And where (i.e., at which point) did they shake it? [Now the tanna returns to (3:2): "A lulav which is three tefachim long in order to shake it" — whence we see that it is a mitzvah to shake it. Where did they shake it? ] At the beginning [of the verse (in the Hallel): "Give thanks to the L rd"] and at the end [of the verse: "For His lovingkindness is forever." Others explain: "beginning" — the first "Give thanks"; "the end" — the last "Give thanks," at the end of the Hallel. This (the latter) is the probable meaning. And how does he shake it? He moves it forward and back to ward off injurious winds, shaking it three times with each movement; and so with the up and down movements, three times with each movement. ] And (he shakes it) at "I pray You, O L rd, save, I pray." These are the word of Beth Hillel. And Beth Shammai say: Also at "I pray You, O L rd, prosper, I pray." R. Akiva said: I observed R. Gamliel and R. Yehoshua when all the people were shaking their lulavim, and they shook them only at "I pray You, O L rd, save, I pray." [And the halachah here is only in accordance with Beth Hillel.] If one were on the road and had no lulav to take, when he comes home, he takes it at his table. [If he forgot, and did not take it before his meal, he stops eating and takes it at his table.] If he did not take it in the morning, he takes it in the afternoon; for the entire day is kasher for lulav.
Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
והיכן היו מנענעין – now the Tanna/teacher returns to that which we taught above (Tractate Sukkah, Chapter 3, Mishnah 1): Any Lulav that has in it three handbreadths in order to [hold it in his hand] and shake it, so we see that it is a Mitzvah to shake it (Talmud Sukkah 37b).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
Introduction
The first part of this mishnah deals with when during the Hallel (Psalms 113-118) one waives the lulav.
The second part of the mishnah deals with when during the day one should perform the mitzvah of taking the lulav.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
בהודו לה' תחלה – the beginning of the Biblical verse (Psalms 118:1).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
And where [in the service] do they wave [the lulav]? At “Give thanks to the Lord” (Psalm 118), at the beginning and at the end, and at “O Lord, deliver us” (118:25), the words of Bet Hillel. Bet Shammai say: also at “O Lord, let us prosper.” Rabbi Akiva says: I was watching Rabban Gamaliel and Rabbi Joshua, and while all the people were waving their lulavs [at “O Lord, let us prosper”] they waved them only at “O Lord deliver us.” The mitzvah of taking the lulav involves waving it in six directions to the directions of the four winds and up and down. The custom was and still is to waive the lulav the first time one takes it up, and then to waive it again in the synagogue at various points during the recitation of Hallel at the morning service. This is the background to our mishnah. Here we see that there is a debate about one of these wavings. According to all of the sages, one waves at the beginning of Psalm 118 and at the end, a Psalm that begins and ends with “Give thanks to the Lord.” Everyone agrees that there is also a waving in the middle of this Psalm, but they disagree as to the extent of the waving. Bet Hillel says that one waves during the first half of verse 25, “O Lord, deliver us”, but not during the second half, “O Lord, let us prosper.” Bet Shammai says that one also waves during the second half of the verse. Rabbi Akiva, who lived long after Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai were no longer really in existence, testifies that he saw all of the people waving at “O Lord, let us prosper” as Bet Shammai stated, while Rabban Gamaliel and Rabbi Joshua, two of Rabbi Akiva’s elders, waived only at “O Lord, deliver us,” as Bet Hillel posited. The halakhah is according to Bet Hillel. As an aside, while it is typical for the rabbis to follow Bet Hillel, it is interesting to note that in this case most of the people acted like Bet Shammai.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
וסוף – the end of the Biblical verse, “for God’s lovingkindness endures forever” (Psalms 118:29). But there are those who interpret the beginning of the first “Praise the LORD for He is good” (Psalms 118:1) and the end, and the end, the last “Praise the LORD [for He is good]” at the conclusion of Hallel (Psalms 118:29), and this makes sense. And how does he shake it? He moves it back and forth in order to prevent the evil winds, moves it up and down to prevent evil dew (Menahot 62a). And when he moves it, he shakes it three times ad similarly when he moves it [back and] forth, and similarly when he moves it up and similarly going down, on each and every one three times.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
One who was on a journey and had no lulav to take, when he enters his house he should take it [even if he is] at his table. If he did not take the lulav in the morning, he should take it at any time before dusk, since the whole day is valid for [taking] the lulav. It is preferable to take up the lulav first thing in the morning before one eats. This is usually done today during the morning prayer service, right before Hallel. However, one can fulfill the mitzvah any time during the day. If one is returning from a trip and he didn’t have a lulav with him, he should take one as soon as he gets into his house. Even if he is in the middle of a meal and then remembers that he hasn’t performed the mitzvah of taking the lulav, he should put aside his meal and take the lulav. One can perform the mitzvah all the way through dusk.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
והם לא נענעו אלא באנא ה' הושיעה נא בלבד - and this is not the Halakha but rather according to the words of the School of Hillel.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
יטול על שלחנו – if he forgot and did not take up the Lulav prior to eating, he interrupts his meal and take it up at his table.
