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The aravah tree typically grows by the side of a
river, although in Israel it grows wild in many people's backyards.
The branches grow long and are lined with long, narrow leaves. Since
this tree requires much water to grow, the picked branches dry out
within two or three days. In order to keep them fresh as long as
possible for the mitzvah of the Four Species, they are kept in the
refrigerator until use, or wrapped in a moist towel.
On each of the seven days of Sukkot (excluding Shabbat), two aravah
branches are bound together with the lulav and hadass (this bundle
is also referred to as "the lulav"). Together with the etrog, these
Four Species are then waved in all four directions, plus up and
down, to attest to God's mastery over all of creation, and to
symbolically voice a prayer for adequate rainfall over all the
Earth's vegetation in the coming year. (See Four Species for the
complete description and symbolism of the waving ceremony.) |
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Buying a Lulav and Etrog for Sukkot |
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During the morning prayer service in the
synagogue on Hoshanah Rabbah, after the waving of the Four Species, a
separate bundle containing five aravah branches are taken in hand by
each worshipper. A series of liturgical verses are read, ending with, "Kol
mevasser, mevasser ve-omer" (A voice brings news, brings news and
says)—expressing hope for the speedy coming of the Messiah. Then the
bundle of aravah branches are beaten against the ground until many of
the leaves have fallen out. The reasons for this custom are steeped in
Kabbalah. The aravot may then thrown away, used before Passover to burn
the Chametz, or are sometimes placed in water in order to grow new
aravot trees.
[edit] The Aravah ceremony in the Temple
According to the Mishnah, In the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, willow
branches were collected from Motsa near Jerusalem and piled upright on
the sides of the Altar with their tops bent over the top of the Altar
each day of Sukkot. The shofar was sounded, and the worshippers walked
about in procession and recited Psalm 117:25, (as is done today as part
of the Hashanot ceremony on Sukkot), accompanied by musical instruments
(except on shabbat. In the days of the Temple, the Mishnah reports that
after the Aravah ceremony on Hashana Rabba, "the children threw away
their lulavim and ate their etrogim (citrons)." |
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