The Talmud is discussing the ritual of bringing willow branches to the Temple during the holiday of Sukkot.  There is a debate over if this was done due to a hint in scripture (Leviticus 23:40), or was a tradition dating to Moses, or was an enactment of the ancient prophets, or a mere custom of the prophets.

The Gemara brings a teaching that it was enacted by the prophets, but contrasts: didn’t Rabbi Yoḥanan say in the name of Rabbi Neḥunya of the valley of Beit Ḥortan: The law of the ten saplings, the mitzva of the willow branch in the Temple, and the mitzva of the water libation on the altar during the festival of Sukkot are all a laws transmitted to Moses at Mt. Sinai?

The Talmud explains that the original law of the willow from Moses was forgotten due to the destruction of the first Temple and exile to Babylon, but when the prophets returned to Jerusalem they reestablished the practice.

This is an important concept to live by.  You may have rules that you live by, but during a tumultuous or volatile time in your personal history these fall by the wayside.  When something was working for you, it is important to remember it and bring it back into practice.  Our ancient prophets were not only seers but community leaders.  They realized that to succeed in the era of the second Temple, the Jews needed to restore some of the glory or the original Temple.

Likewise, a man who used to excel in some area but has been drawn away from it should try to return to his strength.  Perhaps you were on a sports team or used to lift.  You may not be as fast or strong as you were, but you can make the effort to continue your prior efforts.  A man who had his chosen personal boundaries, but failed to enforce them, needs to work very hard to reestablish these.

Yesterday we brought up the concern that a man would take his Lulav or shofar through the public domain on the Sabbath to go to an expert to learn how to use it.  Today the Talmud contrasts this to the willow ritual in the Temple, which is performed on the seventh day of Sukkot even on the Sabbath without the same concern.

Our sages explain that the willows are only taken within the Temple and are set up by agents if the rabbinical court and carried by the priests, who are already educated in this ritual.  We therefore have no concern that a regular man will take his willow to consult an expert.

When there is a job that can be done by specialists, let them do it.  Save your time and energy for the items that you specialize in yourself.

Today men can go online and learn how to install drywall or tile their kitchen.  This can give a feeling of accomplishment.  However, you need to balance this against the investment needed of your own time and talent.

You won’t have the opportunity to learn everything, and your personal resources are limited.  Your time is often more scarce and valuable than your money.  When you can, let men who have already mastered a job do the task.

We begin a discussion of taking the Lulav (meaning the four species) and performing the other rituals of Sukkot on the Sabbath,  The Gemara asks why we do not use the Lulav inside the Temple itself on the Sabbath (aside from when the first day of the holiday falls on the Sabbath).  The answer is that we are concerned that a man may take his Lulav through a public domain, which is forbidden on the Sabbath, to find an expert to study the laws of Lulav.

Our sages have the same concern on the new year, Rosh Hashanah, when we blow a ram horn (shofar).  A man may take his shofar through the public space to an expert to learn how to blow it.

This is a reminder of the importance of getting expert hands on instruction.  Just going to an expert would not be any issue, our ancient sages knew that men want to being the item they are working with along and have specific instructions for their situation.

When you learn a skill, sport, or hobby, gain a deep expertise and be ready to teach and guide men hands on.

The Talmud brings a critical Mishnah:

Originally, the lulav was taken in the Temple for seven days, and outside the Temple it was taken for one day.  Once the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that the lulav should be taken even in the rest of the country for seven days, in remembrance of the Temple.

The Temple era was (and in the future will again be) a time of glory and phenomenal accomplishment for the Jewish people.  Every man has experienced some degree of success that he can celebrate.  Maybe you were on a sports team years ago, and still throw the ball around sometimes.

That is not an empty gesture.  When a man relives his victories, achievements, and growth, it can energize and inspire him to hold on to his talents and grow in new areas.

We are examining what happens every seven years, when Sukkot falls during the Shmittah or sabbatical year, when we do not do business with produce in the normal manner.  The famous etrog or citron fruit remains of the tree until picked, unlike other fruits that fall off.

This poses a challenge since normally only fruits that add the majority of their growth on the sabbatical year are treated with the stringencies of the Shmittah.

By the etrog, our sages voted almost 2000 years ago to decide the law that we go after the year the fruit is picked for tithes and the sabbatical.

This reminds us that a man can spend many years developing himself and growing more capable.  However, this may not be noticed until you decide to leave your tree and get out into the world.

There is an advantage to remaining “on your tree” and working on yourself with complete dedication.  However, a man also needs to get into the fray and test this mettle.

Jewish wisdom teaches that every man was born for his exact time and place.  No one was born too late or too early to make an impact on the world.  When you feel that you need more time to “ripen” keep this ancient concept in mind.

The Talmud notes the the blessing after Hallel is up to the local custom, but a blessing before is required:

Before hallel, there is a mitzva to recite a blessing, as Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: With regard to all the mitzvot, one recites a blessing over them prior to the performance (over lasiyatan).  From where may it be inferred that the word “over” means before?  It is as Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said that it is written: “And Ahimaatz ran by the way of the plain and overtook [vaya’avor] the Cushite” (II Samuel 18:23).

We learn from Ahimaatz not only the meaning of “over” but also to not be the bearer of bad news.  He was running to tell King David that his rebellious son Avshalom had died in battle, so the civil war was over.  This was good news for the nation,.but David had wanted Avshalom kept alive at all cost.  Even though David’s general Joab told him not to go (18:20), Ahimaatz wanted to be the man to bring the message.

In general, a man should avoid being he bearer of bad news.  However, even where the message is good for most people (the civil war was ended), you also don’t want to be the one to bring shock or distress to another man who is sensitive about this subject.

We try to avoid insulting, degrading, or causing distress.  However, there are times that it is appropriate, and we even pay good money for it.  Successful businesses hire consultants to criticize their methods, men hire personal trainer to tell them what they are doing wrong and how to work out better.

Sometimes the only way to improve is to ask for or even kay for bad news.

The Talmud turns to the recitation of Hallel on the holiday, which is comprised of Psalms and verses of praise.  In ancient times, many people did not have Hallel memorized, and prayer books were very rare. So one man would recite the verses and the others would listen along and answer Hallelujah. All the men are considered to have recited the praises through the principle that hearing is like saying.

However, if the person reciting is legally a minor or is a woman, they cannot exempt adult men of the obligation to say Hallel.  A person who is not himself required to be responsible for a certain thing cannot do that thing on behalf of others to discharge their obligation.

The Talmud states that a man who cannot read or recite Hallel and must have his wife or son recite for him is worthy of a curse. This is to encourage him to get the education needed to lead his family.

A leader needs to have some advantage in skills, experience or education over those he leads.  This man demonstrates that he does not have a basic education and must rely on his wife or children for his spiritual requirements.  Inevitably, they will begin to disregard his leadership.

Keep in mind that in ancient Jewish societies, literacy was common, and practically every man along with many women could read. This is a stark contrast to other ancient peoples, where only the most wealthy or the priests could read or write.

In ancient times only a few men could read. The Talmud contains many references to women reading and owning books (Gittin 35, 80, Yevamot 91, Yoma 66). While literacy and education was less widespread among women than men, the fact that any Jewish women would read is a stark contrast to the pagan world.

The Talmud debates if holding your Lulav (the bundle of the Lulav, Hadas, and Aravah) still counts if there is something in between your hand and these plants.

Our sages compare mixing the ashes of the Red Heifer into the water, to make the special purification liquid that removes contamination from contact with the dead.  The Torah implies that we must place the ashes by hand into the water, but our sages learn that even putting the container of ashes in works.

In any event, the liquid is kosher only when you have proper intention to create it.  Being mindful allows us to take ashes and water, both practicality worthless, and make the most valuable liquid in the world.

Every man has his share of worthless ashes, the remains of his plans, goals, and aspirations.  Many men do not like to think about their failures, it is painful.  However, using the experience to rebuild and start again alleviates the loss.

This requires great mindfulness. A man must be willing to analyze his greatest mistakes and use the remnants of his broken dreams to build something useful.

The Talmud explains an interesting disqualification for the etrog:

If he grew the etrog in a mold and shaped it to appear like a different species, it is unfit.  Rava said: this only applies when it was shaped it to appear like a different species; however, if it still appears like its own species, it is fit.
The Gemara asks: isn’t this obvious?  The teaching says: “Like a different species”
The Gemara answers: No, Rava’s explanation is necessary for an etrog that is molded into the shape of many planks (deep ridges, a rare but still a naturally occurring shape).

If you place a form or mold around a growing fruit, it will grow into that shape.  This concept is extremely vital to understand, as it applies to people.  We grow up withing a framework built by our society, the media, our parents, our schoolteachers, and the wider culture and historical context.  If we remain within that mold, we become the product of these forces.

Many men never even realize this.  Your life is shaped by many outside influences pulling and pushing on you to do their bidding.  Not to say that we do not have free will – we do make meaningful choices but within our social framework.  However, the pressure on us does limit our horizons and scope of possible actions.

The greatest struggle in your life is to be the one who sets your own mold, who actively guides your personal growth.  In modern society we see people vying for control over the forces that shape people.  This was same the reason ancient Jews went to war against the Greeks, leading the the holiday of Chanukkah.

Now, Rava teaches that you can use a mold to make your etrog grow into specific form, as long as it is a naturally occurring one for the fruit.  This reminds us that many men in modern secular society don’t have a clear definition of positive masculinity.  They did not grow up with strong male role models, and the mainstream media provides various conflicting mockeries of what it means to be a man.

A young man in this situation, instead of remaining without a firm shape for his development, should make an effort to mold himself into a conventional man – strong, successful, and hardworking in pursuit of his chosen mission in life.  When you see men and boys who do not have a picture of what it means to be a man, try to give some guidance.

I am not saying to try to make others into whatever you are – each man needs to find his own purpose.  The important thing is to get a man to realize that they don’t have to go along with the default narrative provided by all the outside forces in our society.  Instead, he can be the one to choose what he wants out of life, and his own definition of success.

We begin exploring the etrog or esrog, the citron fruit. This fruit is called “pri etz hadar” meaning fruit of glorious tree in the Bible, we only know that this means the etrog because God identified it to Moses at Sinai.

“Hadar” also means dwelling or living, our sages explain that the etrog is unique as the fruits do not drop but dwell on the tree for years. The Gemara compares the etrog to a corral of animals, which contains older and younger individuals, blemished and whole animals.

It is a great advantage for a man to be able to get along with men who are older and younger than himself. We can learn so much from the acquired wisdom of the prior generations, and we have guidance to offer those younger than ourselves. One of the advantages to living in a conventional Jewish subculture is that we pray together, young and old. A boy at age 13 is expected to join the community in prayer and looks to his elders for proper behavior.

We also need to learn to befriend people who look and act differently than we do. Other men have new perspectives on life, when we can interact in a productive way we can gain from one another.

We also learn that an etrog with blisters is still valid – when those blisters are confined to one section, not scattered around the entire fruit. If you have one area of your life where you are lacking or having problems, that it normal. But if you have issues all over, you need to reevaluate your whole approach. Often a person with a personality disorder blame everyone and everything else for their issues, but the common denominator is that person.

In addition, the Talmud teaches that when these blisters are on the “nose” of the etrog, that is not valid. This is the key area of the fruit. If you have challenges in a critical area of your life – and not all men consider the same things critical – then you must work on that first.