. This day, therefore, feels like a relief for Jews. This festival is also based on traditional practices, which bring families together. Jews observe this day by constructing a Sukkah or a temporary structure in the outdoor areas near them to symbolize the way in which the ancient Hebrews lived during the time Moses led them through the wilderness to the promised land.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 15, 2022 10:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).