Sukkot

The Four Species (Arbat Haminim) are three types of branches and one type of fruit which are held together and waved in a special ceremony during Sukkot. The waving of the Four Species is a mitzvah, prescribed by the Torah, and contains symbolic allusions to service to God.

The Four Species are:

• Lulav, a ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree;
• Hadass, boughs with leaves from the myrtle tree;
  
• Aravah, branches with leaves from the willow tree, and
• Etrog, the fruit of a citron tree.
  

The mitzvah of waving the Four Species derives from the Torah. In Leviticus, it states:

“And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [of Sukkot], the fruit of the beautiful [citron] tree, tightly bound branches of date palms, the branch of the braided [myrtle] tree, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.”