Sukkah 030

10:
The three mishnahs which are the subject of this shiur are really concerned with the way Hallel is recited rather than the specific concerns of the four species (which are shaken during Hallel). In the previous shiur we saw that during the recitation of Psalm 118 (the last of the six psalms that comprise Hallel) the lulav is to be shaken at certain points: at verse 1, and at verses 25 and 29.

11:
It would perhaps be useful if at this juncture we briefly review the modern manner of fulfilling this custom of shaking the four species during Hallel.

Before reciting the benediction over Hallel we take the four species, holding them with their roots at the bottom except for the etrog which is held with its connection to the tree at the top. We now recite the benediction (the first time we use the four species during Sukkot we also recite the benediction 'shehecheyanu'). Now, and immediately, we reverse the direction of the etrog so that all four species have their root at the bottom. We now shake the lulav by pointing it in each of six directions (without moving our body to face in those directions). The directions are ahead of us, to the right, behind us, to the left, upwards and downwards.

12:
When the Ḥazzan reaches the first verse of Psalm 118 he shakes his lulav in those six directions, allowing one direction for each of the words of the verse. (Six words means omitting God's Name so as not to suggest a particular direction for the Deity.) Each of the members of the congregation now does what the Ḥazzan has just done. The Ḥazzan now recites verse 2, shaking his lulav in six directions. The congregation responds by repeating the first verse after him and shaking the lulav as before. When the Ḥazzan recites verses 3 and 4 he does not shake his lulav, but the congregation repeats the first verse after each of the verses, shaking the lulav as before. [See Shulḥan Arukh, Oraḥ Ḥayyim 651:8.]

13:
When the Ḥazzan reaches verse 25 he shakes his lulav as he sings "O God, deliver us". Once again he does not shake his lulav when mentioning God's name. This means that since there are only three Hebrew words he allocates two directions for each word. The congregation now does the same, after him. When the Ḥazzan sings the words "O God, let us prosper" he does not shake his lulav — and neither does the congregation.

14:
When the Ḥazzan reaches the last verse of the psalm he acts exactly as he did when reciting the first verse — and so does the congregation when repeating it after him.

15:
The report of Rabbi Akiva in mishnah 9 should be understood as referring to what we have described in paragraph 13 above, and not to the whole of Hallel. The last clause of mishnah 9 teaches that while it is best to perform the mitzvah of using the lulav each day of Sukkot (except Shabbat) during the morning service, if that were not possible it is possible to do so at any time during the day until just before nightfall.

16:
Mishnah 10 is concerning with an adult Jewish male who did not recite Hallel with the congregation in the morning and who is not capable — because of ignorance — of reciting Hallel for himself. If he has to repeat, word for word, what a knowledgeable servant, woman or youngster recites for him he may do so, but he should be ashamed of this. (The servant in this mishnah is, of course, a Canaanite servant: we have discussed this many times. See, for example, Berakhot 133.) If, however, the person helping him out is another adult male he may respond to the recitation just has he would in the synagogue. For this see the next paragraph.

19:
In order to understand mishnahs 10 and 11 we must be aware of how Hallel was recited in Eretz-Israel in mishnaic times (and that was in a manner very different from how it is done today). One member of the congregation — usually the Ḥazzan — would recite the whole of Hallel out loud, mostly in half verses. The congregation would not recite with him, but at each half-verse where the Ḥazzan stopped they would cry out 'Hallelujah!'. This was done 123 times in all during the recitation of Hallel (tradition attributing the number to the age of Aaron, Moses' brother and Israel's first High priest, at his death).

20:
It has become the custom to repeat certain verses in Psalm 118: from verse 21 through to the end. Mishnah 11 teaches that since this was dependent on local custom one should not deviate from the custom of the congregation in that place. The same applies to the benedictions of Hallel on those days when their recitation is a matter of custom, not halakhah.

21:
Every seventh year the land in Eretz-Israel was to lie fallow and whatever grew in the fields and orchards of its own accord belonged to anyone who wished to take the produce (and not to the owner of the field or orchard). Likewise, it was forbidden to traffic in agricultural produce during that year. Thus an etrog that grew in that year could not be sold but had to be given as a free gift.

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