The four species (Hebrew: ארבעת המינים arba'at ha-minim, also called arba'a minim) are four plants—the etrog, lulav, hadass, and aravah—mentioned in the Torah (Leviticus 23:40) as being relevant to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

The four species are then pointed and gently shaken three times toward each of the four directions, plus up and down, to attest to God's mastery over all of creation.

Women and girls may choose to perform the mitzvah of waving the lulav and etrog, but are not required by Halakha to do so.

[4] The waving is performed again (though without the attendant blessings) during morning prayer services in the synagogue, at several points during the recital of Hallel.

Additionally, in the synagogue, Hallel is followed by a further ceremony, in which the worshippers join in a processional around the sanctuary with their four species, while reciting special supplications (called hoshaanot, from the refrain hosha na, "save us").

[6] In old Jewish Eastern European communities, the Jews lived in cities far from fields, which then required substantial travel in order to purchase the four species.

Northern African communities—such as those in Morocco and Tunis—were located closer to fields where etrogim could be grown, but the etrog was still fairly expensive.

[8] To that end, people will spend large amounts of money to acquire the most perfect etrog, the straightest lulav, and the freshest hadass and aravah.

[9] Thus, in order to perform the commandment, Jews from different parts of the land had to gather together at the Temple to share the species that grew in their locations.

Each of the species or its leaves is similar in shape to the following organs: By binding them together for a mitzvah, Jews show their desire to consecrate their entire being to the service of God.

By taking these particular species and waving them in all directions, the Jew symbolically voices a prayer for abundant rainfall for all the vegetation of the earth in the coming year.

Karaite Jews believe the intent is not to wave the four species but rather to use them to build the "sukkah" which is described in neighboring verses (23:42–43).

According to most Karaites, this indicates that Ezra's scribes interpreted that verse as referring to building materials for the sukkah, not waving the four species.

[13] Lawrence Schiffman interprets the passage the same way: One of the earliest examples of midrashic exegesis was the manner in which Lev.

It remains unclear according to this interpretation where exactly the scribes in Nehemiah's day "found written in the law" that the Sukkah should be taken from the described species, as no such commandment appears in the books of Moses or anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible.

A minority view exists among the Karaites sages which holds that the four species symbolize a wide variety of greeneries and fruits that are meant to be decoratively bundled together, carried around, and eaten throughout this holiday, thus fulfilling the injunction of Lev 23:40 "to rejoice before the Lord".

The Four Species resurfaced in the visual arts of late antiquity, appearing in artistic objects found both in the Land of Israel and diaspora communities.