Hoshana Rabbah is considered the last possible day on which one can seek forgiveness for the sins of the preceding year. According to Jewish tradition, on Yom Kippur, God seals the Book of Life—and thus each individual’s fate for the coming year. But since the Middle Ages, Hoshana Rabbah has been regarded as an extension of the deadline for Divine judgment. According to an old Jewish folk belief, notes fell from Heaven on this day, informing people of how they had been judged. The traditional Yiddish greeting, a gute kvitl, “May you receive a good note,” reflects this belief. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary