1. Overview of Sunday During Chol Hamoed Sukkos
On this particular year, Sunday falls during Chol Hamoed—the intermediate days of Sukkos. In the diaspora, this will be considered the second day of Chol Hamoed, while in Eretz Yisroel it is already the third day, since they begin Chol Hamoed on Friday due to having only one day of Yom Tov. This difference in counting affects various customs and practices for the day.
2. Order of Hoshanos on Sunday
During Shacharis—the morning prayer—we perform the Hoshanos as usual. First, we recite Om Ani Chomah, which is the Hoshana that was not done on Shabbos (since we do not perform Hoshanos with circling on Shabbos). This is done without circling the bimah. Afterwards, we proceed with the regular Hoshana for that day, which is Adon HaMoshia, and here we do circle as usual. Thus, both are covered: the missed one from Shabbos (without circling) and the regular one for Sunday (with circling).
3. Torah Reading and Number of Aliyos
On Chol Hamoed Sukkos, four people are called up for aliyos during Torah reading. The question arises regarding which passages to read for each aliyah, especially since there is a difference between Eretz Yisroel and chutz la’aretz (the diaspora) due to their differing counts of which day it is.
4. Customs in Eretz Yisroel Versus Chutz La’aretz
In Eretz Yisroel, where there is only one day of Yom Tov, there is no doubt about which day of Chol Hamoed it is. For example, on their fourth day (Sunday), some have the custom to read U'vayom HaRevi'i—“on the fourth day”—four times for all four aliyos. Others have a tradition to read:
- Kohen: U'vayom HaRevi'i
- Levi: U'vayom HaChamishi
- Yisrael: U'vayom HaShishi
- Revi'i: U'vayom HaRevi'i again
This order reflects certainty about which day it is.
5. The Diaspora’s Approach Due to Uncertainty
Outside of Israel, because we are unsure whether it is truly the third or fourth day (due to two days of Yom Tov at the start), our custom adjusts accordingly. We do not go backwards in order but rather:
- First aliyah: U'vayom HaShlishi (third day)
- Second aliyah: U'vayom HaRevi'i (fourth day)
- Third aliyah: U'vayom HaChamishi (fifth day)
- Fourth aliyah: Back to U'vayom HaShlishi and U'vayom HaRevi'i
This covers all possible options for what day it might be according to our count.
6. Variations and Reasoning Behind Customs
There are two main views regarding how to structure these aliyos in both Israel and chutz la’aretz. Some simply repeat the same passage four times corresponding to that specific day, while others cycle through different days’ readings as described above. The reasoning behind these customs may relate to how each community resolves uncertainty about which exact day it is according to halacha, but further research would be needed into their sources.
7. Application Throughout Chol Hamoed Sukkos
This system continues throughout Chol Hamoed Sukkos. Each day, the first aliyah reads the earlier of the two possible days, the second the later possible day, the third the day after that, and the fourth repeats both possible days. For example, on the next day, which may be the fourth or the fifth day, the aliyos are U'vayom HaRevi'i, U'vayom HaChamishi, U'vayom HaShishi, and then U'vayom HaRevi'i and U'vayom HaChamishi.
8. Summary for This Year’s Sunday Practice
To summarize: on this year’s Sunday of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, in chutz la’aretz the first aliyah reads U'vayom HaShlishi, the second U'vayom HaRevi'i, the third U'vayom HaChamishi, and the fourth returns to U'vayom HaShlishi and U'vayom HaRevi'i. This covers both possibilities arising from the two days of Yom Tov at the beginning of Sukkos.