(Mishnah - R. Yishmael): For the Mitzvah of the four species, one should use 3 Hadasim, two Aravos, one Lulav and one Esrog, even if two of the Hadasim are cut and one is not cut.

R. Tarfon: It is valid even if all three are cut.

R. Akiva: Just as one only takes one Lulav and one Esrog, one also takes only one Hadas and one Aravah.

(Gemara): R. Yishmael expounds as follows -

"Pri Eitz Hadar" (Esrog) - 1 fruit.

"Kapos Temarim" (Lulav) - 1 branch.

"Anaf Eitz Avos" (Hadas - myrtle) - (3 words) - 3 branches.

"Arvei Nachal" (Aravos - willow) - (plural) - 2 branches.

Two Delayos are valid as long as the third branch is not chopped. (Each year the orchard growers prune the large myrtle branches and the tops are chopped - these are called Delayos.) (Note: This entry follows the last explanation given by the Korban HaEidah.)

R. Tarfon says that even if all three are cut, it is valid.

Question (R. Ba bar Mamal to R. Imi): Just as R. Yishmael require more Hadas branches (because of the law of Hadar - the four species must be beautiful- see earlier 31 -1)(b)); so should he not require more of the other species?

Answer (R. Imi): Do you think that R. Yishmael requires Hadar? But we learnt (above (e)) that R. Tarfon says that even if all three are cut, it is valid. No-one would say "even" unless he is agreeing with what was said before! (R. Tarfon certainly agrees with R. Yishmael that there must be three Hadas branches, but he says that they can all be cut; this shows that the reason for the requirement of three is not Hadar.)

Question (R. Chagai to R. Yosa): If so, what is R. Tarfon adding to R. Yishmael? (If R. Yishmael, who says that cut is still Hadar, allows some branches to be cut and some not, even though the contrast is very much apparent; certainly he will allow all three to be cut, where there is no contrast between the branches?!)

Answer (R. Yosa): R. Yishmael holds that cut is not Hadar and R. Tarfon holds that it is Hadar (and the fact that R. Yishmael allows two to be cut is learned from a Pasuk in the Torah).

When R. Yasa came here (to Eretz Yisrael), he saw people choosing Hadasim for their Lulavs.

He said, "Why are the people of E. Yisrael choosing their Hadasim so carefully? Did they not hear that R. Simon quoted R. Yehoshua B"L as saying that the Pasuk states (Nechemya 8, 15), "...that they should make heard and announce in all their towns, [saying, "Go out to the mountains and bring olive-leaves and pine leaves, myrtle leaves, date leaves and "Eitz Avos" leaves to build Succos as is written.]"

Are myrtle leaves not the same as "Eitz Avos" leaves?

Rather, Hadas to use for building Succos and "Eitz Avos" for the Lulav.

R. Zeira would tie his Lulav and then insert the Hadas branches (as he was not concerned for the problem of "Taaseh Veloh Min Ha'asui" - see earlier 15-2)(h)). (Alternatively, at the time of the Shofar blowing, he would announce that the people should be careful to buy three Hadas branches for their Lulavs.)

One who binds a Lulav for himself (on Erev Succos) recites the blessing, "Blessed....who sanctified us through his Mitzvos and commanded us to bind a Lulav".

If he binds it for someone else, he should say, "...to bind a Lulav for its sake". (Note: See the explanation of R. Chaim Kanievski in Sukah Perek 1, Halachah 2 in the name of the Rosh.)

When he takes it to use he recites the blessing, "...and commanded us about taking a Lulav".

When he prays with it, he should recite the blessing, "Blessed...who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this time".

He recites the blessing (of the Lulav) every day that he takes it.

Question: What is the correct blessing over the Chanukah candles?

Answer (Rav): "Blessed...and commanded us about the Mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah candles".

All agree (in the dispute that follows) that on the first day, that one recites the blessing "about taking a Lulav".

They disagree over the rest of the days -

R. Yochanan said that one recites "about taking a Lulav"

R. Yehoshua B"L said that one recites "about the Mitzvos of the Sages" (as it was R. Yochanan ben Zakai and his contemporaries who enacted taking the four species throughout Sukos).

Question: What does Rav say about the blessing on the Lulav on the rest of the days?

Answer: If on Chanukah which is Rabbinic, he recites the blessing "about the Mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah candles"; for Lulav, which on the first day (and on all seven days in the Temple) is a Mitzvah of the Torah, certainly one should recite "about taking a Lulav"!

Question: What does R"YBL say about the blessing on the Chanukah candles?

Answer: If upon a Lulav, which on the first day is a Mitzvah of the Torah, he recites "about the Mitzvos of the Sages" (on the rest of the days); on Chanukah, which is Rabbinic, he should certainly recite "about the Mitzvos of the Sages".

Our only remaining question is what R. Yochanan would say about the blessing made over the Chanukah candles (although he disagreed with R"YBL over Lulav and held that on the others day of Sukos, he recites "about taking a Lulav", perhaps that is only because its source is in the Torah, but on Chanukah R. Yochanan would agree to R"YBL that he recites "about the Mitzvos of the Sages")...? (This question remains unanswered.)

Chiya son of Rav said that he must recite the blessing "about taking a Lulav" every day of Sukos.

Rav Chuna said that he recites "about taking a Lulav" only on the first day.

Reasoning of Rav Chuna (R. Chuna quoting Rav Yosef): Damai is Rabbinic and taking Lulav on the other days of Sukos is Rabbinic - just as one does not recite a blessing on (separating Maaseros from) Damai, so one does not recite a blessing on the Lulav on the other days.