There is a custom to say “good kvittel” in this time period, specifically leading up to Hoshana Raba, the last day of Succos. A “kvittel” is a document. In this case, it refers to the document that was written about what your year will be like. We give a blessing that it should be good for people and that they have a good year.
The question is, why bother? That is, the decree for your year was already written on Rosh Hashanah. Even if G-d decided to make some edits to His decree, those edits all took place over the following 10 days. The final version was sealed on Yom Kippur. The Zohar says that the angels go out to deliver the decrees on Hoshana Raba, but surely, they have no power to change the decree that G-d Himself already penned and sealed. Whatever the decree is at that point, it is. So what is the point of giving someone a blessing that the kvittel, the decree, be good?
Rav Fischel Schachter says that the way that the decree is given over can still be altered. G-d can guide the angelic messengers to fulfil it’s words in different ways. A decree can come down that a person lose their job. But maybe that means that they will have a child and go on parental leave. A soldier could have a decree that he be shot at. But perhaps the bullet will go wide and miss it’s intended target. Someone can have a decree that they go into exile from their home. But maybe that can be fulfilled by them spending their time in a Succah.
The decree was fixed on Yom Kippur, but there is still space between the words in how it should be interpreted. In how it will be implemented. You shouldn’t feel that the time for prayer has ended and you can no longer change G-ds mind. Even Moses, when he stopped praying to enter the Land of Israel, only did so because G-d specifically commanded him to stop. And if Moses had prayed one more time, G-d would have found a way to let him in.
G-d didn’t command you to stop praying.
These days are an auspicious time to connect with your Father in Heaven, and especially Hoshana Raba, when the decree is being delivered, is one of the most powerful times for prayer of the whole year.
Take advantage of it, and never. Never. Give up.
Good Shabbos and a Good Kvittel,
Rabbi A and the JET Team
