Scientific exploration of the Four Species of Sukkot can connect children to the joy of nature.
The Jewish calendar of holidays connects us to the land of Israel. Holidays have many themes. For the purpose of this blog, we will be exploring Sukkot's theme of nature.
In these days where iPhones and iPads are ubiquitous, it is especially important to provide our children with opportunities to connect with nature by going off the grid and entering into a world of limitless imagination and adventure. During Sukkot, we are encouraged to live outdoors in our Sukkot. While living outdoors in nature, we expand our children's awareness of the world outside of their personal experience, thereby creating a space for awe and gratitude for our natural surroundings.
- The leaves of different tree species all look and smell different.
- Trees grow in different climates:
- Desert Oases
- Riverbanks
- Mountains
- Cultivated land with modern irrigation
- Fruit can be fresh or dried.
- The four species of the lulav can symbolize the spine, mouth, eyes, and heart of the human body.
- Trees are either evergreen or deciduous.
 |
| Willow (Arava עֲרָבָה) |
 |
| Myrtle (Hadas הֲדַס) |
 |
| Palm Fronds (Lulav לוּלָב) |
 |
| Etrog (אֶתרוֹג) |
Use a shape guide for children to match their leaves and fruits directly over the images.
At-Home Scientific Activity: Compare colors of the lulav, myrtle, willow and etrog to colors on paint chips from a hardware store. Observe how many different shades of green can be found in a paint store!
Understanding The Four Species of Sukkot
Different parts of the lulav and etrog are reminders of the journey that B'nei Yisrael took when they were wandering in the desert for forty years. Each of the four species is from a specific region of Israel. Use a map of Israel to point out the different geographic regions of Israel:
 |
| http://www.bje.org.au/learning/israel/geography.html |
· the desert in the south;
· the sea on the west coast,
· and the riverbanks on the east coast.
Each of the four species require a large amount of water in order to grow.
Palm Fronds (Lulav לוּלָב)
.jpg)
Palm fronds come from the Palm tree. Palm fronds are young, unopened Palm branches. Dates grow from Palm trees. Palm trees require a lot of water for their roots and typically they grow in the desert, near an oasis. Palm trees are found in the southern tip of Israel.According to tradition, the lulav represents the spine. We can ask children the following question: Are we taking good care of our bodies and making our backs strong like a lulav?
 |
| Rachel Raz offers fresh dates to students. |
Willow (Arava עֲרָבָה)
.jpg)
Willow trees grow along riverbanks. They are found in the east coast of Israel near the Jordan river. Willow trees are deciduous trees, so they lose their leaves in the winter.According to tradition, the willow represents the mouth because the shape of the leaves is similar to lips. When we shake the lulav, we should also consider what is coming out of our mouths. Are we guarding our speech from idle gossip and hurtful speech?
Myrtle (Hadas הֲדַס)
.jpg)
The Myrtle tree grows in the mountains. It is very dense with leaves.According to tradition, the myrtle represents the eyes because the shape of the leaves look similar to the shape of eyes. Ask your children: What and who do you spend your time looking at? Why? Are you looking because of admiration? Jealousy? Awe?
Etrog (אֶתרוֹג)
The Etrog tree requires an irrigation system in order to survive since it demands a lot of water. The Etrog tree is unusual because fruit grows year-round, and can stay attached to the tree for as long as three years. Young and old fruit grow together. The Etrog tree, therefore, can represent our community, comprised of both young and old generations.According to tradition, the Etrog represents the heart. Ask your children: What is really in your heart? Is it love? Is it desire? Is it compassion?
At-Home Scientific Activity: Tree Patrol. Observe trees over the seasons. Have your child select two kinds of trees to monitor once a month (one deciduous, one evergreen) over the course of at least a year. Keep a tree journal, taking photos or collecting drawings of the tree. Date the photos and drawings and compare them over time. Ask your child if the tree is deciduous or evergreen, and why they arrive at their conclusion.
 |
| July |
 |
| August |
 |
| September |
 |
| October |
 |
| November |
 |
| February |
There are different layers of meaning for each of the four species.
Date Palm Fronds (Lulav לוּלָב) | Willows of the Brook (Arava עֲרָבָה) | Branch of a Leafy Tree - Myrtle (Hadas הֲדַס) | Fruit of a Goodly Tree - Citron (Etrog אֶתרוֹג) | |
Plant Life-Form | Evergreen | Deciduous | Evergreen | Evergreen |
Habitat | Desert Oases | Riverbanks | Mountains | Pardes |
Parts of the Human Body | Spine | Mouth/Lips | Eyes | Heart |
Different layers of interpretation - social aspect | Has taste but no smell - those who study Torah but do not possess good deeds | Has neither taste nor smell - those who lack both Torah and good deeds | Has a good smell but no taste - those who possess good deeds but do not study Torah | Has both a good taste and a good smell - those who have both Torah and good deeds |
At-Home Scientific Activity: Smell each of the four species. What does it smell like? Compare the smells to other trees and leaves such as pine needles, lemons, oak leaves, grass. Are any smells similar?
Excellent post !! Jesus, the Name above all names (Phillipians 2:9) bless you all ! God bless you my friends!
ReplyDelete