Finding a Local Lulav

(39) Mark, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you are to celebrate-as-pilgrimage the pilgrimage-festival of YHWH, for seven days: on the first day [is] a Sabbath-ceasing and on the eighth day [is] a Sabbath-ceasing. (40) You are to take yourselves, on the first day, the fruit of beautiful (hadar) trees, branches of palms (kappot temarim), and boughs of thick tree-foliage (anaf etz avot), and willows of the brook (arvei nahal). And you are to rejoice before the presence of YHWH your God for seven days; (41) you are to celebrate-it-as pilgrimage, a pilgrimage-festival to YHWH, for seven days a year— a law for the ages, throughout your generations: in the seventh month you are to celebrate-it-as-pilgrimage (42)—in sukkot you are to stay [Or “dwell”] for seven days, every native in Israel is to stay in sukkot— (43) in order that your generations may know that in huts I had the Children of Israel stay when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am YHWH your God! (44) So Moshe declared the appointed-times of YHWH to the Children of Israel.

"The fruit of a pleasant (hadar) tree" - Rabbi Chiya taught, "A tree in which the taste of its tree and its fruit are the same." Hadar: Ben Azzai said, "A [fruit] that resides (hadar) in its tree from [one] year to [another]." Achilles the convert translated hadar (from the Greek, hydor), that it [is a tree that] resides over the water.

"Branches (kapot) of date palms" - Rabbi Tarfon says, "Bound (kafut): if it is spread out, bind it."

"And boughs of a dense-leaved tree" - a tree whose leaves obscure its tree. Hence, one must say this is a myrtle.

"Willows of the brook" - the verse clearly states "brook." From where [do I know that we can use] a willow of the valley or of the mountains? We learn to say, "and willows of the brook" (in plural, to teach that different types of willows are allowed). Abba Shaul says, "And willows of the brook" is two - a willow for the lulav and a willow for the Temple."

Another explanation: "The fruit of a beautiful tree (ets hadar)" - this is [referring to] our father, Avraham, who the Holy Blessed One graced (hider) with a good old age, as it is stated (Genesis 24:1), "And Avraham was old, had come along in days;" and it is written (Leviticus 19:32), "and you shall grace (hadarta) the old."

"The branches (kappot) of a date palm" - this is [referring to] Yitschak, who was bound (kafut which is spelled with the same letters as kappot) and tied up on top of the altar.

"And a branch of a braided tree (a myrtle)" - this is [referring to] Yakov. Just like this myrtle bustles with leaves, so too was Yakov bustling with children.

"And brook willows" - this is [referring to] Yosef. Just like this willow gets withered before these three [other] species, so too did Yosef die before his brothers.

Another explanation: "The fruit of a beautiful tree (ets hadar)" - this is [referring to] Sarah, who the Holy Blessed One graced (hider) with a good old age, as it is stated (Genesis 18:11), "And Avraham and Sarah were old."

"The branches of a date palm" - this is [referring to] Rivka. Just like this date palm, it has food and it has thorns, so too Rivkah brought up a righteous one and an evildoer.

"And a branch of a braided tree (a myrtle)" - this is [referring to] Leah. Just like this myrtle bustles with leaves, so too was Leah bustling with children.

"And brook willows" - this is [referring to] Rachel. Just like this willow gets withered before these three [other] species, so too did Rachel die before her sister.

Rabbi Mani opened, [saying.] "'All of my bones shall say, "Hashem, who is like you"' (Psalms 35:10). This verse was only stated for the sake of the lulav [and etrog].

The spine of the palm branch is similar to the spine of a person.

And the myrtle is similar to the eye.

And the willow is similar to the mouth.

And the etrog (citron), is similar to the heart.

David said, 'In all of the limbs, there are no greater ones than these, as they are compared to the entire body.' This is [what is meant] by 'All of my bones shall say.'"