Every year, Jews around the world grab their lulav (palm frond), etrog (citron), myrtle, and willow branches to celebrate Sukkot  –  the joyous festival of booths. But what happens when your local Judaica store is sold out, or life throws a curveball like a global pandemic, and suddenly your cherished etrog looks as elusive as a Wi-Fi signal in the desert? Could you, for instance, grab a lemon instead? Or maybe a grapefruit? And for the myrtle, maybe some other leafy branch will do?

Before anyone starts raiding their backyard citrus trees, let’s take a closer look at what the Torah actually says – and what Jewish law requires.

What the Torah Actually Says

The relevant verse comes from Leviticus 23:40:

"On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees (pri etz hadar), branches of palm trees (kapot t’marim), boughs of leafy trees (v’anaf etz avot), and willows of the brook (v’arvey nachal), and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days."

Let’s break down the Hebrew terms for the Four Species:

  • Pri etz hadar – “fruit of a beautiful tree,” traditionally understood as the etrog.

  • Kapot t’marim – “palm fronds,” or the lulav.

  • Anaf etz avot – “boughs of a dense-leaved tree,” interpreted as the myrtle.

  • Arvei nachal – “willows of the brook,” straightforwardly the willow branches.

At first glance, it seems flexible: “fruit of a beautiful tree” could be any fruit, right? Not quite. The sages were very precise about what each phrase meant. The Talmud, specifically tractate Sukkah (29b–35a), spends pages analyzing each species to ensure there’s no confusion. The Torah doesn’t just want “some leafy branch” – it wants very specific plants for your Four Species set.

Why You Can’t Just Grab Any Fruit or Branch

It might be tempting to think: “Well, a lemon is the fruit of a beautiful tree, so why not?” But Jewish law draws a hard line here.

  • The etrog is not just any citrus: Even though lemons, grapefruits, and citrons look similar, they don’t meet the halachic requirements to be considered a true etrog for the mitzvah [Sukkah 31a].

  • Myrtle vs. random leafy branch: The Talmud discusses other trees, like olive or plane trees, that might superficially resemble myrtle. But their leaves are arranged differently, so they fail the Torah’s description of “dense-leaved” (anaf etz avot) [Sukkah 32b].

  • Don’t improvise: The mitzvah is specific  –  you cannot substitute an entirely different plant, even in times of scarcity. Doing so could inadvertently violate ba’al tosif  –  the prohibition against adding to a mitzvah beyond what God commanded [Sukkah 31a].

So, in short, grabbing a random lemon, pomegranate, or even a particularly leafy branch from the backyard won’t cut it. It’s not just a tradition or preference – it’s halacha.

What Happens When Kosher Lulavim Are Hard to Find?

History shows that there have been plenty of times when Jews couldn’t get kosher lulavim and etrogim. Wars, famine, disease, trade restrictions – you name it, it happened. In such situations, Jewish law provides guidance:

  • If a kosher lulav exists but is imperfect (e.g., slightly dried), you may still use it and recite the blessing.

  • If no kosher species are available at all, you can hold a non-kosher species, but without saying the blessing [Shulchan Aruch, OC 649:6].

Notice the nuance here: the goal is to fulfill the mitzvah to the best of your ability, but you cannot invent a substitute. The Torah is very clear about that line – it’s all about intention and species.

Why Precision Matters: A Gemara Deep Dive

The Talmudic sages don’t leave us guessing. Take the myrtle, for example. The verse calls it anaf etz avot, “boughs of a dense-leaved tree.” The Gemara explores whether other trees like olives or plane trees could count. The answer? No.

Why? The leaves of the myrtle form small clusters along the stem, completely obscuring the branches  –  that’s what “dense-leaved” means. Olive leaves, on the other hand, grow in a different pattern that leaves the branches more visible, so they don’t qualify [Sukkah 32b].

Similar discussions exist for the other species: palm fronds must come from a true date palm, the etrog must be a citron, and willow branches must grow near water to qualify as arvei nachal [Sukkah 33b–35a]. In other words, the Torah is picky for a reason: not all “beautiful fruit trees” or “leafy branches” fulfill the spiritual and ritual function of the mitzvah.

So… No Lemon Lulav Parties

This might be a little disappointing if you were hoping to get creative during Sukkot 2026 (or any year). But it’s actually reassuring in a way  –  the mitzvah is designed to be specific and consistent across generations. You know that when you shake that lulav and hold that etrog, you’re participating in a ritual that your ancestors would recognize.

That said, there’s still room for joy! Even in situations where kosher species are hard to obtain, Sukkot is about celebrating the harvest, expressing gratitude, and sharing time with family and friends. The Torah doesn’t stop the celebration  –  it just sets the rules for the ritual objects.

Quick Tips if You Can’t Find Kosher Four Species

For anyone struggling to get their four species in unusual times (like a global pandemic or supply chain hiccup), here’s a practical, halachic-friendly approach:

  1. Search early and widely: Order online or from multiple Judaica suppliers. Sometimes the best etrogim come from unexpected sources.

  2. Imperfect but kosher is okay: Slightly dried or imperfect species can still be used. Recite the blessing.

  3. No kosher species? Hold without a blessing: You can still fulfill the mitzvah to the best of your ability. This is better than inventing a substitute.

Bottom Line

  • Pri etz hadar = etrog.

  • Kapot t’marim = lulav.

  • Anaf etz avot = myrtle.

  • Arvei nachal = willow.

  • You cannot substitute lemons, grapefruits, plane tree branches, or any random leafy twigs.

  • Imperfect kosher species are okay; no kosher species? Hold without a blessing [Sukkah 31a; OC 649:6].

So, the next time you see a lemon and think, “Hey, that’s a beautiful fruit tree!” – resist the urge. Your etrog might look like a cousin of the lemon, but Jewish law says it’s not close enough.

Sukkot is about shaking and rejoicing – but let’s leave the improvisational citrus experiments for the kitchen, not the Sukkah.