The Four Species of Sukkot

Biblical references to the Four Species

“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [of Sukkot], the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.” Leviticus 23:40 NKJV

What is the Feast of Tabernacles?

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated to mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of a new growth cycle with the coming rains. Dates may vary, due to the Jewish lunar calendar, but it usually falls in the months September or October.

What does it represent?

Sukkot represents the wandering Israelites (dwelling in “booths”) upon their entry in the Promised Land.

The date palm, today still a source of sustenance for desert travelers, is a reminder of the oases where the Israelites camped during their 40 years in the desert.

When they crossed the river Jordan to enter the Promised Land, they saw the willow trees growing on the banks of the river.

Upon settling in the hills, the Israelites found forests and thickets where the myrtle grew.

Only after generations of hard work and preparing the soil, they learned to grow the demanding citron.

The “Arba Minim”

The Four Species, “Arba Minim” in Hebrew, consist of a date palm branch – the “lulav”, bough of the myrtle tree – “hadass”, willow tree branch – “aravah”, and citron fruit – “etrog”. During Sukkot these are waved in a special ceremony.

Each Jewish group has its own rules and regulations on how to prepare the species for the mitzvah. In obtaining them, they have to look for the “best” in each species.

An ancient ritual

During the time of the Temple, the waving ceremony – “na’anu’im” – was performed on all seven days of Sukkot, elsewhere only on the first day. After the destruction of the Temple the ceremony continued as a memorial.

This mitzvah (commandment) is prescribed by the Torah and contains symbolic allusions to a Jew’s service of God.

The waving ceremony

During the (ancient) waving ceremony the “lulav” (consisting of the bundled palm frond, “aravah” and “hadass”) is held in the right hand, the etrog in the left. This can be different though, depending if you’re Sephardic, Ashkenazi or a Lubavitcher Hasid.

Facing east, the Four Species are blessed with a special benediction, then pointed and gently shaken three times in all six directions (east, south, west, north, up and down.) This symbolizes the fact that God is everywhere and Master of all creation.

Water advocates

According to the Talmud, the Four Species are “water advocates.”

• The date palm is a sign of water in the desert
• The myrtle (“Hadas”) can survive many months without water
• The “etrog” requires an exorbitant amount of water to grow
• The willow only grows near water

During Sukkot there are many water and rain-based ceremonies and prayers, e.g. the water libation on the altar and accompanying celebration.

Different symbolic meanings

The Midrash notes that the binding of the Four Species symbolizes the desire to unite the four “types” of Jews in the service of God:

• Lulav – those who study Torah but don’t possess good deeds
• Hadass – those who possess good deeds but don’t study Torah. Aravah – those who lack both Torah and good deeds.
• Etrog – those who have both Torah and good deeds

As they bind the Four Species together, the Jew shows his desire to consecrate his entire being to the service of God.

The whole body serving God

Another explanation is that the Etrog symbolizes the heart, the seat of our emotions; the Hadas leaves are shaped like the eye; the Lulav represents the spine, while the Aravah represents our lips and speech. As the Four Species must be held together, thus the spine, heart, eye and mouth teach us that our whole body must serve God.

The Name of God

The Four Species also represent the Name of God.

Aravah, Hadas, Lulav and Etrog stand for the Yud, Heh, Vav and Heh of the four-letter Name of God.

Four environments

The Four Species refer also to the four different environments:

• Etrog requires artificial irrigation and grows on the plains
• Lulav grows in desert oases
• Hadas is a mountain shrub
• Aravah is the willow of the brook; grows in the river valleys

Thanking and praying

The Four Species are part of the thought provoking ritual of thanking God for the rain of the previous year, and the need to pray for the rains to come.

By combining the Four Species, the various elements the Jewish people are unified, like the land of Israel in all its diversity.

A Feast for Jew and Gentile

Sukkot is in origin a Jewish Feast, which the gentiles can celebrate as well.

For more than 20 years, the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem organizes an international Christian celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem.

They celebrate it “up front”; for God’s Word says that in the future the people of the world will come up to Jerusalem, as written in Zechariah 14:16 -19.

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”

“…and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.”