Order of Taking the Four Minim

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Based on the pasuk ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון פרי עץ הדר כפות תמרים וענף עץ עבות וערבי נחל "And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook," we learn that we need to take one lulav, one etrog, three hadasim and two aravot.[1] This mitzva of is an obligation on every individual. [2]

Beracha

  1. On the first day of Sukkot prior to shaking the lulav, we recite the beracha of ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על נטילת לולב

and add shehecheyanu. On the remaining days, we don't say shehecheyanu unless the first day was shabbat, in which case we would say it on the second day. [3]

  1. If one didn't take the four minim on the first day, then he says shehecheyanu the first time that he does. [4]

Set up of the Arba Minim

  1. The Sephardic custom is to put one Hadas and one Aravah on the left of the lulav, one Hadas in the middle together with the Lulav, and one Hadas and one Aravah on the right side. [5] However, the Ashkenazic custom is to set up the Hadasim to the right of the Lulav and the Aravot to the left. [6]
  2. It is a mitzva to tie the lulav together. [7]
  3. One should make sure to tie it up so that the Hadasim are above the Aravot. [8]

When to make the Bracha

Since we are supposed to make the beracha before doing the mitzva (over liasiyatan) [9]

  1. Since we fulfill the mitzva of arba minim by simply lifting them together [10] it’s preferable to follow one of the following so that you say the beracha and then do the mitzva. Either
  • take the lulav (including the Hadashim and Aravot) in one’s right hand, leave the Etrog on the Table (out of the box) [11]
  • or take the Lulav in one’s right hand, and Etrog in one’s left hand while the Etrog is upside down [12]
  • or take the Lulav and Etrog in their upright positions and have in mind not to fulfill the mitzvah until you make the Bracha. [13]

and then make the Bracha. [14]

  1. After the fact if one took all four species (before making the Bracha), one may still make the Bracha as long as one didn’t shake it yet. [15]

How to hold them

  1. One should hold the lulav (aravot and hadasim included) in the right hand and the etrog in his left hand. [16]
  2. For people who's left hand is the stronger one,
  • Sephardim should hold it as if they were right handed and hold the lulav in the right and etrog in the left.
  • Ashkenazim should switch it, and hold the lulav in the left hand and etrog in the right hand. [17]

References

  1. ↑ Succa 34b based on Vayikra 23:40. Shulchan Aruch 651:1
  2. ↑ Succa 41b. Tosafot there says that since the pasuk says ולקחתם in the plural and not in the singular we know that it is on everyone.
  3. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 662:1-2.
  4. ↑ Mishna Berura 662:3
  5. ↑ Magan Avraham 651:4 quoting the Arizal writes that one should put one Hadas and one Aravah on the left of the lulav, one Hadas in the middle together with the Lulav, and one Hadas and one Aravah on the right side. The Shaar HaTzion 651:11 quotes the Pri Megadim who says that one shouldn’t follow that practice unless one is known for his piety. However, Yalkut Yosef (Moadim pg 160) writes that the Sephardic custom is to follow the Arizal. The Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 343) also quotes the Magan Avraham.
  6. ↑ Mishna Brurah 651:12, Natai Gavriel (Arba Minim 40:4)
  7. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 651:1. Mishna Berura explains although we don't hold that you need to tie it together, there is still the mitzva of hiddur mitzva from the pasuk of זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ.
  8. ↑ Rama 651:1, Natai Gavriel 40:8, Chazon Ovadyah (Sukkot pg 343-4)
  9. ↑ Pesachim 7a
  10. ↑ Sukka 42a
  11. ↑ As the rambam says in Hilchot Succa 7:5 the taking of the daled minim are all one mitzva and are miakev each other (meaning taking 3 without the 4th doesn't fulfill anything.) therefore, until you take the etrog you haven't fulfilled your obligation, then you say the beracha, and then fulfill your obligation.
  12. ↑ Holding the etrog upside down allows you not to fulfill your obligation until you flip it over because the gemara succa 45b that in order to fulfill the mitzva of taking the daled minim all four have to be held kiderech gideilatan"-the way in which they grow. Mishna Berura 652:16 says you aren't even yotze bidieved.
  13. ↑ This works because even if we say mitzvot don't need kavana to be yotze most poskim agree that kavana not to be yotze doesn't fulfill your obligation. (Bet Yosef 589 and S”A 6:4.)
  14. ↑ All three suggestions are made by tosafot in Succa 39a "over". S”A 651:5 suggests the first two suggestions, while the Mishna Brurah 651:25 quotes the Bet Yosef who brings the third option and quotes the Gra as saying that the third option is the most preferable. The Mishna Brurah makes no mention of which option is preferable. Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S”A 651:14) also brings all three opinions and doesn’t decide on which is most preferable.
  15. ↑ Rosh Succa 3:33, Chayei Adam 148:11 Mishna Brurah 651:27 and Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S”A 651:14). The Bikkurei Yaakov 651:20extends it to the entire hallel and the Aruch Hashulchan 651:14 says that as long as your still holding your lulav you can still say the beracha. Shaar Hatziyun 651:32 however rejects this opinion.
  16. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 651:2. Mishna Berura 15 explains that this is because the lulav, aravot, and hadasim have three parts of the mitzva while the etrog is only one.
  17. ↑ This is based on a machloket Shulchan Aruch and Rama (quoting the Rosh and Rabbeinu Yerucham) 651:3. Rama adds that if a lefty held it as if he were a righty, he is still yotzei.
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