רַבִּי מָנֵי פָּתַח (תהלים לה, י): כָּל עַצְמֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה ה' מִי כָמוֹךָ, לֹא נֶאֱמַר פָּסוּק זֶה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל לוּלָב, הַשִּׁדְרָה שֶׁל לוּלָב דּוֹמָה לַשִּׁדְרָה שֶׁל אָדָם, וְהַהֲדַס דּוֹמֶה לָעַיִן, וַעֲרָבָה דּוֹמָה לַפֶּה, וְהָאֶתְרוֹג דּוֹמֶה לַלֵּב, אָמַר דָּוִד אֵין בְּכָל הָאֵיבָרִים גָּדוֹל מֵאֵלּוּ, שֶׁהֵן שְׁקוּלִין כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַגּוּף, הֱוֵי: כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה.
Rabbi Mani opened, "'All of my bones shall say, "Lord, who is like you"' (Psalms 35:10). This verse was only stated for the sake of the lulav (the four species). The spine of the palm branch is similar to the spine of man. 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.'"
תָּנָא: יָבֵשׁ — פָּסוּל, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַכְשִׁיר. אָמַר רָבָא: מַחֲלוֹקֶת בְּלוּלָב, דְּרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי: מַקְּשִׁינַן לוּלָב לְאֶתְרוֹג, מָה אֶתְרוֹג בָּעֵי ״הָדָר״ — אַף לוּלָב בָּעֵי ״הָדָר״. וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה סָבַר: לָא מַקְּשִׁינַן לוּלָב לְאֶתְרוֹג. אֲבָל בְּאֶתְרוֹג — דִּבְרֵי הַכֹּל הָדָר בָּעֵינַן.
§ It was taught in the Tosefta: A dry lulav is unfit. Rabbi Yehuda deems it fit. Rava said: The dispute is specifically with regard to a lulav, as the Rabbis hold: We liken the lulav to the etrog, based on their juxtaposition in the verse. Just as the etrog requires beauty, so too, the lulav requires beauty. And Rabbi Yehuda holds: We do not liken the lulav to the etrog. However, with regard to an etrog, everyone agrees that we require beauty [hadar] as the verse states: “Fruit of a beautiful tree” (Leviticus 23:40) and a dry etrog does not meet that criterion.
וּבְאֶתְרוֹג מִי בָּעֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָדָר? וְהָתַנְיָא: אַרְבַּעַת מִינִין שֶׁבַּלּוּלָב, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵהֶן כָּךְ אֵין מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן. לֹא מָצָא אֶתְרוֹג — לֹא יָבִיא לֹא פָּרִישׁ וְלֹא רִמּוֹן וְלֹא דָּבָר אַחֵר. כְּמוּשִׁין — כְּשֵׁרִין, יְבֵשִׁין — פְּסוּלִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אַף יְבֵשִׁין.
The Gemara asks: And with regard to an etrog, does Rabbi Yehuda require beauty? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: With regard to the four species of the lulav, just as one may not diminish from their number, so too, one may not add to their number. If one did not find an etrog, he should not bring a quince, a pomegranate, or any other item instead. If the species are slightly dried, they are fit. If they are completely dry, they are unfit. Rabbi Yehuda says: Even dry etrogim are fit.
אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף, הָרוֹאֶה עֵז בַּחֲלוֹם — שָׁנָה מִתְבָּרֶכֶת לוֹ, עִזִּים — שָׁנִים מִתְבָּרְכוֹת לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדֵי חֲלֵב עִזִּים לְלַחְמְךָ״. הָרוֹאֶה הֲדַס בַּחֲלוֹם — נְכָסָיו מַצְלִיחִין לוֹ. וְאִם אֵין לוֹ נְכָסִים — יְרוּשָּׁה נוֹפֶלֶת לוֹ מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר. אָמַר עוּלָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: וְהוּא דַּחֲזָא בְּכַנַּיְיהוּ. הָרוֹאֶה אֶתְרוֹג בַּחֲלוֹם — הָדוּר הוּא לִפְנֵי קוֹנוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים״. הָרוֹאֶה לוּלָב בַּחֲלוֹם — אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא לֵב אֶחָד לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.
Rav Yosef says: One who sees a goat in a dream, it is a sign that his year will be blessed; one who sees goats, his years will be blessed, as it is stated: “And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food, for the food of your household; and sustenance for your maidens” (Proverbs 27:27). One who sees myrtle in a dream, it is a sign that his property will be successful. And if he does not own property, it is a sign that he will receive an inheritance. Ulla said, and some say it was taught in a baraita: This applies exclusively to a case where he saw them on their stem. One who sees a citron [etrog] in a dream has seen a sign that he is honored [hadur] before his Creator, as it is stated with regard to the citron: “The fruit of goodly trees [hadar], branches of palm trees” (Leviticus 23:40). One who sees a palm branch [lulav] in a dream, it is a sign that he has but one heart for his Father in heaven. Lulav is interpreted homiletically as lo lev, he has a heart.
אָמַר מָר: לֹא מָצָא אֶתְרוֹג — לֹא יָבִיא לֹא רִמּוֹן וְלֹא פָּרִישׁ וְלֹא דָּבָר אַחֵר. פְּשִׁיטָא! מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: לַיְיתֵי, כִּי הֵיכִי שֶׁלֹּא תִּשָּׁכַח תּוֹרַת אֶתְרוֹג, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, זִימְנִין דְּנָפֵיק חוּרְבָּא מִינֵּיהּ, דְּאָתֵי לְמִסְרַךְ.
The Master stated in the baraita cited above: If one cannot find an etrog, he may not bring a pomegranate, a quince, or anything else instead. The Gemara wonders: This is obvious. The Gemara answers: Lest you say: He should bring these fruits so that the halakhic category of the etrog will not be forgotten, therefore, Rabbi Yehuda teaches us that it is in fact prohibited because on occasion, damage will result from this practice. Some may come to be drawn to this practice and use these species even when etrogim are available.