Page 382 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

Chayei Adam - K’lal 149 - Pesulim of Daled Minim & Pesulim of the Lulav

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]1[ When the Torah commands us [to take the four species] it says
“U’lekachtem” (plural) instead of “U’lekachta” (singular), in order to teach us that it
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should be a “lekicha tama” (complete taking). This includes two things: (1) Each
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of the species should be complete and not missing any part. For [if one of the
species is] not whole it is not complete; and (2) Certainly, if one of the [four]
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species is absent, it cannot be considered complete. By extension, since the
minimal size of each of the four species is a halacha l’Moshe mi’Sinai, if one of the
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species is too small [it is also posul]. It makes no difference whether or not its
initial growth was insufficient, or whether it became smaller at a later point in
time. [Either way] it is as if this species is completely absent. Also included in this
halacha is something slated to be burned such as [a lulav] of avodah zarah, etc,
which is considered as if it has already been burnt, since halacha views anything
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slated for burning as if it was already burnt. Therefore [this species] is lacking its
minimum measurement and is considered to be missing entirely.

]2[ Since the Torah says “[You shall take] for yourselves”, Chazal understand
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this to mean that [the four species] must belong to you, which excludes a
borrowed set, even with express permission, and all-the-more so, a set that is
stolen. 9

םדו רשב
1. Vayikra 23:40 discussion of this.

2. Since the mitzva applies to each Jew 4. The mishna (Menachos 27a) teaches
on an individual basis, the Torah should have that in order to fulfill the mitzva, all four
more appropriately written ָּּת ְּח ַקָּל ְּו (“v’lakachta” species of the lulav are necessary. Yet, the
- you {singular} shall take). By writing ם ֶּת ְּח ַקְּלּו gemara there qualifies that as long as he has
(“u’lakachtem”) in the plural form, Chazal all of them, he need not take them as one unit
understand that it can be read as a contraction bound together. Although Rabeinu Tam
of the words ם ָּּת ח ַקָּל ְּו (“v’lakach tam”) - and understands this to simply mean that one
you shall take [them] whole, indicating that need not bind them together, most rishonim
not only all four species must be present, but understand that as long as he has all of them
that they must be whole and complete available, he may lift them up one at a time.
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(Succah 34b). The halacha follows this opinion.

3. See further for a more detailed 5. See below (siman 7) that in a situation

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