What does the lulav symbolize?
Each species is said to kabbalistically represent an aspect of the user’s body; the lulav represents the spine, the myrtle the eyes, the willow the lips, and the etrog represents the heart.
Where does a lulav come from?
baby palm fronds
The lulavs come from the baby palm fronds on the tops of trees, where the newest branches poke out. They must be harvested when they are about a meter in length, but before the fronds begin to split and open, rendering them unkosher.
How do you make a lulav blessing?
How to shake the lulav:
- Stand facing east.
- Hold the lulav in your right hand.
- Place the etrog next to the lulav with its top (pittom) facing down.
- Say a blessing: Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded regarding taking the Lulav. (
What do you do with lulav and etrog after Sukkot?
“For example, many save their lulav sets and extra willows until the eve of Passover, to use them for kindling a fire for the mitzvah of burning chametz.” As for your fragrant etrog, you can transform it into a besamim (spice) pomander for havdalah.
How does a lulav grow?
Seven months of harvesting means a mature date tree can produce around 14 lulavs per year. The palm frond shoots grow at a rate of about three centimeters per day and are trimmed when they are around a meter in length, meaning each tree is harvested about once a month.
Can you eat lulav?
The fourth species is a citrus fruit called an etrog. It’s actually not a lemon, even though it does look like one. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the fruit found its way to ancient Israel from China by way of India and Persia. It’s totally edible, but these are not meant for eating.
How does a lefty hold a lulav?
Reciting the blessing Right-handed users hold the lulav in the right hand and the etrog in the left. The customs for those who are left-handed differ for Ashkenazim and Sephardim. According to the Ashkenazi custom, the lulav is held in the left hand, and according to the Sephardi custom, in the right hand.
Why do you shake the lulav?
One Sukkot tradition involves the etrog, or citron, a fruit similar to a lemon, and and the lulav, a bouquet made up of palm, myrtle, and willow branches. People shake the lulav in a special way to send a blessing out to all of creation.