וChelek 6
- We take a sefer Torah to the bima and walk around the bima once a day. On the 7th day of Sukos, we remove all of the sifray Torah to the bima and walk around it seven times. This is all a reenactment to remember how, in the Bais HaMikdash, we would encircle the mizbeach. (ShA )
- The bima represents the mizbeach since it is the place where we read the korbanos of the day. Hakadosh Baruch Hu told Avraham Ovinu that such reading will be as good as the actual offerings. (MB )
- Everyone faces the center (the bima) and proceeds to walk around to their right side (counterclockwise). It is not proper for the chazzan to turn his back to the aron kodesh, nevertheless he follows the direction of the tzibbur even though he will be moving towards his left. (MB )
- We walk around holding our lulavs. Someone who has no lulav does not circuit. An ovel also does not circuit since it is an especially joyous moment. He should give his lulav to honor someone who does not have a lulav. (ShA – MB – ShaT 1)
- On Shabbos we don’t circuit just like in the Bais Hamikdash. However, the aron kodesh is opened and we recite Hoshanos like on weekdays. No lulav is held, and no sefer Torah is removed. (Rama – ShA – MB , )
- As we plead “Hosha na” we wave our lulavim to make them sing along. (ShaT 1)
- On the seventh day, we put down our lulavs and pick up a bunch of aravos. We then beat the aravos 5 times on the ground. The Ari z”l said to pick up the aravos only after Kaddish Tiskabayl. The Shl”a writes that when you are about to recite Taaneh Emunim, that’s when you put down your lulav and take up the aravos. (MB )