ארבעת המינים
The four species
רמז הנענועים של ארבעת המינים
The symbolism of shaking the four species
During Succot, we take the four species, on which the Jewish people generously spend their money. These species represent the letters of Hashem's sacred Name [אותיות שמך המיוחד], as is known to those familiar with the secrets of Torah (Kabbalah), where the four species allude to the holy Name of Hashem.
When we wave the species in six directions of heaven, it symbolizes that wherever a person turns, they are always with HaKadosh Baruch Hu. This is expressed in the words of Dovid HaMelech (Tehillim 139:5-8): 'אחור וקדם צרתני... אנה אלך מרוחך... אם אסק שמים שם אתה ואציעה שאול הנך...' - ‘You have enclosed me from behind and before... Where can I go from Your Spirit?... If I ascend to the heavens, You are there, if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.’
If, chalilah, Hashem Yisbarach seems distant from us—this is symbolized by the movement of holacha (sending away), representing the distance from Hashem due to our actions that are unworthy of closeness to Him. Immediately, however, we draw Hashem back to us through the movement of hava'ah (bringing closer), representing our return to G-d through repentance and rectification of our deeds. Bringing Yisbarach to our hearts.
בימים אלו אנו כבתוך בית המקדש
In these days, it is like we are inside the Beis HaMikdash
According to the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 662:2), a mourner does not participate in the hakafos (circuits) with the four species, and the Mishnah Berurah explains that the mitzvah of 'ושמחתם לפני ה' אלקיכם שבעת ימים' - ‘rejoicing before Hashem, your G-d, for seven days’ (Vayikra 23:40) occurs during the hakafot, and since a mourner cannot experience full joy, he refrains. But what is the deeper significance of the hakafos with the lulav, and to what kind of joy do they refer?
Upon reflection, we can see that the greatest closeness a person has occurs during Succos. In some respects, there is an even greater revelation of divine presence during Succos than during Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or other festivals. On Succos, Hashem Yisbarach grants us the gift of dwelling, in a sense, within His Bais HaMikdash. Even in times of destruction, the succah symbolizes the Clouds of Glory. And it's not merely a remembrance of the Clouds; rather, the person who enters the succah is inside the Clouds of Glory themselves.
The four species represent the Name of Hashem. When one takes them in hand, waves them, and encircles while reciting Hosha na, they should appreciate the magnitude of the moment they are in. The Siddur of the Arizal contains intentions for the order of the hakafos during Hosha na, both for the individual and for the words being said, as well as for the four species in our hands. Even if one does not concentrate on all the mystical intentions, merely contemplating the actions and words brings a person to feel closeness to Hashem.
When a person holds the four species, he is incredibly close to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, almost as if he is saying: "Master of the Universe, help and save, with no personal motives, but only for Your sake Yisbarach—'for Your sake, our G-d, for Your sake, our Creator, for Your sake, our Redeemer, for Your sake, our Seeker.’ Only for Your sake!"
Love for Hashem and the Hakafos
This is a wondrous level of love for Hashem that can be attained during these moments when a person reflects on the great merit before him—to speak to Hashem and ask for the true redemption and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, not because he seeks relief from personal troubles, but solely for the sake of His Name Yisbarach, to lift the Shechina from the dust, so that all will know that Hashem is the true King. This is the true definition of ‘Teshuva mei’ahava’ – ‘Teshuva out of love’.
The hakafos themselves are also a commemoration of the encircling of the Mizbeach by the Kohanim each day of Succos, and on Hoshana Rabbah they would encircle it seven times. Today, we perform these circuits in memory of that, and every Jew becomes like the Kohen encircling the bimah in the shul, which represents the Mizbeach.
How much a Jew must awaken during these moments with a deep yearning and pray with all his heart: "Rebuild Your house as it was originally, and establish Your Mikdash upon its foundation," to feel a great longing for the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. We are commanded to ask and demand the rebuilding of Zion and Yerushalayim, and to pour out tears like water over this, since it is because of our sins we have been exiled from our Land, for Chazal taught (Rosh Hashanah 30a), regarding the posuk, 'ציון היא דורש אין לה'' – ‘Zion is desolate; no one seeks her’ (Jeremiah 30:17), that it implies that Zion requires seeking.
This is why we conclude the recitation of the Hoshanos with the Tefillah: "So that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem is G-d, there is no other." This means that we should merit the building of Hashem's House and the revelation of His Kingship, so that even the nations will recognize and know that Hashem is the true G-d.
