וּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ כַּפֹּ֣ת תְּמָרִ֔ים וַעֲנַ֥ף עֵץ־עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־נָ֑חַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃
On the first day [of Sukkot] you shall take the product of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the ETERNAL your God seven days.
Leviticus 23:40
The Talmud (Sukkah 35a) explains as follows: “the fruit of a ‘goodly tree’ is an etrog; the branch of the palm tree is the lulav; the ‘boughs of leafy trees’ are hadasim (myrtle branches); and, the ‘willows of the brook’ are aravot (willow branches).”
Together these four items are known as the arba’ah minim, the four species. Each reflects part of the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Each calls us to awareness in a different way: through sight, smell, touch, and even sound as we shake them together joyfully.
Our tradition is calling us to be more aware of the world around us—the beauty, the fragrance, the sounds, and the flavors of nature.
This evening when you sit down for dinner, try to be more mindful of the meal. See if you can slow down and savor the experience (you’ll know that this is hard for me if you’ve ever shared a meal with me—I like to eat fast!). Focus on the aroma, the flavor, the texture of the food you are enjoying. Each element (each “minim” as it were) is a gift, part of the wonder of God’s universe.
Let us rejoice in the beauty of it all and give thanks for our portion!
— Cantor Nathan Lam