Jewish Holidays

How can Hoshana Rabba be a day of such happiness if it is actually a day of judgement?

In the Hallel prayer we recite this verse: "This is the day G-d wrought, we will rejoice in it/Him." The Midrash asks about this last word: Is it "it," or "Him?" That is, are we supposed to rejoice in the day, or in G-d?

The name of the game is not total victory, but constant progress.

Back in 1934, Rav Kook delivered a famous speech in which he described the various motivations of Jews to return to Zion – and compared them to three different shofars. I would opine that today, a fourth shofar has been added, one that is actually dangerous for the process of the national return to their holy homeland, even as it is disguised by its proponents as part of the Redemption process...

What happens if someone does something bad to someone else, but the perpetrator cannot ask forgiveness (because the other one harmed him physically or verbally)? I have a friend who has hurt me very much, more than once. She knows what she did and has asked forgiveness, but she doesn't really know the extent of what she caused me. I spend lots of time with her and I act as if everything is fine, but deep inside I find it hard to really forgive her; I'm still very hurt. I would like to know what I should do so that I can know how to really forgive her. Is there something I could study on this topic, or maybe something that could help me work on my character or something like that?

Shalom. I am not religious. How can I ask forgiveness of rabbis to whom I related in a derogatory manner? I insulted and maligned them… and some of them are no longer living. Thank you. Sincerely, David