Author: Zion Nefesh

The Lulav includes 6 items, three myrtle branches, two willow branches and an unopened palm branch. Its name is Lulav and because it is the main item and the aspect of Yessod, it lends its name to the entire 6 when they are assembled together. It is the ‘spine’ of the Lulav and holds the essence of the six. Similarly, the spine of the body holds the other bones and gives them strength.
Psalms 35:10
“כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי, תֹּאמַרְנָה– יְהוָה, מִי כָמוֹךָ:
מַצִּיל עָנִי, מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ; וְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן, מִגֹּזְלוֹ”
“All my bones shall say, “YHVH, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
Bones, עצמות, also means essence, power. In the body they are the aspect of Chokmah. The Lulav and the process of shaking it during the seven days of Sukkot is a great tool for us in connecting to Zeir Anpin and drawing its Light into our lives.
The Lulav shakings are done in four sets of 18 with total of 72. Lulav, לולב is numerically 68 חס and with the 4 ד species its 72. This is also the value of Chessed, חסד. Each of the 72 shakings has its own 3 shakings and that brings the total to 216, same as Gevurah, גבורה.
When we connect the Lulav on the right that is Chessed, with the Etrog on the left that is Gevurah, we bind them together and the central column helps the flow of Light to come down to the world of Malchut.
The Zohar mentions that the Etrog has the shape of a heart where thoughts and consciousness are. When we connect the Etrog to the Lulav we should have the proper consciousness in order to maximize on the connection.