The Torah’s mitzva of taking the four species has been expounded to allude to several deep concepts, and various reasons have been given for the choice of these particular species.

For example, the lulav, etrog, hadas, and arava are said to represent four general types among the Jewish people, and their being bound together expresses the unity of the people. With regard to the waving of the four species in all directions, the Talmud (Sukka 37b) explains that this is a symbolic act demonstrating God’s mastery over everything in heaven and on earth and all over the world. Another suggestion given there is that it serves to protect against harmful winds and precipitation.

By Torah law, the obligation to pick up the four species applies in the Temple all seven days of Sukkot, and outside of the Temple only on the first day of Sukkot. Following the destruction of the second Temple, the Sages instituted that one must pick up the four species every day of the festival (except for Shabbat), in commemoration of the Temple. There are several halakhic ramifications of the fact that the mitzva on the first day is by Torah law and the mitzva on subsequent days is a rabbinic institution.

On the first day, the set of the four species must be owned by the one fulfilling the mitzva, whereas on the other days one may borrow a set from someone else. This halakha is derived from the wording of the verse: “You shall take for you on the first day” (Leviticus 23:40), which teaches that “on the first day” of the festival, the four species must be “for you,” meaning that they must belong to you.

How, then, can an entire family recite a blessing over one set of four species that belongs to the head of the family? And how it is possible for someone who did not purchase a set before the festival to fulfill the mitzva?

The solution is to give over the set in the form of a gift. If one wishes, he can explicitly stipulate that it is a gift given on the condition that it be returned. The one who receives the gift with this condition may then take the four species and recite the blessing, returning it immediately afterward to its former owner, so as to fulfill the condition attached to the gift.

On the first day of the festival, the four species should not be given as a gift to minors (boys under the age of thirteen and girls under the age of twelve) before the adults have fulfilled the mitzva, as children have the legal ability to acquire items but not to transfer ownership over them to others. Consenquently, if a father gives his set of four species to his minor son as a gift, they will remain the child’s property and will not revert back to the possession of the father, which means that the father will be unable to fulfill the mitzva after that. Accordingly, on the first day of Sukkot one should give the four species to the children for them to recite the blessing on them only after all the adults have already completed the mitzva.

On the rest of the festival days there is no problem with fulfilling the mitzva with a borrowed set of four species.

Another difference between the first day of the festival and the subsequent days is that on the first day, a higher level of halakhic specification is required for the four species than on the rest of the festival. If one’s four species set was damaged on the first festival day, it is possible that it is nevertheless valid for the rest of the days. In such a case, it is worthwhile to consult a rabbi.

On the Shabbat of Sukkot, the mitzva of taking the four species is not observed, even if Shabbat is the first day of the festival.

Further reading: To read about the great symbolic significance of the mitzva of the four species, see A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 291; A Concise Guide to Mahshava, p. 74.

Every male, including a child who is old enough to be taught how to hold and wave the lulav, is obligated to perform the mitzva of the four species.

Women are exempt from taking the four species, as this is a time-bound positive mitzva. Nevertheless, many women have the custom of taking in hand the four species and reciting the blessing, while some do so without the blessing.

The mitzva of taking the lulav may be fulfilled throughout the day, at any time from sunrise to sunset. It is proper to perform the mitzva as early as possible. Likewise, one should refrain from eating before fulfilling the mitzva. Therefore, many people have the custom to take the four species in hand upon awakening in the morning, in the sukka at home, even before reciting the morning prayers.

Others have the custom of taking the lulav in hand and reciting the blessing just before the recitation of the Hallel prayer in the synagogue. Some go out to the sukka at that point and recite the blessing over the lulav there, while others do so inside the synagogue.

In addition to the recitation of the blessing over the four species, there are several points during the morning prayer, during Hallel and Hoshanot, when the four species are held and waved (see the next section regarding the festival days, p. 204).

When fulfilling the mitzva, one must hold the four species as they grow, right side up. The etrog must also be held with its pointed side upward, since that is the position of the etrog as it begins to grow on the tree.

The blessing over a mitzva should generally be recited before performing the mitzva, but while holding the object used for the mitzva so that he can perform the mitzva immediately after reciting the blessing. In the case of the four species, performing the mitzva requires simply picking them up and holding them in the proper fashion. Therefore, the proper procedure is as follows: One should hold the lulav bound with the hadasim and the aravot in his right hand, and the etrog in his left hand, but the etrog should be upside down. After reciting the blessing, one should turn over the etrog so that he is holding it properly and fulfilling the mitzva. Alternatively, some have the custom to recite the blessing while holding the lulav, hadasim, and aravot, and to pick up the etrog after the blessing. One then holds the etrog directly adjacent to the lulav and waves them.

On each day of the festival, the following is recited before fulfilling the mitzva of taking the four species:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us through His commandments, and commanded us concerning the taking of the lulav.”

On the first day of Sukkot, one adds the Sheheheyanu blessing:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”

One who did not take the four species on the first day of the festival should recite the Sheheheyanu blessing on the first occasion that he fulfills the mitzva that year, even if it is on one of the subsequent days of the festival.

After the blessings, one waves the four species. The basic act of waving consists of slightly moving the four species while holding them together. There are several customs which expand upon this and provide an order to the wavings:

It is possible to wave the lulav forward, backward, up, and down. However, the more common practice is to wave the lulav toward all four directions (right, left, to the front, and behind), and also up and down. Among those who wave in these six directions, there are different customs regarding the order. Some start with the east side (forward, when facing east) and continue clockwise and then up and down. According to the kabbalistic teachings of the Arizal, the order is (when facing east): right, left, forward, up, down, and backward. There are other customs as well.

According to most customs, in each of the directions mentioned, one waves the lulav three times, in a to-and-fro movement.

Some are particular to place the four species next to their heart at the end of each waving.

There are those who make sure that in each of the movements the lulav is shaken to make a slight rustling sound.

Some turn their faces to each direction of the various wavings, while others face forward and move only their hands with the four species to the different sides.

One custom is to hold the lulav upright throughout the waving, whereas others direct its tip toward the side to which they are shaking.

Any manner of waving is acceptable, and one should follow the custom of his congregation and community. We have presented these various customs to illustrate some of the diverse traditions that have developed over the generations, as a way to express affection for the fulfillment of this mitzva.