Page 394 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

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

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]8[ When the lulav grows out of the palm tree it emerges as a single straight
stick, smooth, without any leaves at all. After it grows a little, its leaves become
visible, and if one would shake it, they would separate from it, but [do] not [do so]
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on their own. This is what the gemara refers to as ‘ufta’. At the top of each leaf is
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a small thorn which can scratch one’s hands and is called a ‘kufra’. Afterwards,
the leaves separate and they lie together with [the lulav’s] spine. When it grows
more, the leaves separate from the spine and don’t lay one on top of the other,
but still go up with the spine. When they grow some more, they completely
separate from its spine and hang from it like the branches of any other tree. From

the fact that the Torah writes ‘kapos temarim’ and not ‘kaf’ or ‘alei’ temarim,
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Chazal understand that this is to imply that it is tied or bound, [meaning that]
the Torah requires him to take it when there are leaves, so that it is possible to
say that the leaves are bound to it. This wouldn’t apply before this, because it is
completely smooth without any leaves [and then it] is called ‘ufta’, and it isn’t
possible to say that it is bound. This also excludes after the leaves have
completely separated and spread out from its spine because then it isn’t bound at
all, and is referred to by the gemara as ‘charusa’. Rather, specifically when [the
lulav] has leaves, so that it is possible to describe it as bound, but not before the
leaves separate themselves, because then it is full of thorns, and it isn’t a pleasant

םדו רשב

discussion of this. to climate, or because it is a male tree - is
valid. (Chasam Sofer, Chazon Ish, R’ S. Z.
39. This is the Chayei Adam’s own line of Auerbauch, among many others. See however
reasoning, that by taking one of the species
alone, one might be misled to believe that this Tzafnas Panei’ach who understands that this is
a dispute among the tanaim, and Minchas
is sufficient. If however, he holds two or three Elazar who hesitates in permitting such
זכ
of them together, it is clear that he is only lulavim.) Regarding other species of palm
doing so because he is missing one or two of trees such as the lulav from a Canary palm,
the species.
many authorities disqualify it, dismissing it as
40. Although the Torah commands us to a different species, as is evident from its fruits
take the branch of a date palm, the consensus and growth and development. (Igros Moshe, R’
חכ
of the poskim is that one taken from a palm Y. S. Elyashiv, R’ Moshe Shternbuch ). Others,
טכ
tree which doesn’t produce fruit - either due however, are lenient. (R’ S. Z. Auerbach, Tzitz

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