Print pages
pp. 774-775
Three Festivals

Blessing on Taking the Lulav

סדר נטילת לולב

Visible layers
סדר נטילת לולב

Blessing on Taking the Lulav

On Sukkot, except on Shabbat, the lulav and etrog are taken before Hallel.
Some say the following:
Ps. 89
Hebrew
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, בִּפְרִי עֵץ הָדָר וְכַפֹּת תְּמָרִים
וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל, אוֹתִיּוֹת שִׁמְךָ הַמְיֻחָד תְּקָרֵב אֶחָד אֶל אֶחָד
וְהָיוּ לַאֲחָדִים בְּיָדִי, וְלֵידַע אֵיךְ שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עָלַי וְיִירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָי.
וּבְנַעְנוּעִי אוֹתָם תַּשְׁפִּיעַ שֶׁפַע בְּרָכוֹת מִדַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן לִנְוֵה אַפִּרְיוֹן וּלְמָכוֹן בֵּית
אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וּתְהֵא חֲשׁוּבָה לְפָנֶיךָ מִצְוַת אַרְבָּעָה מִינִים אֵלּוּ כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְתִּיהָ
בְּכָל פְּרָטוֹתֶיהָ וְשָׁרָשֶׁיהָ וְתַרְיַ״ג מִצְווֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בָּהּ, כִּי כַוָּנָתִי לְיַחֲדָא
שְׁמָא דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, לְיַחֵד שֵׁם י״ה בְּו״ה
בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמֵן. בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה לְעוֹלָם, אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
Sephardi
Yehi ratzon milfanecha Adonai Elohai veilohei avotai, bifri eitz hadar vechapot temarim
Va'anaf eitz avot ve'arvei nachal, otiyot shimcha hameyuchad tekarev echad el echad
Vehayu la'achadim beyadi, veleyda eich shimcha nikra alai veyir'u migeshet elai.
Uvena'anu'i otam tashpia shefa berachot mida'at elyon linveh apiryon ulemachon beit
Eloheinu, utehe chashuvah lefanecha mitzvat arba'ah minim eilu ke'ilu kiyamtihah
Bechol peratotehah veshorashehah vetaryag mitzvot hateluyot bah, ki kavanati leyachada
Shema dekudsha berich hu ushechinteh bidchilu urchimu, leyached sheim Yod-Heh be-Vav-Heh
Beyichuda shelim beshem kol Yisrael, amen. Baruch Adonai le'olam, amen ve'amen:
English
May it be Your will, LORD my God and God of my fathers, that through the fruit of the citron tree, the palm frond, the myrtle branches and willows of the brook, the letters of Your unique name draw close to one another and become united in my hand. Make it known I am called by Your name, so that [evil] will fear to come close to me. When I wave them, may a rich flow of blessings flow from the supreme Source of wisdom to the place of the Tabernacle and the site of the House of our God. May the command of these four species be considered by You as if I had fulfilled it in all its details and roots, as well as the 613 commandments dependent on it, for it is my intention to unify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Divine Presence, in reverence and love, to unify the name Yod-Heh with Vav-Heh, in perfect unity in the name of all Israel, Amen. Blessed is the LORD forever, Amen and Amen.
The lulav is taken in the right hand, with the myrtle leaves on the right, willow leaves on the left. The etrog is taken in the left hand, with its pointed end toward the floor. Then say the following blessing:
Hebrew
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת לוּלָב.
Sephardi
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam
Asher kideshanu bemitzvotav, vetzivanu al netilat lulav.
English
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has made us holy through His commandments, and has commanded us about taking the lulav.
On the first day the lulav is taken, add:
Hebrew
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
Sephardi
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam
Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu vehigi'anu lazman hazeh.
English
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us and brought us to this time.
Invert the etrog, so that its pointed end is facing up. Face the front of the synagogue and wave the lulav and etrog in the following sequence, three times in each direction: right, left, ahead, up, down, back. Continue to hold the lulav and etrog during Hallel.