NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Four Species

The Four Species (Hebrew: ארבעה מינים) are three types of plants and one type of fruit which are held together and waved in a special ceremony during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. The binding and waving of the Four Species is a mitzvah prescribed by the Torah, and contain symbolic allusions to a Jew's service of God. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1712x2272, 437 KB) Summary I took it and have released it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1712x2272, 437 KB) Summary I took it and have released it. ... Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than 6 million people, mainly in Israel, the West Bank, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ... A Jewish holiday is a day or series of days that is holy to the Jewish people. ... Sukkot (×¡×•×›×•×ª or ×¡Ö»×›Ö¼×•Ö¹×ª sukkÅt, booths) or Succoth or Sukkos is a Biblical pilgrimage festival which occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishri (mid- to late-October). ... Mitzvah ×ž×¦×•×” is the Hebrew word for commandment (plural mitzvot; from ×¦×•×”, tzavah - command). The word is used in Judaism to refer to (a) the 613 commandments enumerated in the Torah (five books of Moses), or (b) any Jewish law at all. ... Torah (×ª×•×¨×”) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or law. ...

Lulav Name given to the festive palm-branch which with the Etrog, are carried and waved on the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). ... Binomial name Phoenix dactylifera L. The Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera is a palm, extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. ... Hadass (Hebrew: ×”×“×¡, pl. ... Species Myrtus communis L. Myrtus nivellei Batt. ... Aravah (Hebrew: ×¢×¨×‘×”, pl. ... Species About 350, including: Salix acutifolia - Violet Willow Salix alaxensis - Alaska Willow Salix alba - White Willow Salix alpina - Alpine Willow Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow Salix arbuscula - Mountain Willow Salix arbusculoides - Littletree Willow Salix arctica - Arctic Willow Salix atrocinerea Salix aurita - Eared Willow Salix babylonica - Peking Willow Salix barrattiana - Barratts... The Etrog is used with the Lulav, Hadas (myrtle) and willow branch (Arava) at the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot . ... Citron is a citrus fruit of the species Citrus medica. ...

Practice

The mitzvah of waving the Four Species derives from the Torah. The verse in Leviticus states: “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [of Sukkot], the fruit of the citron tree, the branches of date palms, twigs of a braided tree [myrtle], and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for a seven day period” (Lev. 23:40). During the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, the waving ceremony (called na'anuim–נענועים) was performed in the Holy Temple only on the first day of Sukkot. Following the destruction of the Temple, Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai ordered that the Four Species be waved every day of Sukkot (except on Shabbat), as a memorial to the Temple. Mitzvah ×ž×¦×•×” is the Hebrew word for commandment (plural mitzvot; from ×¦×•×”, tzavah - command). The word is used in Judaism to refer to (a) the 613 commandments enumerated in the Torah (five books of Moses), or (b) any Jewish law at all. ... Torah (×ª×•×¨×”) is a Hebrew word meaning teaching, instruction, or law. ... Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, also the third book in the Torah (five books of Moses). ... The Temple in Jerusalem or the Holy Temple (Beit HaMikdash ×‘×™×ª ×”×ž×§×“×© in Hebrew) was built in ancient Jerusalem and was the center of Israelite and Jewish worship, primarily for the offering of sacrifices known as the korbanot. ... Sukkot (×¡×•×›×•×ª or ×¡Ö»×›Ö¼×•Ö¹×ª sukkÅt, booths) or Succoth or Sukkos is a Biblical pilgrimage festival which occurs in autumn on the 15th day of the month of Tishri (mid- to late-October). ... Yohanan ben Zakkai was a Jewish sage of the first century of the common era, and a primary contributor to the core text of rabbinic Judaism, the Mishnah. ... Shabbat (×©×‘×ª shabbÄá¹¯, rest in Hebrew, or Shabbos in Ashkenazic pronunciation), is the weekly day of rest in Judaism. ...

To prepare the species for the mitzvah, the lulav is first bound together with the hadass and aravah (this bundle is also referred to as "the lulav") in the following manner: One lulav is placed in the center, two aravah branches are placed to the left, and three hadass boughs are placed to the right. The bundle may be bound with strips from another palm frond, or be placed in a special holder which is also woven from palm fronds. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1552x2315, 719 KB) Summary I took this picture with my camera on October 23, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1552x2315, 719 KB) Summary I took this picture with my camera on October 23, 2005. ... Mitzvah ×ž×¦×•×” is the Hebrew word for commandment (plural mitzvot; from ×¦×•×”, tzavah - command). The word is used in Judaism to refer to (a) the 613 commandments enumerated in the Torah (five books of Moses), or (b) any Jewish law at all. ...

Lubavitcher Hasidim place one aravah to the right of the lulav and the second aravah to its left, and cover them with the three hadass boughs—one on the right, the second on the left, and the third atop the lulav's spine, leaning slightly to the right. The bundle is held together with rings made from strips of palm fronds. Chabad Lubavitch, also known as Lubavitch Chabad, is a large branch of Hasidic Judaism. ...

The waving ceremony

To perform the waving ceremony, one holds the lulav apart from the etrog during the recital of the blessing. Right-handed users hold the bound lulav in the right hand and the etrog in the left hand. Lefties have differing customs as to which hand holds the lulav and which holds the etrog before the blessing is made. An Ashkenazi lefty holds the lulav in the left hand. A Sephardi lefty holds the lulav in the right hand. People who are left-handed are more dextrous with their left hand than with their right hand: they will probably also use their left hand for tasks such as personal care, cooking, and so on. ... Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim (×Ö·×©×Ö°×›Ö¼Ö²× Ö¸×–Ö´×™ ×Ö·×©×Ö°×›Ö¼Ö²× Ö¸×–Ö´×™× Standard Hebrew, AÅ¡kanazi,AÅ¡kanazim, Tiberian Hebrew, Ê¾AÅ¡kÄƒnÄzÃ®, Ê¾AÅ¡kÄƒnÄzÃ®m, pronounced sing. ... Sephardim (×¡×¤×¨×“×™, Standard Hebrew SÉ™fardi, Tiberian Hebrew ardÃ®; plural Sephardim: ×¡×¤×¨×“×™×, Standard Hebrew Sfaradim, Tiberian Hebrew ) are a subgroup of Jews, generally defined in contrast to Ashkenazim and/or . ...

Before the blessing is said, the etrog is turned upside-down, opposite the direction in which it grows. The reason for this is that the blessing must precede the performance of the mitzvah. Should all the species be held in the direction in which they grew, the mitzvah would be fulfilled before the blessing is recited.

After reciting the blessing, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to take the lulav" (the "Shehecheyanu" blessing is also recited the first time one waves the lulav and etrog), the etrog is turned right-side-up and the user brings his or her two hands together so that the etrog touches the lulav bundle. The Four Species are then pointed and gently shaken three times toward each of the four directions, plus up and down, to attest to God's mastery over all of creation.

An additional reason for waving the Four Species in all directions alludes to the fact that all these species require much water to grow. The lulav (date palm) grows in watered valleys, hadass and aravah grow near water sources, and the etrog requires more water than other fruit trees. By taking these particular species and waving them in all directions, the Jew symbolically voices a prayer for abundant rainfall for all the vegetation of the earth in the coming year.

The waving ceremony is usually performed during morning prayer services in the synagogue, during the recital of Hallel. It can also be performed in the privacy of one's home or sukkah as long as it is daytime. Women and girls may also choose to perform the mitzvah of waving the lulav and etrog, although they are not required by halacha to do so. The Tosher Rebbe of Montreal, Canada shaking the Four species during Sukkot while praying Hallel This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Tosher Rebbe of Montreal, Canada shaking the Four species during Sukkot while praying Hallel This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... A synagogue or synagog (from Greek ÏƒÏ…Î½Î±Î³Ï‰Î³Î®, transliterated sunagoge, place of assembly literally meeting, assembly) is a Jewish house of prayer and study. ... Hallel (Hebrew: הלל Praise [God]) is part of Judaisms prayers, a verbatim derivation from Psalms 113-118, which is used for praise and thanksgiving that is recited by observant Jews on Jewish holidays. ... Sukkot (סוכות or סֻכּוֹת sukkōt, booths) or Succoth is an 8-day Biblical pilgrimage festival, also known as the Feast of Booths, the Feast of Tabernacles, or Tabernacles. ... Mitzvah ×ž×¦×•×” is the Hebrew word for commandment (plural mitzvot; from ×¦×•×”, tzavah - command). The word is used in Judaism to refer to (a) the 613 commandments enumerated in the Torah (five books of Moses), or (b) any Jewish law at all. ... Halakha (הלכה in Hebrew or Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish law, custom and tradition regulating all aspects of behavior. ...

When this mitzvah is performed in the synagogue, it is done in a special processional around the sanctuary during the recital of Hallel. From the first through the sixth day of Sukkot (excluding Shabbat), all the worshippers join in one complete circuit around the sanctuary with their Four Species, waving them at appropriate times in the liturgy. On Hoshanah Rabbah, the seventh and last day of Sukkot, seven complete circuits are made around the sanctuary with the Four Species. Hallel (Hebrew: הלל Praise [God]) is part of Judaisms prayers, a verbatim derivation from Psalms 113-118, which is used for praise and thanksgiving that is recited by observant Jews on Jewish holidays. ... In Judaism, Hoshanah Rabbah (הושענא רבא in Hebrew) is the seventh day of Sukkot. ...

Symbolism

Several explanations are offered as to why these particular species were chosen for the mitzvah. The Midrash notes that the binding of the Four Species symbolizes our desire to unite the four "types" of Jews in service of God. An allusion is made to whether or not the species (or their fruits) have taste and/or smell, which correspond to Torah and good deeds. The symbolism is as follows: Midrash (pl. ...

A second explanation finds the four species alluding to parts of the human body. Each of the species or its leaves is similar in shape to the following organs:

By binding them together for a mitzvah, the Jew shows his desire to consecrate his entire being to service of God. Mitzvah ×ž×¦×•×” is the Hebrew word for commandment (plural mitzvot; from ×¦×•×”, tzavah - command). The word is used in Judaism to refer to (a) the 613 commandments enumerated in the Torah (five books of Moses), or (b) any Jewish law at all. ...

Selecting the Species

While all mitzvot should be performed in the best manner possible, hiddur mitzvah (beautifying the mitzvah) especially applies to the Four Species. The halacha is explicit on what constitutes the "best" in each species. To that end, people will spend large amounts of money to acquire the most perfect etrog, the straightest lulav, and the freshest hadass and aravah. Usually a father will buy several sets of the Four Species to outfit his sons, as well. Halakha (הלכה in Hebrew or Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish law, custom and tradition regulating all aspects of behavior. ...

Contents

Practice

The waving ceremony

Symbolism

Selecting the Species

See also

Reference

External links

Sources

Contents

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The waving ceremony

Symbolism

Selecting the Species

See also

Reference

External links

Sources

Practice