Comentario sobre Levítico 23:40

פרי עץ הדר THE FRUIT OF THE TREE HADAR — a tree the wood of which (עץ) has the same taste as its fruit (פרי) (Sifra, Emor, Chapter 16 4; Sukkah 35a).

AND YE SHALL TAKE YOU ON THE FIRST DAY ‘PRI EITZ HADAR’ (THE FRUIT OF GOODLY TREES). “[That is, a tree] whose bark has the same taste as its fruit. Hadar [a fruit] that ‘remains’ on its tree from one year to another, and this is the ethrog.” This is Rashi’s language. But these interpretations are merely Scriptural supports which our Rabbis taught⁴⁵³Succah 35 a. as a basis for their tradition [that the reference here is to the ethrog]. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote: “And they [i.e., the masters of tradition] have said the truth [that pri eitz hadar refers to the ethrog], for there is no fruit of the tree more beautiful (hadar) than the ethrog. The Rabbis’ interpreted that hadar means [the fruit] that ‘remains’ on its tree [from one year to another], but this is merely a Scriptural support for a matter of tradition.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the tree which is called in the Aramaic language ethrog, is called in the Sacred Tongue hadar, for the meaning of the word ethrog is “desirable,” as [Onkelos] rendered: ‘nechmad’ (pleasant) to the sight⁴⁵⁴Genesis 2:9. —” dimrageig to see; “‘lo thachmod’ (Thou shalt not covet)⁴⁵⁵Exodus 20:14. — “thou shalt not theirog.”⁴⁵⁶In our version of Onkelos lo theirog is given as the translation of the Hebrew ‘lo thithaveh’ (Thou shalt not desire) — in Deuteronomy 5:18. In Exodus 20:14, the Aramaic is the same as the Hebrew: lo thachameid. — The general point, however, is clearly established, that the term theirog means “desire,” “delight” or “pleasant.” The name ethrog is related to this expression. And we also say:⁴⁵⁷The source of the expression is found in Targum Jonathan to Psalms 45:14. From Ramban’s words “we say,” it would seem that he is referring to that phrase written in the marriage contract wherein the husband undertakes to pay to his wife a certain sum of money “from all the best, most desirable of his belongings.” “from all the best, arag (most desirable) properties.” And the terms hadar and chemdah are alike in meaning [“desirable”]. Thus the tree and the fruit [ethrog] are both called by one name [as hadar in Aramaic is ethrog], for such is the customary usage of names for most fruits: t’einah [denotes both the fig tree and the fruit]; egoz (nut); rimon (pomegranate); zayith (olive) and other fruits [in all of which cases both the tree and its fruit have the same name], and similarly this tree and fruit are both called in Aramaic ethrog, and in the Sacred Tongue they are called hadar.
In line with the plain meaning of Scripture the verse is stating that we should take for ourselves a pri eitz hadar [“the fruit of a tree called hadar” in Hebrew, which is called ethrog in Aramaic], and that we take branches of palm-trees, and one bough of thick trees [known as hadas, the myrtle], and one bough of the willows of the brook [known as aravah]. Thus [we are to take] one of each of the [four] species, for the [plural] expression branches of palm-trees is connected with And ye shall take you, which refers to many people [so that each person is to take only one of these branches],⁴⁵⁸In other words, since the Rabbis have interpreted the phrase and ye shall take you as meaning that the taking of the four species is to be done by each person, therefore Onkelos translated it: “and you [all] shall take ethrogin, lulavin etc. [in the plural] since the Torah is speaking here to all individuals together. Hence even though it is written branches of palm-trees in the plural, yet we only have to take one branch of a palm-tree, the plural being used because the phrase is connected with and ye shall take you, which refers to many people. since the final decision of the law is like Rabbi Akiba⁴⁵⁹Succah 34 b. See, however, at the very end of this discussion for the practice today. who says: “Just as only one palm-branch is needed and only one ethrog, so also [we need only] one myrtle-branch and one willow-branch.” Therefore Onkelos translated all these four species in the plural [ethrogin, lulavin, etc.], since they are all connected with the [preceding] phrase And ye shall take you, which refers to many people.⁴⁵⁸In other words, since the Rabbis have interpreted the phrase and ye shall take you as meaning that the taking of the four species is to be done by each person, therefore Onkelos translated it: “and you [all] shall take ethrogin, lulavin etc. [in the plural] since the Torah is speaking here to all individuals together. Hence even though it is written branches of palm-trees in the plural, yet we only have to take one branch of a palm-tree, the plural being used because the phrase is connected with and ye shall take you, which refers to many people. And in [explanation of] the reason for this commandment, by way of homiletic discourse, the Rabbis have said that these [four] species are used to obtain the favor of G-d that He may give water.⁴⁶⁰Taanith 2 b.
And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], ‘pri eitz hadar’ (the fruit of the goodly tree) is the fruit in which there is a great deal of desire, and the first man sinned with it, as it is said, And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.⁴⁶¹Genesis 3:6. Thus the sin consisted [of taking the ethrog] alone,⁴⁶²Beiur Ha ‘lvush in his commentary to Ricanti who quotes the language of Ramban. and we obtain His favor [by means of the ethrog] together with the other species …⁴⁶³To couple the tent together, that it may be one (Abusaula). From here you will understand and know that the ethrog is not bound up with the other three species, and yet it invalidates [the performance of the commandment] if it is not taken together with them, for it is comparable to Atzereth (the eighth day of Tabernacles)⁴⁶⁴Verse 36. which is a festival of its own, and yet is supplementary to the first days.⁴³⁶Thus: “He that made no offerings on the first festival day of Tabernacles, must offer them any day throughout the whole festival, even on the last [i.e., the eighth] day of Tabernacles” (Chagigah 9 a). In that respect the eighth day is connected with the first seven days. Thus they are one in potentiality but not in actuality. I have already explained the reason for this.⁴⁶⁴Verse 36. Thus the meaning of the whole section is as follows: “Ye shall keep the feast of the Great Name for the seven days of creation,⁴⁶⁵See Vol. I, p. 28: “In the profounder sense etc.” and join on to them the eighth day, Atzereth, similar to what is said, For the leader with strong-music on the ‘sheminith’⁴⁶⁶Psalms 6:1. [literally: ‘the eighth’]. And also on those seven days ye shall take the fruit of the tree called ‘hadar’ [i.e., the ethrog] together with the palm-branch in union [with the myrtle-branch and the willow].⁴⁶⁷But the ethrog is not in the union (Abusaula). That is why He mentioned first the ethrog [for it is not tied together with the palm-branch, which is in union with the other two species, since the ethrog alludes to the eighth day of the festival which is a feast of its own], but on the eighth day it is not necessary [to take these four species], for it is itself hadar.” And this is the explanation of the verse, ‘v’chagothem’ (and ye shall keep it a feast) unto the Eternal seven days ‘in the year,’⁴⁵¹Verse 41. meaning that you are to keep it seven days “with the year,” that is with the surrounding and circular movement [around the altar in procession with the four species], related to the expressions: ‘v’chug (and the circuit) of heaven;⁴⁶⁸Job 22:14. and he marketh it out ‘bam’chugah’ (with the compass),⁴⁶⁹Isaiah 44:13. and so also: a multitude ‘chogeig’ (keeping holyday).⁴⁷⁰Psalms 42:5.
Our Rabbis have already alluded to this secret. Thus they have said in Vayikra Rabbah:⁴⁷¹Vayikra Rabbah 30:9. “Pri eitz hadar, this alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, Honor ‘v’hadar’ (and majesty) are before Him.⁴⁷²Psalms 96:6. Branches of palm-trees, this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, The Righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree.⁴⁷³Ibid., 92:13. And boughs of thick trees [i.e., the myrtle-branch], this applies to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, and He stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom.⁴⁷⁴Zechariah 1:8. ‘V’arvei’ (and willows of) the brook, this refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, Extol Him that rideth ‘ba’aravoth’ (in the skies).”⁴⁷⁵Psalms 68:5.
And in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah it is stated:⁴⁷⁶Sefer Habahir, 172-178. See in Vol. I, p. 24, Note 42. “What is meant by pri eitz hadar? It is as we translate it in Onkelos’ Targum: ‘fruits of the tree, ethrogin and lulavin.’ And what is hadar? It is ‘the majesty’ of all, which is ‘the majesty’ referred to in the Song of Songs, as it is said, Who is she that looketh forth as the dawn, etc.?⁴⁷⁷Song of Songs 6:10. And why is it called hadar? Read not hadar (majesty), but hador (‘who resides therein’), this being the ethrog which is separate from the group of the lulav [and myrtle-branch and willow], and yet the commandment of taking the lulav is not fulfilled without it [the ethrog]; and it is tied to all, since it is with each one, and all together they are combined as one. And what is the lulav? It is symbolic of the spinal cord. And boughs of thick trees, meaning a tree the branches of which cover its larger portion. This may be likened to a person who with his arms protects his head. Thus the bough is to the left, and the thickness to the right, and the tree in the middle.⁴⁷⁸These are Cabalistic references to the various emanations based upon the Hebrew expression, va’anaph eitz avoth, the word eitz (tree) being in the middle, and anaph (bough) and avoth (thickness) at the sides. This in its simplest sense is the meaning of the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah: “Thus the bough is to the left etc.” And why is it called eitz (tree)? Because it is the root of the tree. And what are ‘arvei nachal’ (willows of the brook)? They are so called on account of the name of the place wherein they are affixed, which is nachal (brook, river), as it is written, All the rivers run into the sea etc.⁴⁷⁹Ecclesiastes 1:7. And what is ‘the sea’? I must say that it alludes to the ethrog. And how do we know that each midah⁴⁸⁰Literally: “measure,” here referring to the Divine “attribute” or “emanation.” of all these seven⁴⁸¹As symbolized by the one ethrog, one lulav, three myrtle-branches and two willows, totalling seven, which allude to the seven lower emanations. is called nachal? Because it is said, and from Mattanah to Nachaliel.⁴⁸²Numbers 21:19. Read not Nachaliel [the name of a place], but nachalei E-il (the brooks of G-d) etc.” Now this Midrash [referring to “these seven”] is in accordance with the opinion of the Sage⁴⁸³Rabbi Yishmael (Succah 34 b). who holds that we are to take three myrtle-branches, two willows, one lulav, and one ethrog, which is the final decision of the law according to the words of the Gaonim⁴⁸⁴See in Vol. II, p. 521, Note 74. and all Rishonim.⁴⁸⁵Literally: “the former ones.” After the conclusion of the era of the Gaonim with the death of Rabbeinu Hai Gaon (in the year 1038 Common Era), begins the period of the Rishonim, the great scholars of northern Africa and Europe, such as Rabbeinu Chananel of Kairowan, Rabbeinu Gershom, Rashi, etc. It is to them that Ramban refers when he writes in the Introductory Verses to his commentary: “To go forth in the steps of the former ones, the lions of the group, the exalted of the generations” (Vol. I, p. 4).

וענף עץ עבות, the vowel kametz under the letter ע in the word עבות is similar to the same vowel in the word kadosh, קדוש or tahor, טהור, or amok, עמוק, i.e. a branch of a tree which possesses dense foliage.

פרי עץ הדר, “the fruit of a citron tree.” This tree is distinguished by the fact that the taste of its fruit is the same as the taste of its trunk if we were to eat it. Nachmanides writes that our sages used the word in order to provide us with an allusion to this peculiarity. The fact of the matter is that the tree that in Aramaic is called etrog, is known as hadar in classical Hebrew. The meaning of the word etrog is the same as the Hebrew חמדה, something lovely and precious. The words הדר and חמדה are almost identical in meaning. It is a fact that both the tree and its fruit are known by the same name, something that is common with certain fruit trees, such as the fig and the fig tree, the date palm, and its fruit, dates, etc. As to the reason for the choice of these four species, we have a tradition that by symbolically presenting these for species as expressions of our gratitude, the rainfall during the winter season will become beneficial instead of destructive.

Which remain on its tree. You might ask: [perhaps the verse refers to] the long pepper which remains on its tree from year to year and the taste of its wood and its fruit are also the same? The answer is: Even so, one cannot fulfill one’s obligation with it since if one takes [only] one it would not be the requisite size and its taking would be insignificant. And if one took two or three, the verse writes “You shall take for yourselves ... a fruit,” which implies one fruit and not two.

ולקחתם לכם, “you shall take for yourselves, etc.” the sages explain the word לכם here as equivalent to מלכם, “from something that is yours;” these plants must neither be stolen or borrowed. If they were not legally yours, they would act as accusers rather than as advocates on your behalf. Tanchuma section 18 on this verse illustrates by the following parable: The king sent out one of his officers to collect taxes due to him. The officer proceeded to this but was waylaid on the way after having collected a considerable sum, and he was robbed both of his and of the king’s money. Some time later that same robber showed up at the entrance of the king’s palace where the official who had been robbed by him stood guard. He enquired what brought this man to the palace and was told that he had a problem that he wished to submit to the king’s judgment and he begged the official to support his request, or to hire someone to do so. He was then told by that official that as long as he had not made restitution for what he had stolen from him, there could be no question of his receiving any assistance. Thereupon the thief returned what he had stolen from this official. When on the morrow the erstwhile thief submitted his case to the king, the king asked him if he had anyone who could support his request. The petitioner pointed to the official and suggested that he could give testimony as to his character. When the king heard this, he turned to that official and asked him what he could have to say in favour of the petitioner. So the official proceeded to tell the king all that had happened between him and the petitioner. He pointed to some of the vessels that he had been robbed of, and which had been the king’s property originally and which had been returned to him on the understanding that he, this official, would plead on the petitioner’s behalf. All the people present then joined in saying: “woe to the accuser and woe to the accused who both have changed their role.”

ביום הראשון, “on the first day, etc.; ”how can this day be described as the ‘first’ day seeing it is the fifteenth of the month? According to a well known Midrash, this is a hint that the count of our sins committed after the Day of Atonement on the tenth of the month, had been suspended until that day. Seeing that most people had been preoccupied with preparing for the festival of Sukkot during these four days, if inadvertent sins had been committed, they are “overlooked” on those days.

הדר — It is called הדר because it is the tree whose fruit remains (הַדָּר) on the tree from one year to another (several years) — and this is the “Ethrog”.

One [palm branch]. You might ask: If so, the verse should have written כף? The Nachalas Yaakov answers: כפת implies one branch with many leaves, whereas כף implies one leaf only.

ביום הראשון, “on the first day (of the festival).” The palm frond, lulav, which we shake on that day is to symbolise the fact that we have been found deserving of atonement on the recent Day of Atonement. This is what the psalmist had in mind when he said in Psalms 96,12: אז ירננו עצי היער, “then all the trees in the forest shall shout for joy.” Who does this verse speak of? Of the Jewish people in the desert as well as the nations of the earth whom G–d had sat in judgment of on the Day of atonement, see verse 13 in the same chapter of Psalms: לפני ה' כי בא לשפוט הארץ, ישפוט תבל בצדק ועמים באמונתו, “in the presence of the Lord, for He is coming, for He is coming to rule the Earth; He will judge the world fairly and its people in faithfulness.” Both the Jewish people and the gentile nations have come up for judgment on that day, and we do not know which ones are the victors. G–d advises us to hold the lulav in our hands, so that everyone will know that we have been acquitted. Tanchuma on this verse illustrates this by a parable. Two men appear before the king for judgment. The people on the outside have no idea which one of them was successful. All they know is that if one of them holds a cane or an apple in his hand when he emerges from the palace, he is the victor. The Jewish people, being modest, waited for five days before showing that they had been the victors in their confrontation with the gentiles. (Tanchuma, section 18)

פרי עץ הדר, “both from the type of trees that produce fruit and from those which are pleasant to look at and which provide pleasant fragrance.” They are all to be tied together into one bunch. The moral lesson of this instruction is that both the pious people and those less pious but generally observant, are to join in carrying out G-d’s will.

כפת תמרים A BRANCH OF PALM TREES — The word כפת is written defective (without ו, not כפות) to intimate that only one branch is intended (Sukkah 32a).

פרי עץ הדר, “the fruit of the goodly tree;” the four species of fruit which we use on this festival differ in basic attributes, The citron, etrog, is the fruit of a tree which provides taste as well as a pleasant fragrance. It symbolises the righteous person who has both Torah learning and good deeds to his credit. The tree from which the palm frond has been taken provides fruit but does not provide fragrance. (Date palm) It symbolises the average Israelite, who, while having the performances of many commandments to his credit, has failed to acquire Torah knowledge, i.e. he does not exude fragrance. The myrtle branch, hadass, does not bear any fruit but provides us with a pleasant fragrance. It symbolises the person who did acquire Torah knowledge but did not translate it into the performance of its commandments. Finally, the willow branch, aravah, comes from a tree that neither provides fruit nor fragrance, (except shade). It symbolises the Jew who has neither acquired Torah knowledge nor acquired a list of merits for having performed good deeds. The reason that we bind all these four plants together before performing our ritual with them is, to demonstrate that we are aware that the Almighty does not really look down upon us with favour until we have managed to coexist peacefully, regardless of any shortcomings we perceive in one another. The prophet Amos 9,6 alludes to this concept when he wrote: הבונה בשמים מעלותיו ואגדתו על ארץ יסדה, למי הים וישפכם על פני הארץ, ה' שמו, “Who built His chambers in heaven and founded His vault on earth; Who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the land.” On this verse, Midrash Rabbah comments that G–d does all this when we, His people, form a united union. (Vayikra rabbah 30,12) Our author adds that it appears to him that this is also the reason why, on Rosh Hashanah, New Year’s day, in our prayer describing the essence of the day we insert the line: ויעשו כולם אגודה אחת, “they will all form a single band.” A different explanation: The lulav symbolises the human backbone, שדרה. The myrtle branch is a symbol of the eye, whereas the willow branch is a symbol of the lips. The citron, etrog, symbolises the heart, the most import part of the human body.

ושמחתם שבעת ימים, “you are to rejoice for seven consecutive days.” The reason for this is that each day is to be considered as a festival in its own right. The fact that the number of sacrifices offered during these days vary, is proof of this, compared with the offerings on the seven days of Passover.

וענף עץ עבת AND BOUGHS OF THE TREE עבת — i. e. of a tree whose boughs are, as it were, plaited (intertwined one with another) like ropes (עבתות) and cords; this is the myrtle plant which is indeed formed as a plait (three leaves issuing from one point of the branch and covering it) (Sukkah 32b).

And you shall rejoice before Hashem. Their rejoicing is considered “before Hashem” only when they are united. Since the rejoicing is specifically on this festival, which is the season of gathering the harvest, the time when people are usually very happy, the Torah warns them that their rejoicing should only be before Hashem. It should not be like the merrymaking of worthless folk whose entire aim is (Yeshayahu 22:13): “And behold, joy and happiness, slaying cattle and slaughtering sheep, eating meat and drinking wine.” They cause an increase of arguments within the people of Israel. With a ‘rejoicing’ such as this the two Temples were destroyed and we were exiled, as it says (ibid. 55:12): “For with joy shall you go forth” … However, with peace, when we will be united and there will be peace among us, we will be brought to Eretz Yisrael. [Based on: “For with joy shall you go forth, and with peace shall you be brought”]. “The mountains and the hills” (ibid.) — refers to the highest level [of the Holy Chariot] — “and they were very high, and they were dreadful” (Yechezkel 1:18). “They shall burst into song before you” (Yeshayahu ibid.) — for the people of Israel will give precedence to every holy thing, as they should, and the young men will not jostle their elders as happened in the Sin of the Spies. “And all the trees of the field shall clap hands” (ibid.) — meaning: the four groups of Jews alluded to by the four species of the lulav, which come from the trees of the field. They will clap their hands to rejoice before Hashem.