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I was bothered by the fact that on Simchas Torah, when we are supposed to be happy and rejoice with the Torah, we are busy with prayers like אנא ה' הושיעה נא etc.

What place do these prayers, which are not happy ones per se, have in our merriment?

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    is this different from saying Hallel on any Yom Tov?
    – rosends
    Oct 18, 2017 at 1:59
  • @rosends I think many understand the אנא השםs in hallel to be praise not request. I think the OP is referring to the אנא השםs in the hakafos.
    – robev
    Oct 18, 2017 at 13:57
  • @robev I understand that, but in terms of what we say, we say hoshanos which make the same request (and much more) all during Sukkot (z'man simchateinu) and say Hallel which includes that request/pleading in the midst of praise even though v'samachta b'chagecha.
    – rosends
    Oct 18, 2017 at 14:04
  • The better question would be: What do the אנא phrases have to do with "Simchas Torah"? (I.e. Simchas Torah itself was originally the day we begged for rain, so it makes sense to say things like אנא - but how did they get intermingled with the Merry Hakafot?) Oct 18, 2017 at 14:21
  • I think the answer to your question lies in the fact that we say hakafot on Simchat Torah. That's a much later custom as was the concept of Simchat Torah, itself. My point is, that I think Mas. Succah mentions that hakafot around the mizbe'ach were done daily during Succot, and while doing it, they said the phrase Ana Hashem, etc.
    – DanF
    Oct 18, 2017 at 19:27

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