Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "ba'Yom ha'Rishon"?
Sukah, 43a: To teach us that the four species must be taken in the day 1 - and not after nightfall.
Refer to 23:40:152:1 & 2 and note.
And may be taken any time throughout the day. See Torah Temimah, citing Megilah, 20b and note 125.
Hw will we reconcile "ba'Yom ha'Rishon" with Shiv'as Yamim" at the end of the Pasuk?
Sifra: By extrapolating "Lfnei Hashem Elokeichem Shiv'asYamim"- 've'Lo bi'Gevulim Kol Shiv'ah'. In other words, the four species are taken seven days in the Beis-Hamikdash, but only one day everywhere else.
What is the definition of "P'ri Eitz Hadar"?
Moshav Zekenim (citing the Yerushalmi Sukah, 3:5): Its wood resembles its fruit (Korban ha'Edah - in beauty).
Targum Yonasan: It means the fruit of a fine tree.
What are the implications of the word "Hadar"?
Rashi (citing the Sifra): It means literally 'which dwells' - implying that the fruit remains on the tree from one year to the next, 1 describing an Esrog. 2
Ramban #1 (citing the Ibn Ezra) and Targum Yonasan: It means that there is no tree-fruit that is more beautiful than the Esrog.
Ramban #2, Moshav Zekenim and Targum Onkelos: 'Esrog' is the Arama'ic translation of "Hadar". 3
Oznayim la'Torah: It refers to the requirement of the Esrog 4 to be beautiful - according to the specifications listed by the Chachamim in the third Perek of Sukah, 5 which are Me'akev (crucial) to the Mizvah
According to the Ramban, this D'rashah and the previous one are Asmachtos to support the Chachamim's traditional interpretation of the Pasuk.
See Sifsei Chachamim.
Ramban: Since the literal meaning of Esrog is 'desirable' - See Targum Onkelos on Bereishis, 2:9 and on Devarim 5:18, (and "Hadar" means 'beautiful'). The tree bears the same name as the fruit, as is common among fruit-trees.
And we learn the other three species from the Esrog - Oznayim la'Torah.
This haas nothing to do with the Mitzvah of 'Zeh Keili ve'Anveihuh', which applies to all Mitzvos and is not Me'akev. Se Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates.
What are the implications of the word "Kapos"?
Rashi: It is written Chaser (without a 'Vav') to teach us that one takes only one Lulav. 1
Moshav Zekenim: If its leaves are spread out, 'Yekaftenu' - Bind it!
See Sifsei Chachamim.
What is the definition of "Anaf Eitz Avos"?
Rashi: It means that its branches are plaited like ropes - with reference to a Hadas, whose leaves are formed in groups of three like plaits.
Rashbam: "Eitz Avos means a very thick tree. 1
See Rashbam. It is not clear however, how we will then know that it refers to a Hadas.
How many of each species must we take?
Ramban (like R. Akiva in Sukah 34b): One of each species - "One fruit from an Esrog-tree, one Lulav-branch, one myrtle-twig and one twig from a willow-tree that grows by the brook". 1
What is the underlying reason behind the Mitzvah of the Arba Minim?
Ramban #1 (citing Ta'anis, 2b): They come to appease Hashem 1 to bless us with an abundance of rain. 2
Ramban #2 (according to Kabalah): "P'ri Eitz Hadar" refers to the Esrog, which we take together with the other three species 3 to appease Hashem for the sin of Adam and Chavah. 4
Da'as Zekenim #1 and Hadar Zekenim: It is a sign that we were victorious in the judgment of Yom Kipur against the other nations. If one sees two parties come in front of the king for judgment, and one leaves with a white stick or an apple, it is an indication that he won.
Da'as Zekenim #2: Of the four Minim, the Esrog has taste and smell, corresponding to a Tzadik with Torah and good deeds. The Lulav comes from a tree with [dates, which have] taste but not smell, corresponding to a Beinoni with good deeds but not Torah. The Hadas has smell but not taste, corresponding to one with Torah but not good deeds, and the Aravah has neither taste nor smell, corresponding to an ignoramus who has neither good deeds nor Torah. We tie the four 5 together, to hint that Hashem is not appeased with Yisrael until all groups gather in together in one group. "Ha'Boneh va'Shamayim Ma'alosav va'Agudaso a l Eretz Yesadah" (Amos 9:6) - Hashem is elevated when all become one assemblage.
Da'as Zekenim #3: The Lulav resemble a spine, the Hadas [leaves], eyes, the Aravah [leaves], lips, and the Esrog, a heart. There is no limb greater than these. David said "Kol Atzmosai Tomarnah Hashem Mi Chamocha" - one must praise Hashem with the lips, the heart, the eyes and the spine, for the entire body depends on the spine.
Moshav Zekenim: The Eitz ha'Da'as was an Esrog, so an Esrog atones for the sin that came through an Esrog.
Vayikra Rabah (30:9, partially cited in Moshav Zekenim): All four species refer to Hashem. 6 "Pri Eitz Hadar" - "Hod ve'Hadar Lavashta." 7 Kapos Temarim" - "Tzadik ka'Tamar Yifrach." 8 "Anaf Eitz Avos" - "ve'Hu Omed Bein ha'Hadasim," 9 and "Arvei Nachal" - "Solu la'Rochev ba'Aravos be'Kah Sh'mo." 10
Which we do with four species that require a lot of water (Ta'anis 2b).
Refer to 23:36:1:5*.
Ramban: With which it is not tied because it is only with the Esrog that Adam and Chavah sinned. And by the same token, Shemini Atzeres, which represents the Esrog, is a 'Regel bi'Fenei Atzmo' (R. Chavel's footnotes DH 'Im She'ar ha'Minim'). And the reason that we do not take the Arba Minim on Shemini Atzeres is because Shemini Atzeres itself represents the Esrog.
See Ramban DH 've'Ta'am ha'Mitzvah'.
In Menachos (27a), R. Yehudah says that one is Yotzei only if all four are bound together. Teshuvas Avnei Neizer (OC 491) - R. Yehudah holds that one holds all four in one hand, but he agrees that the Esrog is not tied to the other three. Moshav Zekenim - we do not bind the Esrog with the others, for there is no 'Vav' before "Kapos" (to connect them). We recite a B'rachah over the Lulav, and take it in the right hand, becuse [two] other species are tied together with it. Refer to 23:40:151:4. See also Torah Temimah, end of Dh 'P'ri Eitz Hadar' #2.
Michtav me'Eliyahu (5, p.418): These are perceptions of Hashem in the four worlds; each species corresponds to one letter of His name. The Mitzvah is to unite them - to take them into our hearts.
What are the implications of "u'Lekachtem Lachem?
Hadar Zekenim: 'Take them to stroll with them'. 1
Moshav Zekenim #1: We learn from a Gezeirah Shavah from "u'Lekachtem lachem" written in connection with the hyssop bundle [used to sprinkle Dam Pesach in Mitzrayim - Sh'mos 12:22]. Just like there they were tied together, also here. The Halachah is like the Chachamim however, who do not require binding the LuLav, only it is a Mitzvah to beautify it because of "Zeh Keili Ve'anvehu."
Moshav Zekenim #2: The word "Lachem" implies that when you take the four species, they will atone for you.
Targum Yonasan and Sukah 41b: It precludes what is borrowed or stolen. 2
Sukah 41b: It implies that everyone must take the four species for himself. 3 .
Sukah 34b: "U'lekachtem" is the acronym of Lekichah Tamah (a complete taking) - to teach us that each of the four species is crucial to the Mitzvah.
Yerushalmi Sukah, 3:1: It implies that they belong to you - to preclude Isurei Hana'ah, 4 which are not considered yours.
Sukah 41b: The custom in Yerushalayim was to hold one's Lulav while going to the Beis ha'Keneses, during Keri'as Sh'ma and Tefilah, while visiting the sick and consoling mourners?
Refer to Torah Temimah, note 122. See Da'as Zekenim, who gives a nice parable to explain why theft is Pasul for Mitzvos.
Moshav Zekenim and Torah Temimah, note 121: Partners are not Yotzei. If brothers purchased an Esrog from the estate, they are Yotzei only if one could eat it and the others would not be upset (Bava Basra 137b). The Rashbam said that now that the Tzibur buys one Esrog, this is unlike brothers. They bought with intent [that each one own it when he takes it]; it is like a gift on condition to return it. The case of brothers is when they bought it to eat it. See also Moshav Zekenim who says that Lekichah Tamah entails taking the four species without an interruption between one's hand and the Minim.
See Torah Temimah, note 123/.
Bearing in mind that It is not the first of the month, what are the connotations of ba'Yom ha'Rishon"?
Hadar Zekenim citing Tanchuma and Moshav Zekenim: Because it is the first day of the calculation of Aveiros - the first Yom-Tov after Yom Kipur. 1 Tur (OC 581) - after Yom Kipur people are so busy with the Mitzvos of Sukah and Lulav that they do not have the time to sin.
Pesachim, 5a: We learn from the comparison to "Shiv'as Yamim"at the end of the Pasuk that, like the seventh day, "Yom ha'Rishon" refers to the first day of Sukos. 2
If "Tachogu Oso" (in Pasuk 41) implies only one Korban, what are the implications of "Shiv'as Yamim"?
See Torah Temimah, note 126, and refer to 23:40:0.2:1.
