Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
We wave the lulav and esrog (4 minim) in six directions including “down”.
What is the right way to wave down? I have seen two procedures.
1) The 4 minim are held lower (nearer to the ground) than in the other wavings and waved up and down held vertically three times.
2) The 4 minim are pushed downwards towards the chest and away from the chest, while being held roughly diagonally three times.
Rabbi Joel M. Finkelstein of Anshei Sphard-Beth El Emeth Synagogue in Memphis can explain it better.
The Chabad custom (based on the Siddur of the Alter Rebbe, Sefer Haminhagim Chabad and the actual practise of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; collected in Otzar Minhagei Chabad pg 288) is as follows: each of the six directions comprises of six movements i.e. pushing the four species away and pulling them back towards you three times. Each "pushing" motion starts from the heart, and the "pulling" motion brings back the four species to actually touch the chest in the place we hit when we say viduy. The person waving remains standing in one spot facing west and does not turn to the direction he is waving; only his hands and the upper part of his body turns. The lulav remains upright throughout at chest level, besides for the upward and downward waving where the four species remain upright but are elevated to face level or brought downwards. A pictorial guide of this is available here.
