The Four Species

And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs [fruit] of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.

Leviticus 23:40 (KJV)

On Sukkot (Feast of Booths), God instructs us to take up four elements from four different species of trees. We hold these in our hands… for what? To understand this, we need to reflect on the details of this verse and contrast it with another one earlier in the Bible.

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Sukkot, the Place

That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 23:43 (KJV)

Booths – When you compare the three holy days; Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Sukkot (Feast of Booths), it’s difficult to understand why Sukkot is among them. In Deuteronomy 16:16 God commands all Israel men to appear before the Lord and bring an offering to the Temple on each of these holy days. These are the pilgrim feasts because all men were required to travel to Jerusalem. Let’s take a look at them. Continue reading “Sukkot, the Place”