Doing The Wave of Sukkot

On Sukkot we do the wave, called Na’anuim, with our four species. Immediately upon making the bracha we wave the Daled Minim three times in each of 6 directions. And we did the wave in shul during Hallel, when reciting the verses: Hodu LaHashem and Ana Hashem. What is the significance of our Lulav Wave?

 The great medieval Talmudic commentator Rabbi Menachem Meiri explained that shaking the lulav is a necessary component of the mitzvah- but not the mitzvah of taking the four species, but rather the mitzvah of simcha, joy. Simcha is a mitzvah that exists on every holiday, but is especially pronounced on Sukkot. It comes as a culmination of the High Holidays, it is Chag Ha’Aseif, the time when the farmer feels most successful and secure as he brings his harvest into storage. That is why the Torah mentions simcha not once, but twice as it relates to Sukkot.  One of the times the Torah mentions joy by Sukkot is specifically in regards to taking the Daled Minim (23:40).

 Na’anuim are an expression of joy, in at least three different ways:

 Joy in seeing the Divine in everything Talmud Sukkah 37b: Hashem is in every direction. Fully internalizing this truth leaves us feeling uplifted and never alone- for no matter where we are, God is there with us. The Medrash explains that it is customary for one that is found innocent in a court case to wave something to indicate that victory- and so we wave our lulavim after Yom Kippur indicating our confidence in the outcome of our Yom Hadin, Yom Kippur. Utilizing the Talmudic teaching we can add that we wave our lulavim today as an expression of joy and excitement at the fact that no matter what happens in this new year, we are sure that Hashem will be with us.

 Joy in appreciating the role and relevance of Torah in every facet of our lives. Rokeiach teaches that the word Lulav hints at the entire Torah. Letters in reverse order:

Bet: first letter of Torah

Lamed: last letter of Torah

Vav: first letter of Nach

Lamed: Last letter of Nach

We take the lulav and its symbolism and wave it in every direction, thereby indicating that there is no aspect of our lives that is not influenced by, affected by, or addressed by the Torah.

 Joy of appreciating our gifts in life

Lulav is an indication of the bounty of the recent harvest season- it’s an expression of thanks, but it also serves as a prayer: that the winds and rain should be for blessing for the next crop season. It is no accident that Na’anuim are performed for the verse Hodu Lashem Ki Tov, Ki L’Olam Chasdo.

But we also wave the lulav for the prayer of King David Ana Hashem Hoshiah Na. The ultimate expression of thanks and the ultimate expression of prayerful request. For Na’anuim remind us that our greatest gifts require thanksgiving as well as prayer- that the gift should develop and that the gift should continue.

 Just as people get excited to do the wave at sporting events, so too should we be excited to do the wave with our lulav on Sukkot.  May our appreciation of the significance of Na’anuim create added joy to our Sukkot holiday- and in our lives going forward.