Why Don’t We Take the Lulav on Shabbos? Sukkot 2026 Explained

Sukkot 2026 begins on Shabbos, September 26. Even though the first day of Sukkot is the day when taking the Four Species is a Torah obligation outside the Beis Hamikdash, we do not take the lulav and etrog on Shabbos today. Instead, the first lulav taking of Sukkot 2026 will be on Sunday, September 27.

That raises an obvious question: if the Torah itself commands the mitzvah on the first day, how can Shabbos cause us to skip it?

The Torah singles out the first day

The Torah says, “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day” the Four Species (Vayikra 23:40). Outside the Beis Hamikdash, the Torah-level obligation applies on the first day. The mitzvah on the later days, as practiced everywhere after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, was instituted by the Sages as a remembrance of the Temple.

The Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 658:1–2, states both points directly: outside the Temple the Torah obligation is on the first day, and nevertheless the lulav is not taken on Shabbos even when Shabbos is that first day.

This makes Sukkot 2026 unusual. Shabbos, September 26, is precisely the day that would normally carry the strongest Torah-level lulav obligation—and yet there will be no lulav taking that day.

Why did the Sages say not to take it?

The answer appears in the Gemara, Sukkah 42b–43a.

The Gemara itself asks why the lulav should not be taken on Shabbos. After all, the mitzvah is from the Torah on the first day. Rabba explains that the Sages were concerned that a person who did not know how to perform the mitzvah might take the lulav to an expert to learn how to wave it or how to say the blessing. In doing so, he could carry it four amos (cubits) in a public domain and violate a Torah prohibition of Shabbos.

This is the same basic concern the Gemara gives for other mitzvos that can coincide with Shabbos.

So is the mitzvah simply canceled?

For us today, when the first day of Sukkot falls on Shabbos, yes: we do not take the Four Species that day. This is not merely a rule about carrying the lulav to shul. The mitzvah of taking it is not performed even at home.

That is why an eruv does not change the practical ruling. The enactment is that lulav is not taken on Shabbos, rather than simply a warning not to carry it through the street.

But it was not always exactly this way

Here is where the history becomes especially interesting.

The Mishnah describes a time when the first day of Sukkot did fall on Shabbos and people brought their lulavim to the Temple Mount on Friday so they could fulfill the mitzvah on Shabbos. Because the Torah says lachem—“for yourselves”—ownership mattered, and arrangements were made so that each person could fulfill the mitzvah properly.

The Rambam, Hilchos Shofar, Sukkah VeLulav 7:13–18, lays out the development clearly. The Torah-level first-day mitzvah was once taken on Shabbos in the relevant places. After the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, the Sages established a uniform practice that the lulav would not be taken on Shabbos, even on the first day. The Rambam adds that even with today’s fixed calendar, when there is no uncertainty about the date, the established ruling remains in place.

We will explore that history—and the fascinating scene of people bringing their lulavim before Shabbos—in the next article in this series.

What does “min haTorah” mean for Sukkot 2026?

Min haTorah means that a mitzvah or rule comes directly from the Torah, rather than being instituted later by the Sages.

Normally, the first day’s Torah status creates several stricter rules for the Four Species. For example, the Torah says lachem, “yours,” so a borrowed set does not fulfill the first-day Torah obligation. Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 649, discusses how first-day and later-day rules differ.

But when that first day itself is Shabbos, the mitzvah is not performed. In 2026, this produces an unusual practical result: the first time we actually pick up and make a blessing on the Four Species is Sunday.

What happens on Sunday, September 27?

On Sunday morning, the Four Species are taken for the first time that Sukkot.

Outside Israel, Sunday is the second day of Yom Tov. In Israel, Sunday is already Chol Hamoed. That difference can affect some of the detailed halachos surrounding the Four Species, and it is one reason it is important not to assume that every first-day rule automatically applies identically everywhere on Sunday.

When the lulav is first taken that year, the blessing Al Netilas Lulav is recited, together with Shehecheyanu for the first performance of the mitzvah that Sukkot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we take the lulav at home on Shabbos if we do not carry it outside?

No. The Four Species are not taken on Shabbos today, even when the first day of Sukkot falls on Shabbos.

Does an eruv make a difference?

No. The halachic enactment is not limited to places where carrying happens to be prohibited.

Is the first day still considered the Torah-level day if we cannot take the lulav?

Yes. The first day retains its status; however, the established rabbinic enactment prevents the performance of the lulav mitzvah on Shabbos.

When do we first take the lulav in 2026?

Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Why is Sunday different in Israel and the Diaspora?

In Israel it is Chol Hamoed, while outside Israel it is the second day of Yom Tov. A later article in this series will explain the practical Four Species differences in detail.

A rare calendar, and a window into Jewish law

Sukkot beginning on Shabbos gives us a striking example of how Torah law and rabbinic safeguards work together. The first day is the Torah’s primary day for the mitzvah of lulav, yet the Sages established that today we do not perform it when that day is Shabbos because of the possibility of violating Shabbos through carrying.

It also connects us to a very different period of Jewish history, when people prepared their lulavim before Shabbos and actually took them on the first day. That story is the subject of the next installment.

If you are preparing for Sukkot 2026, EasyEtrog has complete kosher lulav and etrog sets available for Sukkot. Because the holiday begins on Friday night this year, having everything ready before Shabbos is especially important.

This article is intended as general halachic education. For a practical question involving your own Four Species or circumstances, consult your rav.

Primary Sources

Vayikra 23:40; Mishnah Sukkah 4:4; Gemara Sukkah 42b–43a; Rambam, Hilchos Shofar, Sukkah VeLulav 7:13–18; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 658:1–2; Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 649.