And you shall take on the first day the [1] fruit of splendid trees, [2] branches of palm trees and [3] boughs of leafy trees and [4] willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
For at least 2000 years, the popular interpretation of these are
- Etrog or citron
- Palm fronds
- Myrtle
- Willow
In an ancient ceremony filled with symbolism, the celebrant takes a lulav made of a single palm frond, two willow branches, and three myrtles that have been bound together using palm leaves in his right hand and recites a blessing. He then takes an etrog in his left hand, recites another blessing, and then waves the lulav and fruit gently in six directions: south, north, east, up, down, and west.
There are various meanings ascribed to each of the four species and the waving. The most popular is that they represent four types of Jews:
- Etrog: those with Torah knowledge and good works.
- Palm: those with Torah knowledge but not good works.
- Myrtle: those with no Torah knowledge, but with good works.
- Willow: those with no Torah knowledge and no good works.
All Jews will be united by Messiah, regardless of merit. The waiving of the lulav probably evolved from a combination of popular holiday activities of the common people and Temple ceremonies sometime between the times of Nehemiah (who knew nothing of it, according to Scripture) and Yeshua.
It's a beautiful tradition that I don't have any particular problem with. It doesn't break any commands; it's not contrary to Torah. I appreciate the long history, the ceremony, the symbolism... I've waived the lulav many times before and I'll probably do it again, but unless I find some new information, I just don't think it's what God meant.
The meaning of the Hebrew for palms (tamarim) and willows of the brook (va-aravah nakhal) is pretty clear. Those words definitely refer to palm trees and willows, although they don't specify a particular species, part of the plant, nor what we're supposed to do with them.
The meaning of the Hebrew for the other two species, the beautiful/splendid/goodly tree (ets hadar) and boughs of leafy trees (va-anof ets abot) isn't so clear. We can only tell that the first is a fruit tree and the second is a densely leafed tree, but based on the text of Leviticus 23:40, that's all we can tell. I believe the intent wasn't to say it must be two specific varieties of tree, but that the trees selected must be healthy and productive. The fruit must come from a good tree and the bough must come from a tree with full foliage.
The meaning of this is, of course, up to interpretation.
The meaning of the Hebrew for palms (tamarim) and willows of the brook (va-aravah nakhal) is pretty clear. Those words definitely refer to palm trees and willows, although they don't specify a particular species, part of the plant, nor what we're supposed to do with them.
The meaning of the Hebrew for the other two species, the beautiful/splendid/goodly tree (ets hadar) and boughs of leafy trees (va-anof ets abot) isn't so clear. We can only tell that the first is a fruit tree and the second is a densely leafed tree, but based on the text of Leviticus 23:40, that's all we can tell. I believe the intent wasn't to say it must be two specific varieties of tree, but that the trees selected must be healthy and productive. The fruit must come from a good tree and the bough must come from a tree with full foliage.
The meaning of this is, of course, up to interpretation.
The goodly fruit is surely a pomegranate. Just do a scripture search it adorned the temple etc.
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