When we hold up the lulav it is a sign that we have emerged from judgment favorably. The Netziv (32:43) explains that the Arba Minim represent weapons of a battle – signifying our victory in the judgment of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Since the Yom Tov is named after the sukkah, and chronologically we perform the mitzvah of sukkah first (the first night of Sukkos, as opposed to lulav which is not done until the following morning), it seems that sukkah really should be listed first. The mitzvah of Arba Minim is mitzvah 324 in the Torah ( Sukkah is mitzvah 325). 4 It also symbolizes the human spine which provides anatomical support to the entire body to show that the entire body needs to be utilized in serving Hashem. The lulav, part of a fruit tree, is used for a mitzvah during Sukkos (the harvest season) to remind us that all of the produce we just gathered has a higher purpose. The numerical value of the word " lulav" is the same as "life" and one is assured a long life if they are stringent in observing the laws of lulav. The lamed and beis also refer to the Torah (which starts with beis and ends with lamed). 2 In addition, the letters in lulav spell out ול (36) and בל (heart), which symbolizes the 36 hidden tzaddikim in every generation and the 36 volumes of the Babylonian Talmud. First, the lulav is the tallest and most noticeable of the Arba Minim. The lulav merits actual mention in the brocha …Al netilas lulav recited upon shaking the Arba Minim for several reasons. So why is it that the brocha is made on the lulav? The lulav, on the other hand, only has a taste, representing the Torah scholar whose main emphasis is the study of Torah as opposed to the performance of mitzvos. In Chassidic circles, the esrog is compared to the tzaddik who studies Torah and does mitzvos. The esrog is the most prominent of the four species it is the only one that has a taste and aroma. You should rejoice before G-d your G-d, for a period of seven days." As it is written in the Torah, 1 "On the first day, you should take for yourselves: The fruit of the tree…the fronds of a date palm…branches of a tree…and willows of the brookside. The mitzvah of taking the Arba Minim (four species) - hadassim (myrtle), aravos (willow), lulav (palm frond) and esrog (citron) - symbolizes the ultimate joy of the Yom Tov of Sukkos.
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