Mishnah Sukkah Chapter 3

(39) But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Eternal for seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. (40) And you shall take for you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palms, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Eternal your God seven days.

(1) A lulav which was stolen or dried out is invalid. One which comes from an ashera [a tree dedicated to idolatry], or from a condemned city [an idolatrous city which must be destroyed] is invalid. If its tip was snapped off, or its leaves missing, it is invalid; if its leaves were [merely] separated, it is valid. Rabbi Yehudah says: One must bind it together from the top [in order for it to be valid]. The palms of Iron Mount are valid [for use as a lulav]. A lulav that has three hand-breadths [in length] by which to shake it, is valid.

(2) A myrtle branch which was stolen or dried out is invalid. One which comes from an ashera, or from a condemned city is invalid. If its tip was snapped off, or its leaves missing, or if its berries are more numerous than its leaves, it is invalid; and if one decreased them [the berries], it is valid. And one may not decrease them on the festival.

(3) A willow branch which was stolen is dried out is invalid. One which comes from an ashera, or from a condemned city, is invalid. If its tip was snapped off, or its leaves missing, or if its is a tsaftsafah [a kind of willow that grows in dry regions]‎, it is invalid. One that is withered, or that a few of its leaves have fallen, or that grew in a naturally watered area, is valid.

(4) Rabbi Yishmael says: [The mitzvah of the four species requires] three myrtle branches, two willow branches, one palm branch, and one etrog [citron]; [and regarding the myrtle branches,] even if two have their tips snapped off and [only] one does not have its tip snapped off [it is valid]. Rabbi Tarfon says: even if all three are snapped off [it is valid]. Rabbi Akiva says: Just as one lulav and one citron [are used], so too one myrtle branch and one willow branch [should be used].

(5) A citron which was stolen or dried out is invalid. One which comes from an asherah, or from a condemned city, is invalid. One which is of orlah is invalid. One which is from impure terumah is invalid; from pure terumah, one should not take it [for the mitzvah], but if one took it, it is valid. One which is of demai, Beit Shammai invalidate it, and Beit Hillel validate. One which is of ma'aser sheni, one should not take it, but if one took it, it is valid.

(6) If lichen spread over the majority [of a citron], if it lost its crown, or was peeled, or cracked, or if it was pierced and is missing any amount, it is invalid. If lichen spread over a smaller portion of it, if it lost its stalk, or was pieced but is not missing any amount, it is valid. An Ethiopian citron is invalid. And one that is green like a leek, Rabbi Meir validates it, and Rabbi Yehudah invalidates.

(7) Regarding the required measure [of size] for a small citron, Rabbi Meir says: [it must be at least] the equivalent of a walnut. Rabbi Yehudah says: the equivalent of an egg. And regarding [the required measure of size for a citron that is] a large one, [it must be] such that one can hold two of them in one hand, according to Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yose says: even one in two hands [is valid].

(8) A lulav must only be bound together with [a binding made of] its own species, according to Rabbi Yehudah; Rabbi Meir says: even with a cord. Rabbi Meir said, "It happened that the people of Jerusalem would bind together their lulavim with bands of gold." They [the Sages] replied to him, "They would bind it together with [a binding of] its own species underneath."

(9) And when would they shake it?" At [the verse of the Hallel], "Hodu L'Adonai..." at the beginning and the ending, and at the verse, "Ana Adonai Hoshia Na," according to Beit Hillel. And Beit Shammai say: additionally [it would be shaken] at, "Ana Adonai Hatzlichah Na." Rabbi Akiva said: I would observe Rabban Gamaliel and Rabbi Yehoshua, that the entire nation would shake they lulavim [at these verses], and they only shook at, "Ana Adonai Hoshia Na."

One who is on the road and does not have in his possession a lulav to take, when he enters his home he must take it at his table.

One who did not take it in the morning, must take it in the evening, as the entire day is valid for [the taking of] the lulav.

(10) One for whom a slave, or a woman, or a minor were reading [the Hallel] for them, he must repeat what they say after them, and it shall be a curse upon him. If an adult was reading for him, he repeats after him, "Halleluyah."

(11) At a place where it was the custom to double [the verses, i.e. to read verses of the Hallel twice], one should double; [where it was the custom] to recite them simply [once, without repetition], one should recite them simply simply; to bless afterwards, one should bless afterwards: everything in accordance with the custom of the country.

If one purchases a lulav [along with the other species] from his fellow during the Sabbatical [year], he [the vendor] is to give him a citron as a gift, for one is not permitted to purchase it during the Sabbatical.

(12) Initially, the lulav would be taken in the Temple on [each of the] seven [days of the festival]; and in the country [i.e. anywhere outside of the Temple, it would be taken] on one day [the first day only]. Once the Temple was destroyed, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai established that the lulav should be taken in the country [i.e. everywhere] on [all] seven, in commemoration of the Temple. And [he also established] that the day of henef [the ritual of waving of barley sheaves which thereby permits the consumption of new grain] should be entirely forbidden [with regard to the permissibly of consumption of new grain on that day].

(13) If the first day of the festival falls on Shabbat, the entire nations would walk their lulavim to the Synagogue [and leave them there before Shabbat]. On the next day they would wake up and come, and each and every one would recognize his own, and take it; for the Sages said: One does not fulfull one's obligation on the first day of the festival by means of the lulav of one's fellow. And on the rest of the days of the festival, one fulfills one's obligation by means of the lulav of one's fellow.

(14) Rabbi Yose says: If the first day of the festival falls on Shabbat, and one forgot [that it was Shabbat], and took one's lulav out into the public domain, he is exempt because he took it out with permission.

(15) A woman may receive a lulav from the hands of her son, or from the hands of her husband, and she may return it into water on Shabbat. Rabbi Yehudah says: On Sabbath one may return [it to the water], on the festival one may add [more water to it], and on the intermediate days of the festival one may change [the water]. A minor, who understands how to shake [the lulav is obligated regarding the lulav.