How to take the lulav

The brachos in full, and each step. It takes about a minute.

Before you start

  • Any day of Sukkos up to Hoshana Rabbah, except Shabbos, in the daytime. Best in the sukkah, in the morning.
  • Stand facing east.
  • Take the esrog out of its box and keep it within reach. Don’t hold it yet.

Step by step

  1. Take the lulav in your right hand

    Hold it near the bottom, where the rings bind the hadassim and aravos to it, so all three kinds are in your hand. The spine faces you and the tips point up.

    Left-handed? Lulav in your left hand, esrog in your right.

    A man holds the bound lulav upright in his right hand; the esrog waits in its box.

  2. Say the brachah

    Holding only the lulav.

    Every time
    בָּרוּךְBa-ruchאַתָּהa-tahיְיָA-do-naiאֱלֹהֵינוּE-lo-hei-nuמֶלֶךְme-lechהָעוֹלָם,ha-o-lam,אֲשֶׁרa-sherקִדְּשָׁנוּki-de-sha-nuבְּמִצְוֹתָיוbe-mitz-vo-savוְצִוָּנוּve-tzi-va-nuעַלalנְטִילַתne-ti-lasלוּלָב.lu-lav.

    Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has made us holy with His commandments and commanded us concerning the taking of the lulav.

  3. Pick up the esrog in your left hand

    Stem end down, pointed tip up, the way it grew.

    The same man, lulav in his right hand and the esrog in his left, stem end down.

  4. First time this Sukkos? Say Shehecheyanu

    Holding both. If you already took the lulav this Sukkos, skip this.

    First time only
    בָּרוּךְBa-ruchאַתָּהa-tahיְיָA-do-naiאֱלֹהֵינוּE-lo-hei-nuמֶלֶךְme-lechהָעוֹלָם,ha-o-lam,שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּshe-he-che-ya-nuוְקִיְּמָנוּve-ki-ye-ma-nuוְהִגִּיעָנוּve-hi-gi-a-nuלִזְמַןliz-manהַזֶּה.ha-zeh.

    Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.

  5. Bring them together

    Hands together in front of your chest, the esrog touching the bundle. Cup your hand over the esrog.

  6. Shake in six directions

    Keep facing east and keep the tips pointing up. Each shake: reach out, rustle the leaves, and bring the set back to your chest. Three times each way, in this order:

    On the very last shake, uncover the esrog a little.

  7. Put them down

    The esrog goes back in its box, and the lulav is laid down gently.

Yasher koach!

You did the mitzvah of lulav and esrog.