Shake!

By RABBI JOSEPH H. PROUSER

Each day of Succot (except Shabbat) we take the Lulav (“the Four Species” – a palm frond bound together with willow and myrtle branches, and an etrog/citron), recite a blessing for the Mitzvah, and ceremoniously shake (or wave) the Lulav in six directions: North, East, South, West, up and down – celebrating the ubiquitous immanence of God. Customs vary, even within my own family, as to the order of the directions in which the Lulav is to be shaken!

Citing Menachot 62A, Rashi describes an analogous six-fold procedure for the Wave Offering prescribed in Exodus 29:24 – “It is moved back and forth, acknowledging God, to Whom belong the four directions of the Earth… then it is moved up and down, acknowledging God, to Whom belong both Heaven and Earth.”

It is entirely possible that the six points of the Magen David (Star of David) are designed to convey very much the same theological perspective.

These recurrent “six directions” suggest a message of moral responsibility, articulated by children’s author, Dr. Seuss:

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”

This Succot… shake up your routine.

Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser is the rabbi of Temple Emanuel of North Jersey and the editor of “Masorti: The New Journal of Conservative Judaism.”