Page 358 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

Chayei Adam - K’lal 148 - Laws of Lulav & Daled Minim

]9[ He must hold it the way it grows, with the top pointing up and the root
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towards the bottom. The esrog [must also be held] the way it grows with the
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stem pointing down because only after it grows in size does it turn downwards.
One must be careful that the stem faces down; otherwise, he doesn’t fulfill his
obligation, even b’dieved.

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]10[ After he takes the lulav in his right hand, he should recite the beracha of
‘al netilas lulav’ before he picks up the esrog, so that [the beracha] should be said
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before fulfilling [the mitzva]. On the first day, [he should] also say the
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shehecheyanu [then]. It appears to me that one who didn’t say the
shehecheyanu on the first day [should say it on a subsequent day] even if he
didn’t say it because of a doubt in one of the species as to whether or not is was
kosher and then later he obtained all four kosher species. He should then say

םדו רשב
hand. He should hold the esrog with the stage when it is too heavy to maintain this
די
other arm. If he cannot do so, he should pick position.
them up one after the other (as above, siman 39. Chayei Adam’s note: That which the
4) but should not hold them in the same hand Magen Avraham writes that one should
or arm at the same time (Mishna Berura. See pick up the esrog first requires explanation
also Magen Avraham). for in seif 5 it is clear that the opposite is
וט
true.
37. When commanding the building of One of the reasons why one puts on
the Mishkan, the Torah says to use “atzei the tefillin shel yad before the shel rosh, but
shitim omdim” (standing acacia wood) removes the shel rosh first, is so that whenever
(Shemos 26:15). The gemara (Succah 45b) he wears the tefillin shel rosh, he is wearing
understands this to mean that the both (Menachos 36a). The Magen Avraham
kerashim must be standing in the same way extrapolates from this that when holding the
they grew (i.e. not horizontal and not upside lulav, one should be holding all four species.
down). In addition, this applies to all mitzvos. The rishonim however, disagree, writing that
Accordingly, all four species must be held one should pick up the lulav first. Moreover,
upright. the Shulchan Aruch writes that one should
זט

38. Meaning that although on the tree the pick up the esrog after reciting the beracha so
esrog hangs with the pitom, and not the stem as not to fulfill the mitzva before saying the
pointing downward, when it begins growing, beracha, as the Chayei Adam goes on to
the pitom points up and only turns at a later explain. (See further.)

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