The Rabam, Mishneh Torah- Zmanim- Hilchot Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav
7:13-18 speaks about the evolvement of the mitzvah of Lulav:
The Original Mitzvah:
The mitzvah of shaking the lulav only
applies on the first day of the holiday of Sukkot in every place during every
age and is practiced even on Shabbat, as we see in Vayikra 23:40 “And on the
first day, you shall take for yourselves fruit of the majestic tree, branches
of palm trees, boughs of the leafy tree, and willows of the brook…”
In the Mikdash (Jerusalem) alone the lulav is taken on each of the seven days
of the holiday as it says “and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.”
When Shabbat falls during the later days, the lulav is not taken. This is a
decree lest one carry it four cubits in the public domain, as decreed regarding
the shofar.
Why was this decree not put into
effect on the first day of Sukkot? Because taking the lulav on the first day is
a mitzvah from the Torah, even outside of Jerusalem. Thus, the laws applying to
it are not the same as those applying to the remaining days since on the
subsequent days of the holiday a person is obligated to take the lulav only in
the Mikdash (Jerusalem).
Changes once the Beit HaMikdash
(Temple) was Destroyed:
When the Beit HaMikdash was
destroyed, the Sages ordained that the lulav be taken everywhere for the entire
seven days of the festival, as a remembrance. Every day the blessing would be recited
over it. This enactment, like the other enactments instituted by Rabbi
Yochanan ben Zakkai when the Temple was destroyed is only temporary. When the
Temple is rebuilt, these matters will return to their original status.
While the Temple was standing, the
lulav would be taken in Jerusalem when the first day of Sukkot fell on Shabbat.
The same applies in other places (throughout Eretz Yisrael and the Diaspora)
where they were certain that this day (the fifteenth of Tishrei) was celebrated
as a holiday in Eretz Yisrael. However, the places which were distantly removed
from Jerusalem would not take the lulav on this day because of the doubt.
When the
Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, the Sages forbade everyone from shaking the lulav
when the first day of the holiday occurred on Shabbat including the inhabitants
of Eretz Yisrael who had sanctified the new moon. This was instituted because
of the inhabitants of the distant settlements, who were not aware of when the
new month had been declared. Thus, a uniform guideline was established, rather
than having some take the lulav on the Shabbat and some not. The guiding
principle was that the obligation of taking the lulav on the first day applies
in all places and there is no longer a Temple to use as a point of distinction.
At present, when everyone follows a
fixed calendar, the matter remains as it was, and the lulav is not taken on Shabbat
anywhere- not in the outlying territories or in Eretz Yisrael even on the first
day of the festival. This applies even though everyone knows the actual day of
the month. As stated above, the reason for the prohibition of taking the lulav
on Shabbat is a decree lest one carry it four cubits in the public domain.
We learn from the Rambam that in our
time, nobody shakes the lulav on Shabbat regardless if they are in Jerusalem, Israel
or the Diaspora. When the Beit HaMikdash will be rebuilt, we will go back to
shaking the lulav on the first day, even on Shabbat but the Diaspora will not
shake to lulav on the other days of the holiday. Hopefully, when the mashiach
comes all of the Jews will be back in Israel and then they can have the opportunity
to come to Jeusalem and shake the lulav there.
Until that time, Jews all over the
world will shake the lulav on every day of the holiday aside from Shabbat and
yearn for the Beit HaMikdash to be rebuilt speedily in our days. |