On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before your God יהוה seven days.

(1) 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). (2) 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 etrog.

(1) AND YE SHALL TAKE. We shall believe in the words of the transmitters, for they do not contradict Scripture. The latter is so even though we find, they shall take to them every man a lamb (Ex. 12:3). They also transmitted to us the tradition that the fruit of goodly trees (v. 40) refers to the etrog (citron). In truth, there is no fruit of the tree more beautiful than the etrog. The rabbis interpreted the phrase etz hadar (goodly trees) to mean [a fruit] which dwells on its tree. They used the verse as a support for their tradition. I have explained the latter in my comments on to sell her unto a foreign people (Ex. 21:8). The Sadducees say that the sukkah shall be built from these plants. They brought proof from the Book of Ezra. However, they are blind of heart. Do they not see that the Book of Ezra does not at all mention willows of the book and fruit of the tree? It only mentions the leaves of five kinds of branches. The mention there of myrtle branches and branches of thick trees is no argument against our ancients. Similarly the kind called myrtle does not grow on a tall tree. There are thus two kinds, one growing on a tall tree and one on a low tree. The person who wanders from the land of Kedar to the land of Edom will know the secret of this commandment if he has eyes.

(1) 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 taught 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 sight —” dimrageig to see; “‘lo thachmod’ (Thou shalt not covet) — “thou shalt not theirog.” And we also say: “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], since the final decision of the law is like Rabbi Akiba 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. 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. 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. Thus the sin consisted [of taking the ethrog] alone, and we obtain His favor [by means of the ethrog] together with the other species … 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) which is a festival of its own, and yet is supplementary to the first days. Thus they are one in potentiality but not in actuality. I have already explained the reason for this. 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, and join on to them the eighth day, Atzereth, similar to what is said, For the leader with strong-music on the ‘sheminith’ [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]. 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,’ 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; and he marketh it out ‘bam’chugah’ (with the compass), and so also: a multitude ‘chogeig’ (keeping holyday). Our Rabbis have already alluded to this secret. Thus they have said in Vayikra Rabbah: “Pri eitz hadar, this alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, Honor ‘v’hadar’ (and majesty) are before Him. 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. 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. ‘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).” And in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah it is stated: “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.? 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. 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. And what is ‘the sea’? I must say that it alludes to the ethrog. And how do we know that each midah of all these seven is called nachal? Because it is said, and from Mattanah to Nachaliel. 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 Sage 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 Gaonim and all Rishonim.

GEMARA: The Sages taught that the verse states: “Fruit of a beautiful tree,” meaning, a tree that the taste of its tree trunk and the taste of its fruit are alike. What tree is that? You must say it is the etrog tree.

The Gemara asks: And say that it is referring to the pepper tree, since the taste of its trunk and the taste of its fruit are alike, as it was taught in a baraita with regard to the verse: “When you enter the land and plant any tree for food you shall regard its fruit as orla” (Leviticus 19:23). Rabbi Meir would say that by inference from that which is stated “and plant any tree,” don’t I know that it is referring to a tree that produces food? Rather, for what purpose does the verse state: “Any tree for food”? It is to include a tree that the taste of its tree trunk and the taste of its fruit are alike. And which tree is this? You must say this is the pepper tree. This comes to teach you that the peppers, and even its trunk, are edible, and therefore the tree is obligated in the prohibition of orla. And Eretz Yisrael lacks nothing, as it is stated: “A land where you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall lack nothing” (Deuteronomy 8:9). From where, then, is it derived that the Torah commands the taking of an etrog as one of the four species? Perhaps the verse is referring to peppers. The Gemara answers: There, with regard to the four species, it is clear that the Torah is not referring to peppers, due to the fact that it is not possible to utilize peppers for this purpose. How shall we proceed? If we take one pepper, its taking is not noticeable due to its small size. If we take two or three peppers, the Torah said one fruit and not two or three fruits. Therefore, it is impossible. The verse “the fruit of a beautiful tree” cannot be referring to peppers.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: Do not read the verse as it is written, hadar, meaning beautiful, but rather read it hadir, meaning the sheep pen. And it means, just as in this pen there are large and small sheep, unblemished and blemished sheep, so too, this tree has large and small fruits, flawless and blemished fruits. The Gemara wonders: Is that to say that among other fruits there are not large and small fruits, flawless and blemished fruits? How does this description identify the etrog specifically? Rather, this is what Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is saying: Just as in a pen, there are both large and small sheep together, so too, on an etrog tree, when the small ones come into being, the large ones still exist on the tree, which is not the case with other fruit trees.

Rabbi Abbahu said: Do not read it hadar, but rather read it haddar, meaning one that dwells, referring to an item that dwells on its tree from year to year.

Ben Azzai says: Do not read it hadar, but rather read it idur, as in the Greek language one calls water idur. And which is the fruit that grows on the basis of all water sources, and not exclusively through irrigation or rainwater? You must say it is an etrog.

(9) With regard to the rite of water libation performed in the Temple during the Festival, how was it performed? ...the appointee says to the one pouring the water into the silver basin: Raise your hand, so that his actions would be visible, as one time a Sadducee priest intentionally poured the water on his feet, as the Sadducees did not accept the oral tradition requiring water libation, and in their rage all the people pelted him with their etrogim.

There is a story of a certain Boethian that he poured the water over his feet, and all the people threw their citrons at him.

The "fruit of the beautiful tree" mentioned in the Torah is the etrog.The "boughs of covered trees" mentioned in the Torah refer to the [species of] myrtle whose leaves surround its branch; i.e., there will be three or more leaves in each ring. However, if there are two leaves on one level, with a third leaf slightly higher than them, that is not considered to be "covered." Rather, it is called a wild myrtle.