{"id":37794,"date":"2015-09-16T18:30:08","date_gmt":"2015-09-16T18:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/?p=37794"},"modified":"2020-09-08T15:14:03","modified_gmt":"2020-09-08T15:14:03","slug":"halacha-lmaaseh-on-arba-minim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/holidays\/halacha-lmaaseh-on-arba-minim\/","title":{"rendered":"Halacha L’Maaseh on Arba Minim"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lulav: If First Day of Sukkot Is Shabbat<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

You do not need to buy a fancy or expensive lulav and etrog if the first day of Sukkot is Shabbat, since the Torah requirement for the Etrog to be beautiful is only on the first day of Sukkot.<\/p>\n

Palm Branch Sizes<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Minimum length for lulav (palm branch): Spine must be at least 16″ long, not including the length of the leaves. At least 4″ of the spine of the lulav must be above the tops of the willows and myrtles.<\/p>\n

Myrtle and Willow Branch Sizes<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Each of the myrtle and willow branches must be at least 12 inches long.<\/p>\n

Lulav: Choosing: Condition<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

A lulav, willow branches, or myrtle branches are only disqualified\/pasul if the leaves are so dry that they will crack if you bend them. Being moldy does not disqualify them.<\/p>\n

To Set Up a Lulav<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

To set up a lulav: hold with spine facing you, with three myrtle branches (hadassim) on the right and two willow branches (aravot) on the left. It is customary to put the myrtle and willow branches into a holder made of palm leaves.<\/p>\n

\"20-lulav\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Lulav: When You May Borrow <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You may borrow a lulav on all days of Sukkot except the first day (or first two days outside of Eretz Yisrael). On the first (two) day(s), you may acquire a lulav and etrog by having a friend \u201cgive\u201d them to you as a gift, even if you will later \u201cgive\u201d them back to your friend, also as a gift.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> If you intended to use someone else’s lulav on the first day of Sukkot, it is considered as if the lulav is yours, even without doing the normal acquisition.<\/p>\n

Lulav: Husband and Wife<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

A man’s wife does not own the lulav with him (and a wife’s husband does not own her lulav), but it is assumed that each gives their lulav to the other (on the first and second day of Sukkot) as a gift with a condition that the recipient will give the lulav back to the other spouse as a gift once finished.<\/p>\n

Lulav: Who Should Bless: Women <\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Women and girls do not need to bless over or wave the lulav; but if they do, it is a mitzva.<\/p>\n

Lulav: Where To Bless: Sukka or Synagogue<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Say blessings on the lulav and etrog in the sukka or in synagogue.<\/p>\n

Lulav: When To Bless: Daytime <\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Only say the blessing on the lulav during the day.<\/p>\n

Lulav: Shabbat<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Don’t pick up the lulav or say the blessing on Shabbat.<\/p>\n

Lulav: Hold, Bless, Shake<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

To fulfill the commandment of lulav and etrog, you must hold them together the way they grow: stems down. But since you fulfill the commandment as soon as you hold the Four Species together this way, you must first pick up the etrog inverted (stem up) and then say the blessing, as follows:<\/p>\n