The four species of Sukkot are the Lulav (frond of a date palm), Etrog (citron fruit), hadasim (myrtle bough), and arovot (willow branch) . According to Rabbinic Judaism, the waving of the four plants is a mitzvah prescribed by the Torah, and it contains symbolic allusions to a Jews service of God. In the Midrash, the four species symbolize four types of Jews, with differing levels of Torah knowledge and observance. Bringing them together represents the unity of the Jewish people as a nation, despite their external differences. The functions of the four species are defined by both their smell and taste, or lack thereof, along with some interesting imagery from the Midrash:
- The Etrog has both taste and smell, representing people who both perform good deeds and have Torah knowledge.
- The Lulav has taste but no smell, representing those who do not use their knowledge to perform good deeds.
- The Hadasim has smell but no taste, representing those who perform good deeds but lack Torah knowledge.
- The Arovot has neither smell nor taste, representing those who lack both Torah knowledge and good deeds.
