וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day (of Sukkot) the fruit of the beautiful tree (the Etrog), a branch of the palm tree (lulav), boughs of thick-leaved trees (hadasim) and willows of the brook (aravos)” Vayikra 23.40.
This is the source in the Torah for the fulfillment of the Mitzvah of the Four Species during the Festival of Sukkot.
Etrog
“Pri Etz Hadar” refers to the Etrog. In fact, among the Four Species, this is the most important and the most expensive. There are those who see this as an opportunity to demonstrate their fond adherence to Mitzvah observance. They, therefore, go out of their way and are indeed willing to pay hundreds of dollars to locate a beautiful Etrog that has a perfect blend of shape, color and size, and of course, completely clean of any blemishes whatsoever, down to the tiniest black dots sometimes found on Etrogim.
Many communities have their own customs with regard to the Etrog, each stressing its own particular choice. We shall discuss two or three of the most commonly-known species.
It is important to note that in all cases, any Etrog that has been grown, as a result of artificial intervention, such as graft-implants (Harkavah) or cross-breeding (Hachlaah) is totally invalid! It is therefore extremely important to verify that your Etrog was grown in an orchard that has a certified accreditation as a “pure” species. In most cases, there are orchards recognized by virtue of their name, as we shall discuss, as having been pure for several decades.
Etrogim from Eretz Yisrael– At the beginning of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries it was an accepted custom to buy Etrogim grown by the local Arabs, known as Falachim, who used only primitive methods, with no problems of grafting or otherwise. These were planted in the Upper Galilee area or around Tzfas, Shechem and Yericho and villages surrounding Jerusalem. With time, the new Jewish settlers planted their own orchards. Due to this development and especially the more advanced agricultural methods, most Arab growers no longer exist.
Today the Etrogim grown in Eretz Yisroel are sold all over the world.
Etrogim Chazon Ish– Their origin is from those grown in the areas around Tzfas or Shechem. These were the preferred Etrogim that the Chazon Ish himself would use. Chazon Ish is the name of the multi-volume set of sefarim known as Chazon Ish, named after their famous, greatly respected author, the renowned Posek and Gaon, Harav Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz zt”l, who lived about eighty to ninety years ago.
At one point, he presented his used Etrog to one of his prime disciples, Rav Y.M. Lefkowitz zt”l and another time to his relative Rav Yakov Halperin, to be grown in their courtyards. These eventually came to be known as Etrogei Chazon Ish – Lefkowitz and as Chazon Ish-Halperin.
Rav Halperin established an entire orchard of these Etrogim, which became universally known as the Halperin Orchard. Over the years, these were passed on and expanded to include other orchards, all with the Chazon Ish brand.
Accordingly, there is no suspicion of graft-implanting or cross-breeding. Today, one can find a large choice of Chazon Ish Etrogim in different shapes and sizes, with or without a Pitom (the small stem at the top of the Etrog).
Etrog Teimani– This Etrog is considered by many to be the most mehudar of all. They made their way to Eretz Yisroel with the immigration of the Jews of Teiman, subsequently being grown here.
They never come with a Pitam, since these invariably fall off during the growing process, perhaps because of their size and weight. They are generally much larger than other Etrogim, and have been known to reach a weight of up to 4 kilograms! So they certainly will not fit your standard Etrog holder, as beautiful as it may be!
There was never a problem of grafting or other artificial interference, since the weather in Teiman was ideally suited for their growth and development. Therefore they have come to be known as the most reliable and mehudar Etrogim. (Practically speaking they are not user-friendly, since the Lulav and Etrog are held together in two hands, whereas these Etrogim often need two hands just to hold one Etrog!) In fact, the Chazon Ish was known to have said that there is no more Kosher Etrog than those of Teiman.
Etrog Chabad– Also known as “Etrog Kalabri” after the area in Italy where they are mostly grown to this day. They are also known as “Etrog Janova” after the port city from which they were shipped abroad.
To avoid the dangers of grafting or cross-breeding, many special Mashgichim come to inspect and supervise the local produce. Having verified their kosher status, they are bought in large quantities and shipped all over the world.
Upon the settling of Kfar Chabad, they were cultivated and grown here in Eretz Yisroel. These Etrogim are a favorite amongst certain Chassidic communities.
Lulav
“Kapos Temarim” refers to the Lulav, which are the middle branches of the palm tree. Only these middle branches maintain their straight, tight shape, where the leaves are not spread apart making them suitable for use as a Lulav. The outer branches, whose leaves are spread apart, cannot be used and are actually sold as Shach to cover the Sukkah.
These palm trees are grown in the hot deserts of the Jordan Valley, and are known as Lulavei Habikah. Or in the northern section of Sinai, which are known as Lulavei El Arish. The European climate is are not suitable for the Lulav, which is why, until the advent of international commerce, Eastern European communities experienced great difficulty in acquiring and fulfilling this Mitzvah of the Four Minim.
A Lulav that is straight as an arrow is the most mehudar. Should it arch backwards, that is with the spine arching upwards, it is perfectly kosher since this is how many of them do grow. However, should they arch forward or to either side, they should not be used. In addition, if the uppermost leaves are trimmed, severed or broken off, it becomes invalid for use. Also the leaves should mostly look green and fresh, rather than a yellow/white color that may indicate dryness.
Lulav Deri– These Lulavim are of Iraqi origin and were known as the Deri Lulav. Today they are grown in the Bet Shean Valley in the North.
They are reputable for their strength, beauty and quality. And in particular for the accuracy of the alignment of the twin top leaves.
Lulav with “Kore”– In some Lulavim the uppermost leaves are covered with a brownish, dry coating. Some communities prefer this sort, for they tend to hold the upper leaves tightly together, ensuring that they won’t spread apart, through usage over the Chag.
Others insist that the “Kore” be removed in order to expose the upper twin leaves to make sure they are indeed higher than the others, that they are aligned and are perfectly straight, almost to a sharp point. Others yet, prefer that the top leaves are slightly hunched over, which again is likely to ensure that they will not spread apart.
Hadasim
These myrtle leaves are grown in the broad expanses of Ramat Hagolan. They carry a high standard of consistently meeting the precise halachic requirement of beautifully shaped round leaves (similar to the shape of an eye!) attached to one stem, with none of the them being higher or lower than the other. Furthermore, they are generally able to maintain their fresh, crisp appearance throughout all the days of the Chag.
Aravos
The Lulav is traditionally held and bound together with 3 Hadassim (myrtle branches) on the right side, placed slightly higher than the 2 Aravos (willow branches) on the left-hand side. The Torah refers to them as “Arvei Nachal”, since they mostly grow in the vicinity of brooks and streams. Not to be confused with the wild species, also known as Aravos, whose leaves are round and invalid. These Aravos are distinct in that their leaves are long, each similar in shape to a pair of lips and that the branches these leaves are attached to, have a reddish tinge to them.
If most of the leaves have either dried up or have fallen off (extra care should be taken, when they are being attached to the Lulav) or if the top branch is broken off, it is preferable to exchange them for a fresh set. Indeed, many have the custom to place a fresh set with the Lulav each day of Chol Hamoed.
On the second to last day of Sukkot, known as Hoshana Rabba, besides the willow branches attached to the Lulav, it is customary to take another separate set consisting of five branches tied together. On that day, we circle the Bimah in the Bais Haknesses seven times, each time saying a special prayer, pleading for a year of bountiful rain and water, without which we could not survive. This is a traditional custom reminiscent and handed down to us from the days of the Bais Hamikdash.