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Dr. Tova Ganzel
HOSHANA RABBA
Joining
Forces
Hoshana Rabba is the day upon Pharisees could now use the willows them, so the masses influence them by
which people used to walk without touching the mukzteh. dint of a healthy life. And the common
around the altar in the Temple Rabbi Menachem Froman offers an denominator of noble thinkers and the
and beat the willows, hence our custom interesting insight into this Gemara: masses is the power that keeps both of
today. “We get a clear impression throughout them in their place, and protects them
The Talmud discusses the question of Tractate Sukkah that the relationship from any ethical and material decay and
whether one should beat the willows between Talmidei Chachamim (Torah degeneration.”4
when Hoshana Rabba falls on Shabbat: scholars) and amei ha’aretz (the
“On one occasion, the seventh day original meaning of the expression amei The lives of working folk alongside
of the [ceremony of the] willow- ha’aratzot was seemingly land laborers3) thinkers and philosophers leads to many
branch fell on Shabbat, and they [the was not just a technical, one-time encounters and conversations within all
Pharisees] brought saplings of willows connection but a much more significant parts of Jewish society, in Israel and out.
on Friday and placed them in the and qualitative one. It seems that the It often seems that one can distinguish
Temple courtyard. The Boethusians, custom of beating willow branches was between Torah scholars and uneducated
having discovered them, took them and essentially a farmers’ custom, and not individuals; define who are the givers
hid them under some stones. The next a halacha innovated in the study halls. and who are the recipients, but this is
day, some of the uneducated people It was one of the customs that land illusory. Every Jew, wherever they are,
discovered them and removed them laborers kept in expectation of a rain- whatever they do, makes a contribution.
from under the stones, and the priests blessed year…” Sometimes it is similar to the
brought them in and placed them in the Using this example and others, Rabbi contribution of the Torah scholars, and
sides of the altar. [The reason for hiding Froman suggests that different sectors sometimes to the contributions of those
the willows was that] the Boethusians do of the people often seem detached from who are sensitive to and connected to
not acknowledge that the beating of the each other but actually have a very close the land and thus to tangible reality.
willow-branch overrides the Shabbat.”1 relationship that benefits both parties.
The Gemara describes a situation in He also quotes Rav Kook on this topic: But neither can live fully without the
which the Pharisees brought willows “Intelligence thinks it can separate other.
on Friday so they could beat them on itself from the masses, for then it will
Shabbat. But the Boethusians, who be healthier in spirit, more noble in its 1 Sukkah 43-44.
believed that one should not beat thought. This is a fundamental error; 2 Muktzeh means “separated”, or “set aside”. For
willows on Shabbat, laid them under an error unacquainted with the healthy example, one may not handle money, stones,
stones in a way that the Pharisees could side of natural familiarity, natural twigs, etc. on Shabbat, as these items are muktzeh.
not use them without lifting the stones, feelings and natural senses… but just 3 Chazal often relate to amei ha’aretz as the
which were muktzeh.2 The amei ha’aretz, as they influence them [the masses, important people.
(the uneducated people) arrived on influenced by the intelligentsia/ the 4 Orot HaTeshuva 2:28.
Shabbat morning, saw the willows under wisest ones], with counsel and wisdom, Dr. Tova Ganzel is the Director of
the stones and moved the stones. The levelling out the paths of the world for the Midrasha (Women’s Institute of
Advanced Torah Study) in Bar-Ilan
University
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