Timeless Torah

In addition to the aravah (willow) that is taken together with the lulav, esrog and hadas, as one of the Four Species, there is another Sukkot observance that involves the willow branch. This is the mitzvah of aravah, observed in the Holy Temple by surrounding the altar with willow branches on Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh day of Sukkot, and which we today commemorate with a special procession around the synagogue’s center platform (Bimah).

These are two distinct mitzvot, each with its own laws and guidelines. Thus one cannot fulfill the obligation of ‘aravah’ with the aravah of the lulav. Even the physical requirements of the willow are different: for the Four Kinds, one requires two willow twigs, each with at least three fresh leaves; the mitzvah of aravah however, can be fulfilled with “one twig with one leaf.”

Another difference concerns the sanctity of Shabbat. Mitzvot that require the handling of a physical object and special expertise may not be observed on Shabbat, lest a person violate the Holy Day by carrying those items from a private to a public domain. For this reason, the Rosh Hashanah shofar is not sounded and the Sukkot’s Four Species not shaken when these festivals coincide with Shabbat.

The same would apply to the aravah of Hoshana Rabbah, if it were possible for the seventh day of Sukkot to fall on Shabbat. However, this never happened. Even when the calendar used to be set on a monthly basis by the Great Court, those making the calculations were instructed, “Not to allow the mitzvah of shofar or aravah to fall on Shabbat. If you cannot manage this, allow the shofar to fall on Shabbat, but not the aravah.” Our current calendar does permit Rosh Hashanah and the first day of Sukkot to occasionally coincide with Shabbat. But Hoshana Rabbah never does. This seems to indicate the importance of the aravah, in that it must always be observed and can never be pushed off. This is however quite surprising, in light of the fact that today, the aravah procession on Hoshana Rabbah is merely a commemorative custom (minhag), while sounding the shofar and shaking the Four Species are Biblical imperatives!

In order to explain this anomaly, one must comprehend the aravah’s inclusion in the Four Species. As is well known, the Four Species represent various types of Jews. The esrog’s taste and aroma symbolizes those who excel in Torah learning and good deeds. The lulav’s taste but no aroma delineates scholars exclusively involved in study. The tasteless but aromatic hadas is is illustrative of those who have good deeds but not necessarily Torah. Finally the lowly aravah with no taste or aroma is paridigmatic of persons lacking these qualities.

Seen in this light, what benefit is there in including the “aravah” Jew? Is it only for the sake of Jewish unity? Or is there in fact a contribution that our unscented and tasteless individual can make to his three superiors? On the most basic level, the Midrash may be referring to all Jews, but scratch the surface and you will discover that it also addresses every Jew.

There are times when we must each strive to be an esrog; perfectly balanced in learning and doing. This does not negate the moments in our hectic schedule that have to be exclusively devoted to the study of Torah, when we can with pride stand tall and declare, “Now, I am a lulav. Of course, recognizing that our world needs action - not words, is paramount. Thus, there are times when we all have to be a hadas and do our jobs in its fullest sense. Still, with all of our accomplishments it is important to acknowledge that it was HIS blessings that helped us fulfill our missions and that on our own, “I am nothing, an aravah, a simple Jew.”

The unique gift of the aravah is its simplicity. The inclusion of the aravah in the Four Species enables the others to appreciate, and honestly reassess their relationship with G-d. But the reverse is also true: through its bond with the other species, the aravah, while being enriched by their special qualities, loses its former innocence.

Therein lies the difference between the aravah of the Four Kinds (whose purity before G-d is slightly tainted by association with its sophisticated brethren) and the aravah of Hoshana Rabbah (whose crystalline simplicity is still zealously preserved). The first aravah has been affected by a world of diversity. Thus it requires plurality (as evidenced by its halachic requirements of 2 twigs and 3 leaves) and selectivity (on certain years it is taken, while on others set aside). The Hoshana Rabbah aravah, however, must be kept aloof of the world’s changes and vacillations. Thus in contrast, it calls for singularity (one twig with one leaf) and inclusivity (even manipulating the calendar if necessary to guarantee at least one core of honest simplicity in our otherwise complex lives).