Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "ba'Yom ha'Rishon"?
Sukah, 43a: To teach us that the four species must be taken in the day 1 - and not after nightfall.
Refer to 23:40:152:1 & 2 and note.
And may be taken any time throughout the day. See Torah Temimah, citing Megilah, 20b and note 125.
Hw will we reconcile "ba'Yom ha'Rishon" with Shiv'as Yamim" at the end of the Pasuk?
Sifra: By extrapolating "Lifnei Hashem Elokeichem Shiv'asYamim"- 've'Lo bi'Gevulim Kol Shiv'ah'. In other words, the four species are taken seven days in the Beis-Hamikdash, but only one day everywhere else.
What is the definition of "P'ri Eitz Hadar"?
Rashi (citing the Sifra) and Sukah, 35a: ?A tree whose wood tastes like its fruit?. 1
R. Bachye (citing Sukah 35a): It implies one fruit and not two or three fruits. 2
Moshav Zekenim (citing the Yerushalmi Sukah, 3:5): ?A tree whose wood resembles its fruit? (in beauty - Korban Eidah).
Targum Yonasan: ?The fruit of a fine tree?.
What are the implications of the word "Hadar"?
Rashi (citing the Sifra): It means literally 'which dwells' - implying that the fruit remains on the tree from one year to the next, 1 describing an Esrog. 2
Ramban #1 (citing the Ibn Ezra) and Targum Yonasan: It means that there is no tree-fruit that is more beautiful than the Esrog.
Ramban #2, Moshav Zekenim and Targum Onkelos: 'Esrog' is the Arama'ic translation of "Hadar". 3
Oznayim la'Torah: It refers to the requirement of the Esrog 4 to be beautiful - according to the specifications listed by the Chachamim in the third Perek of Sukah, 5 which are Me'akev (crucial) to the Mizvah
According to the Ramban, this D'rashah and the previous one are Asmachtos to support the Chachamim's traditional interpretation of the Pasuk.
See Sifsei Chachamim.
Ramban: Since the literal meaning of Esrog is 'desirable' - See Targum Onkelos on Bereishis, 2:9 and on Devarim 5:18, (and "Hadar" means 'beautiful'). The tree bears the same name as the fruit, as is common among fruit-trees.
And we learn the other three species from the Esrog - Oznayim la'Torah.
This haas nothing to do with the Mitzvah of 'Zeh Keili ve'Anveihuh', which applies to all Mitzvos and is not Me'akev. Se Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates.
What are the implications of the word "Kapos"?
Rashi: It is written Chaser (without a 'Vav') to teach us that one takes only one Lulav. 1
Moshav Zekenim: If its leaves are spread out, 'Yekaftenu' - Bind it!
See Sifsei Chachamim.
Seeing as ?Kapos? is written Chaser, why is it read ?Kapos? (plural)?
R. Bachye: To teach us that one must take a branch with many leaves and not just one leaf.
?Kapos Temarim?. Why is Temarim written in the plural?
R. Bachye: Because, like all plants, the date-palm is planted a combination of male and female parts. 1
See R. Bachye.
What is the definition of "Anaf Eitz Avos"?
Rashi: It means that its branches are plaited like ropes - with reference to a Hadas, whose leaves are formed in groups of three like plaits. Otherwise it is Pasul. 1
R. Bachye: It means three myrtle-twigs each of which contain three leaves that cover the wood. 2
Rashbam: It means a twig of a very thick tree. 3
Sukah, 32b: It means a (myrtle) 4 -twig whose leaves cover the wood.
How do we know that "Anaf Eitz Avos" is not stems of an olive-tree or of 'Hardufni' (a type of stinging-nettle which is similar to a myrtle-twig)?
Sukah, 32b: It cannot be an olive-twig, since its leaves are not plaited, or a Hardufni, either because it is prickly or because it is poisonous 1 - and the Pasuk writes in Mishlei, 3:17 "Derachehah Darchei No'am, ve'Chol Nesivosehah Shalom" (Its ways are pleasant and all its paths are peace').
See Torah Temimah, note 141.
?va?Anaf Eitz Avos?. Why is the word ?Avos? Chaser (missing a ?Vav?)?
Ba?al ha?Turimg: To hint a the six things that disqualify a Hadas: One that is dry, stolen, from an Asheirah, from an Ir ha?Nidachas, has a clipped top or one that was worshipped (Avodah-Zarah).
What is the definition of "Arvei-Nachal"?
Sukah, 34a: Willow-trees that grow beside a brook. Its stalk is reddish, and its leaves elongated and smooth-edged. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 143 and refer to 23:40:5.2:1.
?ve?Arvei-Nachal?. What if one cannot find an Aravah that grew by a brook?
Sukah, 33b: It is Kasher even if it grew in a well-watered field or on a mountain - because "Arvei-Nachal is actually the name of a species of Aravah. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 148.
?ve?Arvei- Nachal?. If ?Nachal? is not crucil, why did the Torah insert it?
Sukah, 34a: To disqualify a ?Tzaftz'fah? 1 - a species of willow that grows in the mountains, which has round leaves and jagged edges and does not have a red stalk. 2
But not a Chilfa Giylah - a species of Arvei-Nachal which is somewhere in between an Aravah and a Tzaft'fah - See Torah Temimah, note 147 - despite the fact that is has a secondary name.
Refer to 23:40:4.3:1.
How many of each species must we take?
R. Bachye (citing Succah 34b - according to R. Yishmael) 1 : One Esrog, 2 one Lulav, 3 three Hadasim 4 and two willow-stems. 5 6
Sukah 34b (according to R. Akiva): One of each species - "One Esrog, one Lulav, one Hadas and one Aravah - that grows by the brook". 7
This opinion is Halachah.
R. Bachye: Since the Torah wrote "P'ri Eitz Gadar" nad not 'Peiros'.
Refer to 23:40:2.2:1.
See Torah Temimah, note 128.
R. Bachye: Since the Torah wrote ?Arvei? (plural).
See Torah Temimah, note 129.
Ramban: And the reason that Onkelos translates them all in the plural is because it goes with "u'Lekachtem lachem", which is plural.
What is the underlying reason behind the Mitzvah of the Arba Minim?
Ramban #1 (citing Ta'anis, 2b): They come to appease Hashem 1 to bless us with an abundance of rain. 2
Ramban #2 (according to Kabalah): "P'ri Eitz Hadar" refers to the Esrog, which we take together with the other three species 3 to appease Hashem for the sin of Adam and Chavah. 4 5
R. Bachye #1: ?P?ri Eitz Hadar? refers to Avraham, ?KaposTemarim?, to Yitzchak,?Anaf Eitz Avos?, to Ya?akov and ?Arvei-Nachal?, to Yosef 6 - to demomstrate the merits of the Avos and to ask Hashem to protect us on their merits. 7
R. Bachye #2 and Da'as Zekenim #1: The Lulav resembles a spine, the Hadas [leaves], eyes, the Aravah [leaves], lips, 8 and the Esrog, a heart - There is no limb greater than them, since they represent the entire body to teach us that (if one sinned with any of these limbs, he will attain atonement by performing a corresponding Mitzvah 9 ? R. Bachye [Da?as Zekenim ? we must praise Hashem with the lips, the heart, the eyes and the spine]). 10
R. Bachye #3 (citing Midrash Rabah) and Da'as Zekenim #2: Of the four Minim, the Esrog has taste and smell, corresponding to a Tzadik with Torah and good deeds. The Lulav comes from a tree with [dates, which have] taste but not smell, corresponding to a Beinoni with good deeds but not Torah. The Hadas has smell but not taste, corresponding to one with Torah but not good deeds, and the Aravah has neither taste nor smell, corresponding to an ignoramus who has neither good deeds nor Torah. We tie the four together, to hint that Hashem is not appeased with Yisrael until all groups gather together - because Hashem is elevated when all become one assemblage 11 (?Let them come before Me as one group 12 and I will forgive all their sins!? ? R. Bachye).
R. Bachye #4 (citing a Midrash): They represent the four kingdoms that were destined to subjugate Yisrael: Bavel ? the Esrog; Madai ? the Lulav; Yavan ? the Hadasim; Edom 13 ? the Aravos 14 ? ?On the merit of the four species, I will save you from the four kingdoms!?
R. Bachye (citing the Tanchuma): They are synonymous with the four ?Ketanei Aretz? ? ?the wisest of the wise? - cited in Mishlei 30:24, which teach merit and love.
R. Bachye #6: The Esrog and the Lulav represent the reward in Oam ha?Zeh and Olam ha?Ba, respectively; 15 the Hadasim represent Teshuvah based on Yisurim (the bitterness of the Hadasim), and the Aravos, Teshuvah based on humility. 16
R. Bachye #7: Because the four species retain their moisture and freshness throughout the year more than any other plants ? hence the Torah requires them to be ?Hadar? (to enhance their freshness) - The moist of fruit is synonymous with its life ? which symbolizes the Torah which we received a Har Sinai and which the Pasuk in Mishlei 5:6 calls ?Orach Chayim?; and in connection with us, who received the Torah, the Torah writes in Devarim 4:4 ?ve?Atem ha?Deveikim ba?Hashem Elokeichem Chayim Kulchem ha?Yom?. So we take these plants, which contain a soul of life and use them to praise the Master of the World, whom the Torah ? in Devarim 5:23 describes a ?Elokim Chayim?. 17
R. Bachye #8 (according to Kabalah): 18 They represent the Midos: Esrog = Leiv (Malchus; Lulav = Tzadik (Y?sod); the Hadasim = Gedulah (Chesed), Gevurah and Tif?eres); the Aravos - Netzach and Hod. 19 20
Da'as Zekenim #3 and Hadar Zekenim: It is a sign that we were victorious in the judgment of Yom Kipur against the other nations. If one sees two parties come in front of the king for judgment, and one leaves with a white stick or an apple, it is an indication that he won.
Moshav Zekenim: The Eitz ha'Da'as was an Esrog, so an Esrog atones for the sin that came through an Esrog.
Vayikra Rabah (30:9, partially cited in Moshav Zekenim): All four species refer to Hashem. 21 "P?ri Eitz Hadar" - "Hod ve'Hadar Lavashta." 22 Kapos Temarim" - "Tzadik ka'Tamar Yifrach." 23 "Anaf Eitz Avos" - "ve'Hu Omed Bein ha'Hadasim," 24 and "Arvei Nachal" - "Solu la'Rochev ba'Aravos be'Kah Sh'mo." 25
Ta'anis 2b: Which we do with four species that require a lot of water.
Refer to 23:36:1:5*.
Ramban: With which it is not tied because it is only with the Esrog that Adam and Chavah sinned. R. Chavel's footnotes DH 'Im She'ar ha'Minim': And by the same token, Shemini Atzeres, which represents the Esrog, is a 'Regel bi'Fenei Atzmo'. And the reason that we do not take the Arba Minim on Shemini Atzeres is because Shemini Atzeres itself represents the Esrog.
See Ramban DH 've'Ta'am ha'Mitzvah'.
Refer also to answer 9 and note 1.
See R. Bachye who elaborates.
R. Bachye: Like Moshe Rabeinu did when he asked of Hashem ?Z?chor le?Avraham, le?Yitzchak u?le?Ya?akov? (Sh?mos 22:13).
R. Bachye: Hence the Nevi?im received their prophesies from ?Arvos? (the seventh Heaven).
R. Bachye: Like we find by R. Shimon ben Shetach, who told King Hurdus that, to atone for having killed the Sanhedrin (Bava Basra 4a ? R. Bahye writes ?thousands of people?), he should build the Beis Hamikdash ? ?You distinguished the light of Yirael, now go and rekindle it!?.
As David ha?Melech said in Tehilim 35:10 "Kol Atzmosai Tomarnah Hashem Mi Chamocha" - with reference to the spine which supports the entire body.
Da'as Zekenim: As the Navi writes in Amos 9:6 "Ha'Boneh va'Shamayim Ma'alosav va'Agudaso al Eretz Yesadah" and as we say on Rosh Hashanah "Veye'asu Chulam Agudah Echas La'asos Retzoncha ... ".
Like we find by the beautiful-smelling Ketores, which included the foul-smelling Chelb?nah. See R. Bachye and refer to Sh?mos 30:34:4:1.
R. Bachye:Whose stenm is red.
See R. Bachye.
R. Bachye: Which explains why the Esrog is held in the right hand and the Lulav, in the feft ? See R. Bachye.
See R. Bachye.
R. Bachye (citing the Yerushalmi Succah 3:1 ?Adry Lulav is Pasul because the Pasuk writes in Tehilim 115:17 ?Lo ha?Meisim Yehalelu-Kah?.
R. Bachye comments that this is also the opinion of the Ramban.
See R. Bachye who elaborates and who also cites another interpretation according to Kabalah.
Michtav me'Eliyahu (5, p.418): These are perceptions of Hashem in the four worlds; each species corresponds to one letter of His name. The Mitzvah is to unite them - to take them into our hearts.
What do the four species have in common that links them to Succos?
R. Bachye: They all rely heavily on water and need to be watered constantly; so we take them on Succos to correspond to the Nisuch ha?Mayim ceremony - bearing in mind that the world is judged for water on Succos.
What are the implications of "u'Lekachtem Lachem?
Hadar Zekenim: 'Take them to stroll with them'. 1
Moshav Zekenim #1: We learn from a Gezeirah Shavah from "u'Lekachtem lachem" written in connection with the hyssop bundle [used to sprinkle Dam Pesach in Mitzrayim - Sh'mos 12:22]. Just like there they were tied together, also here. The Halachah is like the Chachamim however, who do not require binding the LuLav, only it is a Mitzvah to beautify it because of "Zeh Keili Ve'anvehu."
Moshav Zekenim #2: The word "Lachem" implies that when you take the four species, they will atone for you.
Targum Yonasan and Sukah 41b: It precludes what is borrowed or stolen. 2
Sukah 41b: It implies that everyone must take the four species for himself. 3 .
Sukah 34b: "U'lekachtem" is the acronym of Lekichah Tamah (a complete taking) - to teach us that each of the four species is crucial to the Mitzvah.
Yerushalmi Sukah, 3:1: It implies that they belong to you - to preclude Isurei Hana'ah, 4 which are not considered yours.
Sukah 41b: The custom in Yerushalayim was to hold one's Lulav while going to the Beis ha'Keneses, during Keri'as Sh'ma and Tefilah, while visiting the sick and consoling mourners?
Refer to Torah Temimah, note 122. See Da'as Zekenim, who gives a nice parable to explain why theft is Pasul for Mitzvos.
Moshav Zekenim and Torah Temimah, note 121: Partners are not Yotzei. If brothers purchased an Esrog from the estate, they are Yotzei only if one could eat it and the others would not be upset (Bava Basra 137b). The Rashbam said that now that the Tzibur buys one Esrog, this is unlike brothers. They bought with intent [that each one own it when he takes it]; it is like a gift on condition to return it. The case of brothers is when they bought it to eat it. See also Moshav Zekenim who says that Lekichah Tamah entails taking the four species without an interruption between one's hand and the Minim.
See Torah Temimah, note 123/.
Bearing in mind that It is not the first of the month, what are the connotations of ba'Yom ha'Rishon"?
Hadar Zekenim citing Tanchuma and Moshav Zekenim: Because it is the first day of the calculation of Aveiros - the first Yom-Tov after Yom Kipur. 1 Tur (OC 581) - after Yom Kipur people are so busy with the Mitzvos of Sukah and Lulav that they do not have the time to sin.
Pesachim, 5a: We learn from the comparison to "Shiv'as Yamim"at the end of the Pasuk that, like the seventh day, "Yom ha'Rishon" refers to the first day of Sukos. 2
If "Tachogu Oso" (in Pasuk 41) implies only one Korban, what are the implications of "Shiv'as Yamim"?
See Torah Temimah, note 126, and refer to 23:40:0.2:1.
