Lulav

Lulav (Hebrew לוּלָב ) is the name given to the branch of a date palm, the largest branch in the fixed bouquet of Sukkot. With Lulav and the whole bouquet can be meant.

The bouquet of is formed from the " four species " (Hebrew arba minim ):

The four types are supposed to symbolize the unity of the people of Israel and the mutual responsibility of humans for each other. They also symbolize the entire plant world. The four types are grouped together as bundles and consecrated to God. They shake in all directions and is crowned by God to be king over the whole world.

The reason why those four plant species were selected, supposedly their diversity. Each type also represents a particular Jewish people type.

The etrog is a fruit of the citrus tree, the " leafy tree " fragrance and flavor = study of the Torah and doing the commandments. ( The etrog has to look nice, the bottom of the stem to which he hung on the tree, its broad and narrow above Make sure not to use about accidentally a lemon The difference can be seen on the shell: .. The lemon has a smooth shell, the shell of the Etrogs other hand, has dimples and warts. )

The Lulav / Palm fronds comes from a tree whose fruit, the dates, are odorless, but tasty: one who does not know much and did not study the Torah intense, but acts according to the commandments. ( The palm fronds should be straight, the individual panicles should lie close together. The middle branch must not be split, both parties need to sit together firmly. The commandment of the four species gets its name from the palm fronds from the so-called " Lulav " shaking, because he is the most striking of the four species and the other three are bound to it. the palm fronds must extend beyond the myrtles at least one span = 20 cm. )

Although the myrtle branch in turn smells sweet, but is tasteless: one which, although much studied, but itself does not keep it. ( For the myrtle need three branches. Everyone scion of Myrtle must have three leaflets, because then it corresponds to the condition of " dichtbelaubt ." Myrtle is right attached to the palm fronds, to the worshiper keeps on a stick. , The myrtle branches have more than be the willows of the brook, who come to the left side of the palm frond. )

The willow has neither fragrance nor flavor: one who has studied neither the Torah nor obeyed their commandments. (This is sufficient for the willow two branches, the stem of the willow to be reddish, .. ., The leaves are their tips to be narrow and long perfectly The willows of the brook must be fresh, they are renewed in the course of the festival are desirable large willows of the brook, which the brook grow, but it is not absolutely necessary. they should not be confused with eucalyptus branches that are very similar to them. )

Since God according to Jewish opinion does not want the ruin of the people, all these different characters are taken together to form a bundle, so that the one atone for the other. In the morning every festival day you take now before praying the palm fronds in the right and the etrog in the left hand. The etrog is pressed with the stem up with the outgrowth down to the palm fronds, so that it is the other way around as usual on the tree. After the intended blessings you turn the etrog around and shaking the four species in six different directions ( four cardinal directions as well as up and down). Before the " lulav " shaking one may not eat. However, this requirement may be actually fulfilled at any time of day. On Sukkot enjoyment of fruit, strudel with dried fruit, soup with kreplech.

Literature (selection )

• Israel M. Lau: How Jews live. Faith - everyday - Fixed. 7th edition. Gütersloher publishing house, Gütersloh 2008, ISBN 978-3-579-02155-3.