The festival of Sukkot takes place in the fall, five days after Yom Kippur. One of the three pilgrimage festivals, it is a joyous occasion that celebrates the harvest and recalls the shelter G-d provided, in the form of magic clouds, during  the forty years spent wandering in the desert.  In observance of Sukkot we recite a blessing over the four species, which are said to represent the four personalities:

  1. The Esrog (citron) has a good taste and a good fragrance. It represents a person with both wisdom (Torah learning) and good deeds.
  2. The Hadas (myrtle) has a good fragrance, but is inedible. It represents a person who has good deeds, but lacks wisdom.
  3. The Lulav (date palm) is edible, but has no smell. This represents the person with wisdom, but without good deeds.
  4. The Aravah (willow) has neither taste nor smell. It represents a person with neither good deeds nor Torah learning.

How do these compare to the four children?

How are you living into these four personalities in your life?


haggadah Section: -- Four Children