R’ Yishmael says: Three myrtle twigs, two willow twigs, one lulav, and one esrog [are required]; even if two are broken off and one is not broken off. R’ Tarfon says: Even if all three are broken off.  R’ Akiva says: Just as there is one lulav and one esrog, so [there is] one myrtle twig and one willow twig.

A stolen esrog or a dry one is invalid.  [One] from an asherah or from a city that was led astray is invalid.  [One] of orlah is invalid.  [One] of contaminated terumah is invalid. [If it is] of pure terumah he should not use it, but if he used it, it is valid.  [If it is] of demai, Beis Shammai invalidate it, and Beis Hillel validate it.  If it is of maaser sheni in Jerusalem, he should not use it, but if he used it, it is valid.

If a scab-like boil grew on most of it, [or] its pitam was removed, [or] it was peeled, [or] it was split, [or] it was punctured and is missing a slight portion, it is invalid.  If a boil covered a minority of it, [or] its stem was removed, [or] it was punctured and nothing was missing, it is valid.  An Ethiopian esrog is invalid.  If one is green as a leek, R’ Meir validates it, but R’ Yehudah invalidates it.

The minimum size of an esrog —- R’ Meir says: Like a nut. R’ Yehudah says: Like an egg.  And the maximum —- so that he can hold two [esrogim] in one hand; these are the words of R’ Yehudah. R’ Yose says: Even one [that must be held] in both hands.

We do not bind the lulav except with its own kind; these are the words of R’ Yehudah. R’ Meir says: Even with cord.  R’ Meir said: It happened that the men of Jerusalem would bind their lulavim with gold wire. They said to him [in rebuttal]: They would bind it with its own kind underneath.

At which point [in the Hallel service] did they wave the [lulav]? At “Give thanks to HASHEM,” at the beginning and end, and at “Please, HASHEM, bring salvation now”; these are the words of Beis Hillel. Beis Shammai say: Also at “Please, HASHEM, bring success now.”  Said R’ Akiva: As I was watching Rabban Gamliel and R’ Yehoshua, all the people were waving their lulavim, but they did not wave anything except during “Please, HASHEM, bring salvation now.”  One who arrived from a journey where he did not have a lulav at hand to use, when he comes home he should take it at his table.  If he did not take it in the morning he should take it in the afternoon, for the entire day is valid for the lulav.

If a [non-Jewish] slave, a woman, or a minor recited [Hallel] for someone, he must repeat after them whatever they say —- and let it be a curse upon him!  If an adult was reciting for him, he must respond after him, “Hallelu Yah.”

In a place where they are accustomed to repeat, he repeats; [where the custom is] to recite as is, he recites as is; [where the custom is] to recite a blessing after it, he recites a blessing after it —- everything [must be done] in accord with the local custom.  If one purchases a lulav from his friend during Shemittah, he must give him the esrog as a gift, because it is forbidden to purchase it during Shemittah.

Originally the lulav was taken in the Temple seven [days], and in the provinces [it was taken] one day.  After the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted that the lulav be taken in the provinces seven [days] in remembrance of the Temple; and that the entire Day of Waving be forbidden.

On the first day of the Festival that fell on the Sabbath, all the people would bring their lulavim to the synagogue. On the morrow they would awaken early and come. Everyone would recognize his own [lulav] and take it, for the Sages said: A man cannot fulfill his obligation on the first day of Succos with a lulav belonging to his friend; but on the other days of Succos a man can fulfill his obligation with a lulav belonging to his friend.

R’ Yose says: If the first day of Succos fell on the Sabbath, and one forgot and carried the lulav out into the public domain, he is exempt —- for he carried it out with permission.

15. A woman may accept [a lulav] from her son or from her husband and return it to the water on the Sabbath.  R’ Yehudah says: On the Sabbath we return [it], on the Festival we add [water], and during [the Intermediate Days of] the Festival we change [the water].  A minor who knows how to wave is obligated to take the lulav.

The [mitzvos of] lulav and the willow branch [are performed] six or seven [days]. The [recitation of] Hallel and the [mitzvah of] rejoicing [are performed] eight [days]. The [mitzvos of] succah and the water libation [are performed] seven [days]. And the flute [is played] five or six [days].

How is [the mitzvah of] lulav [performed] seven [days]? If the first day of the Festival falls on the Sabbath, the lulav [is taken] seven [days]; but [if it falls] on any of the other days, [it is taken] six [days].

How is [the mitzvah of the] willow branch [performed] seven [days]? If the seventh day of [the] willow [ceremony] falls on the Sabbath, the willow [ceremony] is seven [days]; but [if it falls] on any of the other days, [the ceremony is performed] six [days].

How is the mitzvah of lulav [performed]? If the first day of Succos falls on the Sabbath, they bring their lulavim to the Temple Mount, and the attendants receive [the lulavim] from them and arrange them upon the bench —- but the elderly place theirs in a chamber —- and they teach them to say, “My lulav is presented as a gift to whomever it may come.”  On the morrow they arise early and come. The attendants throw [the lulavim] before them and they would snatch them, striking one another. When the beis din saw that they were endangered, they ordained that everyone should take [his lulav] at home.

How was the mitzvah of the willow [performed]? There was a place below Jerusalem called Motza. They descended there, gathered from there large willow branches, and came and stood them up against the sides of the Altar, with their tops drooping over the top of the Altar.  They blew [on a trumpet] a tekiah, a teruah, and a tekiah. Each day they would circle the Altar one time and say, “Please HASHEM bring salvation now, please HASHEM bring success now!” R’ Yehudah says: [They would say,] “ANI VAHO, bring salvation now!” But on that day they circled the Altar seven times.  When they left what did they say? “Beauty is yours, O Altar! Beauty is yours, O Altar!” R’ Eliezer says: [They said,] “To YAH and to you, O Altar! To YAH and to you, O Altar!”