Sukkah 37b — the Talmud in English

And it indicates:

This is the case where he dropped it

with his hands from the tube into the trough—

it is valid,

even though he did not hold it in his hand; rather, he shook the tube into the trough. And if taking something through another object is not considered taking,

why

is it valid? Did

the Merciful One state: “And they shall take, and he shall give,”

meaning that the giving must be performed through taking?

Rather, learn from this: taking something through another object is considered taking.

And Rabba said: A person should not force

[push down]

the

lulav

lulav into the bundle,

after he has already tied the myrtles and willows into the bundle,

lest

by inserting the lulav forcefully into the bundle,

leaves become detached

[leaves from the myrtle and willow may fall off and remain inside the bundle],

and this constitutes an interposition

between the lulav and the other species, so that they are not bound together to form a single act of taking.

And Rava said:

There is no need to be concerned about this, because

a species

of the same kind does not constitute an interposition.

And Rabba said:

If the lulav was too long inside the bundle and protruded far below the other species,

a person should not cut

[cut]

the

lulav

lulav

while it is still bound

in the bundle,

because

by

doing so,

detached leaves

of the lulav remain inside the bundle. The leaves of the lulav are long and connected beneath the spine; they extend upward along the height of the lulav. When he cuts it below, they are found to have been cut from the spine and remain in the bundle,

and this constitutes an interposition.

Rather, he should remove the lulav from the bundle, cut it at the bottom, and then bind it again.

And Rava said:

There is no need to be particular about this, because

a species of the same kind does not constitute an interposition.

And Rabba said: It is prohibited to smell a myrtle used for a mitzva.

This is learned by comparing myrtle to a sukka: just as it is prohibited to derive benefit from a sukka after it has been designated for its mitzva, as explained above on page 9a, the same law applies to myrtle. However,

a citron used for a mitzva—

one is permitted to smell it.

What is the reason?

Myrtle is intended for fragrance

[it is meant for fragrance];

when he designated it

for its mitzva,

he set it aside from fragrance,

which is its normal manner of benefit, and therefore it is prohibited to smell it. However,

a citron is intended for eating; when he designated it, he set it aside from eating,

which is its normal manner of benefit. But it is permitted to smell it.

And Rabba said: Myrtle

when it is

still attached to the ground, one is permitted to smell it

on Shabbat throughout the year. However,

a citron attached to the ground is prohibited to smell.

What is the reason?

Myrtle is intended for fragrance,

which is its normal manner of benefit. Even

if you permit him to smell it,

he will not come to cut it

[there is no concern that he will come to cut it], since he does not need to cut it in order to smell it. In contrast,

a citron, whose primary purpose

is that it

is intended for eating, if you permit him

to smell it, there is concern that he may forget that today is Shabbat and

come

to cut it, cutting it from the tree in order to eat it. Even if he eats it while it is still attached to the ground, it is prohibited, since there is no greater instance of plucking than this!

And Rabba said: A lulav

he holds it

in his

right

hand,

and a citron—

he holds it

in his left hand.

What is the reason?

Because

these

[the lulav, myrtle, and willow]

are three mitzvot

whereas

if

this

citron

is one mitzva.

Rabbi Yirmeya said to Rabbi Zerika: Why do we recite a blessing only over taking the lulav

and not over the other species?

He said to him:

Since

the lulav

is higher than all of them,

it is important and the bundle is named after it.

The Gemara thought that the reason the lulav is higher than all the others is that it must be bound one handbreadth higher than the myrtles and willows. Therefore they asked:

Why not raise the citron

higher,

so that it would be higher than all of them,

and recite the blessing

over it?

He said to him:

This is what I meant to say:

Since it is higher than all of them within its own species.

The date palm is higher than the other trees among the four species.

Mishna:

And where

in the recitation of

Hallel

did they wave

the lulav? [The Gemara will explain how they learned that there is a requirement to wave the lulav, as the Mishna asks where this is done.]

At “Give thanks to the Lord”

at the

beginning

of the section, before reciting “Israel should now say,” and

and

at “Give thanks to the Lord” at the

end

of the section. That is, at the end of the recitation of Hallel, since from the first “Give thanks” until the end of Hallel is one section of the Book of Psalms. And they also waved

at “Please, Lord, save now,” according to the statement of Beit Hillel.

they would likewise wave

at “Please, Lord, save now”—the statement of Beit Hillel.

And Beit Shammai say: Also at “Please, Lord, grant success now.”

Rabbi Akiva said: I watched Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua: all the people were waving their lulavs, but they waved only at “Please, Lord, save now.”

Gemara:

The Gemara asks:

This waving

that you are discussing, specifying where it is performed,

who mentioned it?

That is, who mentioned that it must be performed, so that you are discussing its details and laws?

The Gemara explains:

The tanna

there,

relies on

the earlier Mishna, which teaches there:

Any lulav that is three handbreadths long, sufficient to wave with, is valid.

Since the measure of the lulav is established by the possibility of waving it, this indicates that its mitzva includes waving it.

And

about

this it says: Where do they wave it?

We learned there: The two loaves and the two sheep of Shavuot

must be waved together, as it is stated [Leviticus 23:20]: “And the koen shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits, etc., with the two sheep, etc.” The Sages derived that one waving is performed for all of them.

How does he perform

the waving?

He places the two loaves on top of the two sheep

while they are alive, [as the Sages expounded: “with the bread of the first fruits,” which is placed on the two sheep],

and he places his hand beneath them and waves; he moves them forward and backward, raises and lowers them, as it is stated

[Exodus 29]:

“that which was waved and that which was raised.”

That is, the form of waving is learned from this verse: upward and downward, forward and backward. “Raised” indicates upward, and since there is no raising without lowering, we know that one must raise and lower. “Waved” indicates moving forward and backward. Although this verse was stated concerning the inauguration offerings and not concerning the sheep of Shavuot, it nevertheless teaches the law for all forms of waving.

Rabbi Yohanan said: “He moves them forward and backward”—

to show that he performs the mitzva

for

the sake of

the One to whom the four directions belong.

“He raises and lowers them”—

to

show that he does so for

the One to whom the heavens and earth belong.

In the West they taught it as follows: Rabbi Hama bar Ukva said in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Hanina: “He moves them forward and backward in order to hold back harmful winds.”

“He raises and lowers them in order to hold back harmful dew.”

Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said, and some say Rabbi Yosei bar Zavila:

Since Rabbi Yosei said that waving holds back harmful winds and harmful dew,

that is to say: