Myrtles

Notable Sources

All Sources

The Debate Over Myrtle Branches

MISHNAH

The mitzvah of taking the four species on Sukkot includes specific requirements and conditions, particularly for the myrtle branches, which are debated by prominent rabbis. The Mishnah, a foundational Jewish text from around 200 CE, details the differing opinions of Rabbi Yishmael, Rabbi Tarfon, and Rabbi Akiva on the number and condition of the myrtle branches.

Rabbi Yishmael says: The mitzva of the four species is to take three myrtle branches, and two willow branches, one lulav, and one etrog. With regard to the myrtle branches, even if the tops of two are severed and the top of one is not severed, it is fit. Rabbi Tarfon says: Even if the tops of all three are severed, it is fit. Rabbi Akiva says with regard to the number of each of the species: Just as there is one lulav and one etrog, so too there is one myrtle branch and one willow branch.

Mishnah Sukkah 3:4

The Vision Among the Myrtles

TANAKH

The prophetic vision of Zechariah includes the image of a rider on horseback among myrtle trees.

In the night, I had a vision. I saw a figure, mounted on a bay horse, standing among the myrtles in the Deep, and behind him were bay, sorrel, and white horses. I asked, “What are those, my lord?” And the angel who talked with me answered, “I will let you know what they are.” Then the figure who was standing among the myrtles spoke up and said, “These were sent out by GOD to roam the earth.”

Zechariah 1:8-10

Esther and the Myrtle

MIDRASH

Esther is likened to the myrtle for her good deeds, piety, and her dual nature of being pleasant to the Jews and bitter to her enemies. Louis Ginzberg’s early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, synthesizes a vast array of Jewish folklore and biblical stories, including the symbolic virtues of Esther.

Both her names, Esther as well as Hadassah, are descriptive of her virtues. Hadassah, or Myrtle, she is called, because her good deeds spread her fame abroad, as the sweet fragrance of the myrtle pervades the air in which it grows. In general, the myrtle is symbolic of the pious, because, as the myrtle is ever green, summer and winter alike, so the saints never suffer dishonor, either in this world or in the world to come. In another way Esther resembled the myrtle, which, in spite of its pleasant scent, has a bitter taste…

Legends of the Jews 4:12:56

The Symbolism of the Myrtle

KABBALAH

The myrtle symbolizes transformation and renewal, serving as a divine testimony and an everlasting symbol of God's presence and promises. The Peri Etz Hadar, associated with the Tu Bishvat seder, uses Isaiah 55:13 to reflect themes of growth and redemption.

“Instead of a briar, a cypress will arise, instead of the nettle, a myrtle will arise. And it will be a testimony for YHVH and an everlasting sign which will never be effaced.“

Peri Etz Hadar 3:14

When a Severed Myrtle is Whole Again

TALMUD

According to Ullah bar Hinena, a myrtle branch with a severed top can still be considered fit for ritual use if a gallnut-like berry grows in its place, making the branch appear whole again. The Talmudic tractate Sukkah discusses the conditions under which a myrtle branch is considered fit or unfit for ritual use during the holiday of Sukkot.

§ The mishna continues: If the top of the myrtle branch was severed, it is unfit. Ulla bar Ḥinnana taught: If the top of the myrtle branch was severed, but a gallnut-like berry grew in that place, it is fit, as the berry fills the void and the top of the branch no longer appears severed.

Sukkah 33a:4

A Myrtle in the Wilderness

TALMUD

The Talmud transmits two different versions of a teaching by Rabbi Yoḥanan, likening different sorts of Torah scholars to a myrtle in the wilderness. In one telling, a myrtle in the wilderness is considered a waste of good fragrance, in another, it is considered a particularly valued asset to those who benefit from it.

And Rabbi Yoḥanan also said: Anyone who studies Torah but does not teach it to others is likened to a myrtle in the wilderness. The myrtle has a pleasant fragrance, but there is nobody to enjoy it in the wilderness. There are those who say a different version of this statement: Anyone who studies Torah and teaches it to others in a place where there are no other Torah scholars is likened to a myrtle in the wilderness, which is especially precious and thoroughly enjoyed by those who find it.

Rosh Hashanah 23a:12

The Order of Blessings

TALMUD

The halakhic process of determining the order of blessings over scented oil and a myrtle branch reveals the intricate decision-making and differing opinions among the sages. The Talmudic debate between Beit Shammai, Beit Hillel, and Rabban Gamliel, with Rabbi Yoḥanan's final ruling, showcases the complexity and depth of Jewish legal discussions.

The Sages taught: If they brought before him both scented oil and a myrtle branch, Beit Shammai say: One recites a blessing over the oil first and over the myrtle branch thereafter. And Beit Hillel say: One recites a blessing over the myrtle branch first and over the oil thereafter. Rabban Gamliel said: I will decide this dispute in favor of the opinion of Beit Shammai, that one should recite a blessing over the oil first, as it is more significant…

Berakhot 43b:9

The Myrtle and the Etrog

HALAKHAH

The myrtle in the lulav cannot be smelled because it is designated for the mitzvah, while the etrog can be smelled but not eaten. In his Mishneh Torah, Maimonides explains the specific laws regarding the use of the myrtle and etrog during Sukkot.

It is forbidden to smell the myrtle in the lulav. Since it is useful only for smelling and it has been set aside for the performance of the mitzvah, it is forbidden to smell it. However, it is permitted to smell an etrog, because setting it aside for the mitzvah [prohibits it from being] eaten.

Mishneh Torah, Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav 7:26

Why the Myrtle?

TALMUD

The myrtle is one of the Four Species used during Sukkot, and its identification is crucial for fulfilling the mitzvah correctly. The Jerusalem Talmud explains how the sages identified the myrtle tree as the right one to satisfy the commandment in the verses.

HALAKHAH: It is written, and a branch from the rope tree, a tree whose branches cover it and it rises like plaiting. Which one is this? The myrtle. If you would say the olive tree, it rises like plaiting but its branches do not cover it. If you would say the vine, its branches cover it but it does not rise like plaiting. Therefore, which one is this? The myrtle.

Jerusalem Talmud Sukkah 3:2:2

From Wilderness to Forest

TANAKH

The transformation of a barren wilderness into a lush forest symbolizes divine renewal and intervention. The prophet Isaiah envisions a future where God will plant various trees, including myrtles, in the desert, turning it into a fertile and diverse landscape.

I will plant cedars in the wilderness,
Acacias and myrtles and oleasters;
I will set cypresses in the desert,
Box trees and elms as well—

Isaiah 41:19

A Prayer for the Four Species

LITURGY

The prayer emphasizes the importance of divine assistance in fulfilling the mitzvah of taking the four species, including the myrtle, during Sukkot. Yosef Hayyim’s prayer specifically requests a superior etrog that is complete and fit according to Jewish law.

And may it be Your will in front of You, Lord, our God and God of our fathers, that You will help us and assist us to perform this commandment of taking the lulav, the myrtle, the willow and the etrog according to its law and its time on the festival of Sukkot - may it come to us for good life, peace, joy and good heartedness - and make available to us a fine and superior etrog that is complete and fit according to the law.

Leshon Chakhamim, Part I 36:15

The Proper Length of a Lulav

COMMENTARY

The lulav, an essential part of the Sukkot ritual, must meet specific measurement requirements to be valid for use. Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura’s 15th-century commentary on the Mishnah details the relationship between the proper length of the lulav and that of the myrtle and willow.

כל לולב שיש בו שלשה טפחים – corresponding to the length of the myrtle/Hadas and a handbreadth more, in order to wave/shake it, for the Lulav is required for waving/shaking, as we will see further on (see Tractate Sukkah, Chapter 3, Mishnah 9).

Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah 3:1:10

Tabernacle Prayer Postcard [72-0-9]: c.1910. The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life UC Berkeley

Relatedראו גם

Sheetsדפי מקורות

Related Sheets