On Rosh Hashana, we discussed the Rabbinic ruling which prohibits shofar blowing on Shabbat, even though it is the central mitzvah of Rosh Hashana, because of the fear that someone might carry the shofar without an eruv. A similar issue arises again when the first day of Sukkot coincides with Shabbat, and the sages prohibit performing the mitzvah of lulav because one might carry the lulav without an eruv.
Similar to Rosh Hashana, the injunction today is hard to swallow since the biblical obligation to shake the lulav explicitly applies only to the first day. As the verse says, ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון, You should take for yourselves the 4 species on the first day.
Notably, there is a significant difference between the biblical commandment for the 1st day and the rabbinical laws that apply to the rest of the days of Sukkot, which are more lenient. For example, if the etrog is chaser, missing a part (such as a pitom,) while it’s not kosher on the first day of Sukkot, it would be kosher for the remainder of the holiday.
I think this injunction is based on the same concept I discussed on Rosh Hashana: The idea that Shabbat acts as a replacement for the lulav ritual, just as it replaced the shofar blowing on the first day of Rosh Hashana. But what is the message we should discern specifically from Sukkot?
One approach to this question is captured in the wording of our Shabbat kiddush when we quote the words of the Torah, Vayechulu hashamayim v’ha’aretz v'chol tzva'am and then Vayechal Elohim bayom hash’vi-i m’lachto asher asah; twice, we recite the fact that God ended his creation activity. The root of vayechulu and vayechal is kol, which means everything. This is what Shabbat is all about: We stop working, we stop striving to create more because are declaring that we have everything, vayechulu. Similarly, Sukkot is a time of happiness, specifically because the harvest time is when we realize we have everything we need.
I think this attitude is exemplified by the two analogies that our sages derive from the 4 species. In the first type, the species are likened to certain parts of our body: The etrog is the heart, the lulav is the spine, the hadasim are the eyes, and the aravot are the mouth. In the second analogy, the species represent the various levels of integrity we find in human beings. The sages say that the etrog’s combination of wonderful taste and fragrance is symbolic of someone who studies Torah and acts properly. In contrast, the hadasim smell nice but don't taste good, which makes them analogous to the person who learns Torah but fails to act appropriately. The Lulav represents a person who does mitzvot but doesn't study, because it has no smell but does have a taste, and the aravot represent a person who does neither because it has neither smell nor taste. In both these analogies, the 4 species are comprehensive and complete.
As we’ve explained before, that is the outlook on life that we can see in Yaakov. When his brother Esav declares, יש לי רב I have a lot, Yaakov counters by saying, יש לי כל I have kol, everything. Esav was never satisfied, but Yaakov believed that whatever God gave him was all that he needed.
Perhaps this is why Chazal teach that Avraham avinu corresponds to Pesach, Yitzchak corresponds to Shavuos, and Yaakov corresponds to Sukkot. Yaakov developed this appreciative attitude because he combined the qualities of Abraham and Yitzchak – he had it all, so to speak. In the same way, Sukkot captures both aspects of din/judgment that we find in Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and that is why it culminates – and completes - this holiday season.
On Sukkot, we thank God for our harvest, the period when our efforts come to fruition. And Shabbat, like Sukkot, is a time when we should stop striving for more and appreciate that right now, at this moment, we have everything. This approach to life is perfectly articulated in Pirkei Avot – איזהו עשיר השמח בחלקו A wealthy person is a person who is satisfied with their lot in life.
I think that is why we relinquish the lulav today. We appreciate that while Sukkot is a special opportunity to connect with our spirituality and be appreciative of what we have, we recognize that Shabbat gives us an unparalleled reminder to be mindful of all God has given us. It is a day to express our profound appreciation that each one of us at this moment in time truly has it all.
Shabbat shalom. Chag Sameach.
Eliezer Hirsch