the Lord," and not
entirely for personal gratification.

The four species belonging to the vegetable kingdom which we use in this
festival, are designed to remind us of the four elements of nature,
which work under the direction and approval of the Most High, and
without which all things would cease to exist. Therefore the Bible
commands us on this "feast of the Lord," to give thanks, and bring
before Him these four species, each typifying one of the elements.

"Ye shall take for yourselves the fruit of the tree _hadar_" (the
citron). Its color is high yellow and resembles fire. The second species
is the palm branch (Heb. _Lulab_). The palm is a high tree, growing up
straight in the air, and its fruit is sweet and delicious to the taste;
this then represents the second element, air. The third is the bough of
the myrtle, one of the lowliest of trees, growing close to the ground;
its nature, cold and dry as earth, fits it to represent that element.
The fourth is "the willow of the brook," which grows in perfection close
beside the water, dropping its branches into the stream, and symbolizing
thus the last element, water.

The Bible teaches us that for each of these four elements we owe special
thanks to God.

The citron we hold in the left hand, and the other three we grasp
together in the right. This we do because the citron contains in itself
all that the others represent. The outside skin is yellow, fire; the
inside skin is white and damp, air; the pulp is watery, water; and the
seeds are dry, earth. It is taken into the left hand, because the right
hand is strongest, and the citron is but one, while the other emblems
are three.

These four emblems represent likewise the four principal members of the
human body. The citron is shaped somewhat like a heart, without which we
could not live, and with which man should serve his fellows; the palm
branch represents the spine, which is the foundation of the human frame,
in front of which the heart lies; this signifies that we should serve
God with our entire body. The branches of the myrtle resemble a human
eye, with which man recognizes the deeds of his fellows, and with which
he may obtain a knowledge of the law. The leaves of the willow represent
the lips, with which man may serve the Eternal and thank Him. The myrtle
is mentioned in the Bible before the willow, because we are able to see
and know a thing before we can call its name with our lips; man is able
to look