Sometimes the yetzer hara allows us to win a battle or two. But then, when an essential and important battle comes around, we are weak and don’t have strength to fight. We assume that since we won so many wars until then, it doesn’t matter so much if we fail a round. We don’t realize that everything depends on this final battle, and if we lose it we lose everything. 

That essential and important battle is today – Hoshanah Rabbah. We may have won battles of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Succos and did whatever we could to improve our ways.  But don’t get lazy!  Hoshanah Rabbah is the day that determines the outcome of the year. We must remain vigilant!