On Sukkot, our rejoicing before the Lord is to be done with certain types of produce and plants in hand. (Leviticus 23:40) Traditionally, these have been understood to be the citron (similar to a large lemon in appearance and known by its Hebrew name "etrog"), branches of the date palm tree, and twigs of the myrtle and the willow. Though the name of the palm branch is the "lulav," two sprigs of willow and three of myrtle are bound to the palm branch with strips of palm and the composite of the three together is called the "lulav." Though it could be argued that Leviticus 23:40 can be interpreted in a less specific fashion, the lulav and etrog have been the popular understanding of Israel at least since the days of the Maccabees. They appear on ancient Israelite coins and in early Jewish art along with other well-known symbols like the menorah, the shofar and the Ark of the Covenant. ¹

According to Maimonides, it is likely that these "four species" as they are known, were chosen to symbolize Israel’s emergence from the wilderness into the land of plenty. They were easy to obtain in ancient Israel, two of them have a pleasant smell, and they tend to retain their freshness over the week more than most other plants. ²

Because of their long and loved association with Sukkot, the lulav and etrog have been assigned many spiritual meanings. They obviously connect graphically to the whole harvest motif, but the range of other symbolic meanings is quite wide.

The etrog, especially, has been the focus of much attention and care. Since they were difficult to obtain in European Jewish communities from the Middle Ages almost up to modern times, they were considered very precious and much effort and expense was expended to obtain them. Sometimes entire communities had to share one etrog. ³

The designing and crafting of decorative containers to hold the etrog has been a favorite project of artisans for centuries. One Rabbinic opinion claims that the etrog was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil from which our first parents ate, bringing sin into the world. Another, consequently, believes that by observing the commandment of the lulav and etrog, the damage done by Adam and Eve is repaired. ⁴

In other expositions the four species are related to the organs of the human body. The shape of the myrtle leaf is like the eye, a symbol of enlightenment. The shape of the willow leaf is like the lips, the instruments of prayer and praise. The palm branch is like the spine, which carries the brain’s instructions to the rest of the body and symbolizes uprightness. And the etrog is like the heart, the place of true understanding and wisdom. Each is capable of being used to do wrong or right, but combined in the service of God they have great redemptive power. ⁵

This is what Rav Shaul tells us in Romans 6:12,13:

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Therefore, as one waves the lulav before the Lord at Sukkot, it can also be a symbolic action of presenting our whole body to Him as a living sacrifice.

The four species are also said to represent different types of the people of Israel. The etrog, with its taste and pleasant smell, is like one who combines knowledge of Torah with good deeds. The date palm produces good food but has no fragrance, like one who knows the Torah, but has not good deeds. He who does good deeds without Torah knowledge is like the myrtle, which has a fragrant aroma but no taste. He who is without Torah or good deeds is like the tasteless and odorless willow. However, when bound together as a community intent on serving God, the strengths of one cover for the weakness of another, and God receives them all. ⁶

Other Midrashic applications include various attributes of God, the patriarchs and matriarchs, the Great Sanhedrin and scholars and disciples in Israel. Even the seven guests of Ushpizin are found there—the three myrtles symbolizing Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the two willows symbolizing Moses and Aaron, the palm symbolizing Joseph, and the etrog symbolizing David.

Incredible care is taken to procure etrogim and lulavim without flaws. Here in Israel, prior to Sukkot when all that is needed for the holiday can be found in open air markets, men with magnifying glasses can be seen examining the tips of the lulav for any defect or damage. The very scrupulous spend large sums of money to buy only the most perfect. With the tremendous emphasis placed on meticulous observance of the smallest detail, it is easy to lose sight of weightier matters of the Torah such as justice and the love of God (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42). This was certainly not lost on the Rabbis as the following two stories relate.

A Chasid asked his Rebbe before Sukkot to grant him a blessing so that he might have an exceptionally fine lulav and etrog for the festival. The Rabbi replied: "What you need for Sukkot is a kind heart, a humble spirit, a truthful mind, and the will to perfect yourself. After you have attained these, it will be time to concern yourself regarding an exceptionally fine set of the symbols for Sukkot." ⁷

The following is one of my favorite Sukkot stories:

Rabbi Mordechai of Neschiz (of the Zlotzover Chassidim — died 1800) was a merchant before he attained leadership. Then it was his custom from time to time to set aside a sum, in order to buy a beautiful etrog for the Sukkot festival. Once during the ‘Ten Penitential Days’ (between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur), he journeyed to Brody, in order to buy an etrog for the festival. There he met a coachman, who stood by the side of his fallen horse, and wept. The Rabbi did not deliberate long. He gave to the man the money he had set aside for the purchase of the etrog, in order that he might buy another horse (this gives some idea of the large sums that were spent on etrogim), and he took his departure in a cheerful mood. When he came home, he was asked regarding the etrog.

‘The whole world,’ he said, ‘may recite the blessing over the etrog, but unto me only has the privilege been granted to recite it over a horse.’ ⁸

Rejoicing is so connected to Sukkot that one of the traditional names for the holiday is the Season of our Rejoicing (Z’man Simchateinu). This was already well established in the days when the Temple stood in Jerusalem. The Mishnah says, "Anyone who had not witnessed the rejoicing at ‘Beit HaShoevah’ (House of Water Drawing) had never seen rejoicing in his life." (Succah 5:1:5) The rejoicing spoken of here does not refer to the water pouring ceremony that we have described elsewhere, but to the celebrations that took place in the same location five or six nights during Sukkot. Will we learn from the Spirit of God what real rejoicing is to the degree that the same words will be spoken of us? "Anyone who has not witnessed the rejoicing at the ‘House of the Followers of Messiah Yeshua’ has never seen rejoicing in his life."

The following description (except for the quote from Maimonides) is drawn from the Talmud, Tractate Succah:

Probably one of the most distinctive aspects of this celebration was the illumination of the Temple which impacted the entire area. Huge golden menorot (lamp stands) were set up, each fifty cubits high with four fifteen gallon golden basins on top of each one. Four ladders were set up to each menorah and young men from the priesthood climbed up them with pitchers of oil to replenish the oil. The wicks were made from the worn out garments of the priests. It was said that there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem, which was not illuminated from the light of these menorot.

Pious and distinguished men danced before the people with flaming torches in their hands and sang hymns and praises while the Levites accompanied them with harps, lyres, cymbals and numberless instruments.

In another source Maimonides writes:

Whoever could play a musical instrument did so, and whoever could sing, sang. Others stamped their feet, slapped their thighs, clapped their hands, leapt or danced, each one to the best of his ability, while songs and hymns of praise were being recited. However, this rejoicing did not take place on the Sabbath or on the first day of the festival.

It was a religious duty to make this rejoicing as great as possible, but participation in it was not open to non-scholars or anyone else who wished to take part. Only the great scholars in Israel, heads of academies, members of the Sanhedrin, elders and men distinguished for their piety and good deeds — these only danced and clapped, made music, and rejoiced in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. Everyone else, men and women, came to watch and listen." ⁹

The above quotes are rather bittersweet. On one hand, there is a freedom expressed in the joy and worship of God that allows for complete abandonment of one’s self to God without concern for what others may think. It is much like King David dancing before the Lord as the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 6:14,15) On the other hand, the common people were reduced to mere spectators. While it is great fun to watch your generally staid Rabbi cut loose, it’s rather sad if you can’t get up and dance with him. The command to rejoice was given to all Israel, not a select few.

It was said that Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel (the president of the Sanhedrin) would take eight flaming torches in his hands and juggle them. On the fifteen steps which led into the women’s court, stood the Levites with their musical instruments and sang. (The fifteen steps corresponded to the "Songs of Ascent" — Psalm 120 to Psalm134.) At the upper gate, which led down from the Israelite Court to the Women’s Court, stood two priests with trumpets in their hands. When the cock first crowed they blew a prolonged blast, a quavering note and a prolonged blast. They repeated this when they reached the tenth step and then again when they got to the court. They went on blowing their trumpets as they went, until they reached the gate that led out to the east. There they turned westward, with their faces towards the Temple, and said; "Our ancestors, who were in this place, turned their backs to the Temple of the Lord, and their faces towards the east, for they worshipped the sun towards the east (Ezekiel 8:16), but we lift our eyes to the Lord." Rabbi Yehudah says; "They repeated again and again; ‘We belong to the Lord and we lift our eyes to the Lord.’" It’s no wonder that Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah said, "When we rejoiced at the Rejoicing of the House of the Water Drawing, we did not know sleep."

Today, among religious Jews, there is a celebration that takes place on one of the nights that falls mid Sukkot and it is also called the Rejoicing of the House of Water Drawing. It is marked by eating, drinking, and enthusiastic singing and dancing, in commemoration of its namesake in the days of the Temple.

It is appropriate to add Simchat Torah to this section on rejoicing since it literally means "Rejoicing of the Torah." In Israel, Simchat Torah is part of Shemini Atzeret, the eighth day celebration. In the Diaspora it is added as a ninth day. In ancient Israel, the five books of Moses were read through in the Synagogue during the course of three years, while in Babylonia it was done in a one-year cycle. It was not until after the 12th century that Israel switched to the latter reading cycle. Simchat Torah, as the day that both ends and begins that cycle, marked by joyous celebration, is therefore a relatively modern, approximately seven hundred year old, development.

The concluding portion from Deuteronomy is read and then the opening portion of Genesis. This is to symbolize that the hearing of the words of God are never completed. There is always more that we can learn from things that we have read before. Ben Bag Bag, a Jewish scholar of the first century is recorded as saying, "Turn it and turn it (the Torah), for everything is in it, and contemplate it, and grow gray and old over it, and stir not from it, for you can have no better rule than this." (Avot 5:25)

On Simchat Torah, all the scrolls are removed from the ark and, as on Hoshanna Rabbah, the congregation parades around the synagogue seven times. This is an even more recent development, only dating back about 400 years. Many have the privilege of carrying the scrolls, accompanied by children with flags (often with apples stuck on the flagsticks). There is much levity and singing. Often the singing and dancing celebrants spill out of the synagogue into the neighborhood with their rejoicing. Every adult male gets the opportunity to say the blessings over the Torah, even if it requires the same portion to be read over and over again. Even the children are called up to the "bima" (reading desk) where a tallit is spread over them as a group and the blessing is said over the Torah. They are then blessed by the congregation with Yaakov’s blessing over Ephraim and Manasseh. Genesis 48:15,16. 10

Rejoicing is part of our celebration from the beginning to end of the holiday and has been from its origins and will be into its future. Praise in song and dance is woven throughout. It blesses God and it blesses His people. The angels sang at the creation (Job 38:7), we are commanded to praise the Lord in singing and dancing (Psalm 149:1–5, Psalm 150 3–6), and God Himself sings over his people (Zephaniah 3:17).

Happy are the people who are in such a state; happy is that people whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 144:15)