And you shall take for yourselves on the first day, the fruit of the hadar tree [Etrog], date palm fronds [Lulav], a branch of a braided tree [Hadassim], and willows of the brook [Aravot], and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.
LEVITICUS (23:40)
וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְ-הֹוָה אֱ-לֹהֵיכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
וַיִּקְרָא כג:מ
u-l'-kakh-tem la-khem ba-yom ha-ri-shon p'-ree aytz ha-dar ka-pot t'-ma-reem va-a-naf aytz a-vot v'-ar-vay na-khal u-s'-makh-tem lif-nay a-do-nai e-lo-hay-khem shiv-at ya-meem
Get ready for a great lesson on today's unusual commandment to “take” four types of plants on Sukkot. Jewish tradition teaches that each plant represents a different type of person, who are all bound together, united, in the four species. The Etrog has a good taste and a sweet smell, representing a person with both wisdom (Torah learning) and good deeds. The Hadas (myrtle) has a good fragrance, but is inedible. It represents a person who has good deeds, but lacks wisdom. The Lulav (date palm) is edible, but has no fragrance. This represents the person with wisdom, but lacks good deeds. The Aravah (willow) has neither taste nor smell and represents a person with neither traits. On Sukkot, we gather these four plants together to remind ourselves that we are all part of one humanity and that unity is beloved by God.
Rabbi Tuily Weisz
LEVITICUS (23:40)
וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְ-הֹוָה אֱ-לֹהֵיכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
וַיִּקְרָא כג:מ
u-l'-kakh-tem la-khem ba-yom ha-ri-shon p'-ree aytz ha-dar ka-pot t'-ma-reem va-a-naf aytz a-vot v'-ar-vay na-khal u-s'-makh-tem lif-nay a-do-nai e-lo-hay-khem shiv-at ya-meem
Get ready for a great lesson on today's unusual commandment to “take” four types of plants on Sukkot. Jewish tradition teaches that each plant represents a different type of person, who are all bound together, united, in the four species. The Etrog has a good taste and a sweet smell, representing a person with both wisdom (Torah learning) and good deeds. The Hadas (myrtle) has a good fragrance, but is inedible. It represents a person who has good deeds, but lacks wisdom. The Lulav (date palm) is edible, but has no fragrance. This represents the person with wisdom, but lacks good deeds. The Aravah (willow) has neither taste nor smell and represents a person with neither traits. On Sukkot, we gather these four plants together to remind ourselves that we are all part of one humanity and that unity is beloved by God.
Rabbi Tuily Weisz