Questions tagged [lulav-etrog-arba-minim]
The 4 plant species (citron, willow, myrtle, and palm), that are used for the mitzvah of lulav during the holiday of Sukkot.
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Practical advice for keeping tallis on while waving 4 species
Whenever I wave my four species in shul, I always find that my tallis repeatedly slips off my head and shoulders. I typically have to adjust it every single set of waves, which is rather distracting. ...
5
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2answers
110 views
Can Etrog and Lulav be too cheap?
In the last years, in Israel, on Erev Chag Succot, about 4 hours before the Chag begins, we witness an interesting phenomenon - incredible price drop for the 4 Minim, especially the expensive Etrog ...
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1answer
61 views
Four Minim at the time of the Great Revolt
This is a 5 Agorot coin bearing a copy of a coin from the 4th year of the Great Revolt (70AD) that pictures the 4 Minim:
I can spot two oddities relative to what's commonly accepted: there are two ...
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0answers
90 views
Did the Chofetz Chaim check his esrogim with a magnifying glass?
Many people hold that an esrog can be checked with the naked eye, but in practice many people use a magnifying glass.
Did the saintly Chofetz Chaim zy”a use a magnifying glass when inspecting his own ...
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0answers
59 views
Is it Better to Buy a Pitom-less Esrog?
Although the Rema (648:7) says a grown pitom-less esrog is valid
אם לא היה לו דד מעולם כשר וכן הם רוב האתרוגים שמביאים במדינות אלו
are there any Jewish sources which encourage purchasing a pitom-...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
Rambam's decision to merge Shofar with Succah and Lulav?
When subdividing his 14 books, Rambam decided to merge Hilchos Shofar with Succah and Lulav, allocating the first 3 chapters to the first and the last 5 to the laters (see here) with no seeming ...
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Derech g'dilasan: the requirement for mitzva objects to be used in the manner in which they grew
The mishna quotes Rabbi Yosi (Suka 3:14) saying that if one carried a lulav in the public domain without thinking on the first day of Sukos which was also shabas it would not count as a violation of ...
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Popular Contemporary Aravoth Species
Vayikra 23:40 provides the commandment to take up the 4 species on Sukkot:
וּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָֽרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ כַּפֹּ֣ת תְּמָרִ֔ים וַֽעֲנַ֥ף עֵץ־עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־נָ֑חַל ...
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78 views
Blessing for lulav and esrog [duplicate]
Why do we recite the blessing with the words al netilat lulav and not al netilat etrog (or using both), or al daled minim?
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1answer
73 views
Who are the מאמ“ר and the כה”ח?
I found a reference to turning the body when waving the lulav. The text reads
ויש נוהגים גם להפנות את הגוף לארבע רוחות (מאמ"ר יג; כה"ח צו).
What, please, is the meaning of the abbreviations used ...
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0answers
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Smashing the Aravos/Jews without Torah or Mitzvos
According to the understanding that the aravos symbolize the Jews without Torah or Mitzvos (Vayikra Rabba 30:12 מָה עֲרָבָה זוֹ אֵין בָּהּ טַעַם וְאֵין בָּהּ רֵיחַ, כָּךְ הֵם יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ בָּהֶם ...
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Saying Hashem's name quickly in Hallel on Sukkos
During Hallel on Sukkos, we shake the lulav during the הודו לה' כי טוב and אנא ה' הושיעה נא. The standard practice I've seen is the one the Mishna Berurah describes there - one direction per word in ...
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1answer
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Why do we wave the Lulav / etrog?
The mitzvah mentioned in the Torah just says to "take" 4 species. The Torah doesn't mention anything about waving them. The Talmud mentions waving them at certain points in Hallel, but there doesn't ...
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1answer
78 views
Does an Ashkenazi lady say a bracha on netilat lulav on the first day of Sukkot if the lulav is borrowed?
An Ashkenazi woman wants to shake the 4 species on the first day of Sukkot. Her husband doesn't have a lulav. She goes to a friend who has a lulav, and without his knowledge (and active transfer of ...
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1answer
188 views
Which etrog is closest to the gemara's description of “the taste of the tree trunk and its fruit are alike”?
The gemara in Sukkah 35a describes one of the characteristics of the etrog as
a tree that the taste of its tree trunk and the taste of its fruit are
alike
dinonline expands
The Kapos Temarim (...
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vote
3answers
86 views
Esrog only passul when under magnifying glass
What is the halacha if I checked an esrog and it is perfectly fine and then decide to get a closer look with a magnifying glass and see that this esrog has a pasul. Do we say its passul now since we ...
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1answer
67 views
Seventy Aravos on Succos
While listening to a shiur from Rav Heinemann, he noted a Rabbi Riff - Rav in Camden and descendant of the Netziv - who was stringent for a Hagahos Ashri which says you’re supposed to have seventy ...
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Kitzur Hilchot Arba' Minim
When I went to purchase my arba' minim for Sukkot this year, I realised that I was ignorant of most of the halachot. I told myself that I would learn these halachot before next Sukkot בלי נדר but I ...
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1answer
111 views
Is there a chatzitzah if one holds the lulav while wearing a gold ring around one's finger?
The Rabbi of my shul said that it is not considered a proper "lekicha" if one has a ring on their finger while taking the 4 minim. This is especially relevant to women who have jewelry (and men who ...
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Threw someones esrog on the floor on chol hamoed
If someone took someone's esrog on chol hamoed and threw it on the floor and the pitum fell off. How do we evaluate how much the damager has to pay the damagee? Since on the second day (chol hamoed ...
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51 views
What to buy for Sukkot
If one is poor, should he buy an Etrog for Sukkot or food for his family? I am researching the halacha with regard to this as a response to the story by Agnon.
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Source that Lulav is a banner representing life
I am reading a Devar Torah by an esteemed Rosh Yeshiva which says "Furthermore, the Midrash explains that when we lift our lulavim and esrogim on Sukkos, it is essentially a celebration of life. The ...
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2answers
227 views
Seemingly Hefker Esrog - used for the Mitzva
This past Erev Succos I arrived at a local synagogue that had a fellow selling Lulavim and Esrogim in their Simcha hall. The fellow left three Esrogim (not in the greatest condition - yet Kosher) on ...
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1answer
230 views
Is there a specific type of myrtle/hadass for sukkot?
It is well known that one can't just use any citrus for sukkot, but rather, one has to use an etrog/citron. But what about for the hadass? I know the branches used should have "3 leaves that surround."...
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2answers
71 views
Why is the mitzvah of the four species especially appropriate for the holiday of Succot?
What connection is there between the mitzvah of the four species and the theme of Succot? Why is this mitzvah especially appropriate for this holiday specifically?
I am aware that there are different ...
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1answer
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If a shul buys arbah minim (etrog, lulav, etc.) by using membership dues, does everyone have an automatic ownership?
From this M.Y. answer:
On the first two days of Sukkot, the mitzvah can be fulfilled only
using one’s own Four Kinds. As such, if using someone else’s set, it
needs to be given as “a present, ...
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1answer
114 views
An esrog or a lulav: which one to buy?
If a person had to choose between buying an esrog or a lulav, which one should he buy? For example, if he cannot afford to buy both or supplies are extremely limited.
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0answers
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Ethrogh “Lineage”
I've been reading a lot about ethruggim lately, and there is talk of Assad strands, and Morning Star Temoni lineage. Is the "Morning Star Temoni" lineage different than all the normal Yemenite ...
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1answer
70 views
Can I find the etrog “hay”?
Until about 10 years ago, etrogim were wrapped in hemp (flax weed). It was messy, but it kept the etrogim fresh for much longer than the foam does. I also find that the combination of the foam and the ...
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0answers
61 views
Can a partially moldy shmittah etrog be disposed?
In a recent pamphlet from Sh'or Yashuv Yeshiva (5 Towns), I read that a shemittah etrog must either be eaten or left to rot until it is inedible.
Usually, when people see mold on food, they throw the ...
3
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1answer
92 views
Turning to the right vs. practice
Mishna Berura 676:10 quotes our sages: "Whenever you make a turning, it should only be towards the right".
However, it appears to me that we usually turn to the left (counter-clockwise) when shaking ...
3
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1answer
83 views
Israeli esrogim after shemittah [duplicate]
Regarding esrogim the year after shemittah, when you prepare them to be made into jam, is it muttar to throw away the seeds?
3
votes
1answer
367 views
What is the bracha for Etrog marmalade that has visible chunks of etrog pieces and / or rind?
My understanding and intention on asking this:
Fruit products that have visible fruit pieces, such as applesauce, I have read in a number of Brachot booklets, state to say ha'etz, since the fruit is ...
5
votes
1answer
80 views
May the Shmittah Etrog be used to make lemon-scented deodorant or furniture polish?
My son brought me a pamphlet produced by Yeshiva Sh'or Yoshuv (Far Rockaway, NY) that discussed the laws of the 4 minim. (If I can locate an online copy, I'll edit in a link.)
Near the end of the ...
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Is there a custom to go round the Sefer Torah with just the arava bundle on Hoshana Rabba?
There is a shiur “HOSHANA RABBA SHIUR OF RABBI J.B. SOLOVEITCHIK BOSTON, 1969” which discusses the custom of the arava on Hoshana Rabba.
In the shiur, the Rav is recorded as saying:
On Hoshana ...
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What do/can/should you do if you daven Succos Hallel slower than the tzibur, and why?
If you daven Hallel on Succos slower than the shaliach tzibur, what do you do when everyone else gets to the parts that involve oral responses and/or shaking the lulav? Is it better to join in with ...
6
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1answer
775 views
can I smell my esrog?
There is such a concept of something that is 'huktzah l'mitzvasa' (set aside for its mitzvah observance), I was wondering about the smelling of the esrog and how this rule would be applied to it?
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If the lulav and etrog are biblically mandated, how were people in cold climates able to obtain them before modern times?
The use of the 4 species in the lulav and etrog is biblically mandated. Therefore, when Jews left Israel and moved to cold climates such as northern and eastern Europe, they would have needed to ...
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1answer
132 views
According to the Rambam, how do you shake the lulav?
How do you shake the arba minim according to the Rambam?
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How bad is it to assemble the lulav on chag
I know one ideally should not assemble the Lulav on the actual holiday yet there are many people who don't know how to do it and despite the printed instructions we (the L & E vendors) offer them, ...
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1answer
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(How) Are these aravos kosher?
According to my understanding of Shulchan Aruch OC 647:1, the edges of the leaves of the aravos should not have serrated edges, but should rather be smooth:
עַרְבֵי נַחַל הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה [...] ...
6
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2answers
516 views
What to do with a sh'vi'it etrog
Last year (5775) was a shemitah year, as such, etrogim produced in Israel end up becoming sh'vi'it (produce of the seventh year). One of the boxes I saw mentioned that the etrog should be disposed of ...
2
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1answer
173 views
Yanavoh (Italian) Esrog -Moshe Rabbeinu
I remember seeing somewhere that Lubavitchers use Italian esrogim because of its mesorah. They say that Moshe Rabbienu used an Italian esrog and that's why they use it. What is the earliest source for ...
3
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1answer
155 views
The Saba Kadisha's opinion on using a lemon for an esrog
I remember seeing in the Igros Moshe a while back which quotes the Saba Kadisha's opinion that one can technically use a lemon instead of an esrog. It was a side idea in the Igros Moshe. Does anyone ...
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0answers
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Arvei Nahal - Acceptable Species
Vayikra 23:40 provides the commandment to take up the 4 species on Sukkot: וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם ...
2
votes
0answers
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Using an Esrog that has on it Kedushas Shvi'is
There will be a question this coming Sukkos (as there was somewhat last sukkos as well -- according to some opinions) because the esrogim will have kedushas shvi'is (the ones grown in Israel) If there ...
9
votes
3answers
134 views
If one is ovar on Bal Tosif are they still yotzee the mitzvah?
Although there perhaps aren't too many examples, I will present here one.
If a person takes the arba minim at Sukkos (Lulav, esrog, hadasim, aravos) and adds on another min in a way they are ovar on ...
3
votes
0answers
96 views
Questions regarding selling “mitzvah” items to Christians for use in their Church service
My understanding is that one is not aloud to intentionally sell anything to an oved avodah zarah ("idol worshipper") if he knows that he will use that item for his idol worshipping purpose.
There are ...
11
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1answer
909 views
How to make a koishele?
People use "lulav holders," or "koisheles," small containers of woven lulav leaves to hold their lulav sets (lulav + hadass + arava) together, as seen in the picture below.
My father showed me how to ...
7
votes
1answer
239 views
Can a court declare a minor's lulav ownerless? Has one?
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 658:6, says that one should not give his lulav to a minor as a gift, as the minor cannot give it back to him. (Minors cannot give anyone legal ownership in anything.)
...
