Sukkah 32

The Sukkot bundle includes the following species: citron, palm, myrtle, and willow. Each student saw his teacher doing this, and the Talmud had no doubt about the species. Even though it was therefore known by tradition, the Talmud tries to derive the exact specification from the words of the Torah. For example, could one use clusters of dates (palm fruit) instead of palm branches and wave these? In every case, it confirms the species using the spelling of the species name or the idea that it should be nice and beautiful and cannot be poisoned or prickly.

The myrtle twig (hadas) has the same requirements as the lulav: it cannot be stolen or dried out. The myrtle has a plaited (braided) appearance, and it should maintain its looks. If leaves fall off it and it loses its looks, it is invalid. It may also have berries growing it, which is OK. However, if the berries outnumber the leaves, it is invalid. One can take the berries off, and it will become valid again. However, taking the berries off is not allowed on the Holiday itself because it "fixes" the myrtle and makes it valid. What if one went ahead nevertheless and took the berries off on the Holiday? Can it now be used? The reader is invited to advance arguments for and against.

Art: Myrtle in a lobed-footed vase by Tomas Hiepes