Netilat Lulav
Netilat lulav and etrog, nusach Sephard and Ashkenaz.
Netilat Lulav: Ashkenazi Custom
Binding the arba minim
The custom of Ashkenazi (and some Sephardi Jews) is to place three hadasim on the right side of the lulav and two aravot on the left. Most Ashkenazim put the hadasim and aravot in lulav holders woven from lulav strips, also known by their Yiddish name, koishichlach. Then, other lulav strips, formed into rings, fasten the holder to the lulav, and also keep the lulav together.
Holding the arba minim
Like with all mitzvot, we hold the arba minim when in the position of their natural growth. That is, when saying the blessing the part from which they were cut from the ground faces the ground, while the top faces up.
Take the lulav, hadasim, and aravot in the right hand, with the spine of the lulav facing you, top-up, bottom-down (in the way they naturally grow). Take the etrog upside down in your left hand, that is with the oketz (stem that connects it to the tree) pointing up. The reason for this is that we say blessings on all mitzvot before performing them (over la'asiyatam); if one were to hold the etrog in the proper direction, the mitzvah would already be performed before saying the blessing.
Some follow the Sefaradi custom, and pick up the etrog only after reciting the blessing (see below):
The blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת לוּלָב
On the first day, say shehechiyanu:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Shaking the arba minim
After saying the blessing, turn the etrog so the pitom faces up and the oketz (stem) faces down. Then bring the lulav and etrog together and shake them in all directions while standing in place: forwards, right, backwards, left, up, and down. Some shake forwards, backwards, right, left, up, and down.
Throughout the time the arba minim are shaken in four directions, the lulav needs to be right next to the etrog. The mainstream custum is that each time the arba minim are waved to a different direction, one's face turns to that direction. Throughout the shaking, the lulav is held top-up, bottom-down.
The arba minim are brought up and back to the chest three times.
Netilat Lulav: Sephardi Custom
Binding the arba minim
Some Sephardi communities place the hadasim and aravot like Ashkenazi custom, mentioned above.
However, in most of the Sephardi communities, the lulav is placed in the middle with its spine facing the person holding it, with one hadas on the right, left, and the spine of the lulav. The two aravot are placed on the right and left of the lulav.
The Sephardi custom is to tie the hadasim and aravot are tied with a double knot (using rings made from lulav strips) to the lulav. In this way they form one bundle.
Holding the arba minim
Like with all mitzvot, we hold the arba minim when in the position of their natural growth. That is, when saying the blessing the part from which they were cut from the ground faces the ground, while the top faces up.
The widespread custom among Sephardi communities is to take only the lulav bundle in the right hand and say the blessing "al netilat lulav," and on the first day shehechiyanu. Only afterwards the etrog in taken in the left hand with the pitom facing upwards, held it next to the lulav, and then all the arba minim are shaken together.
Shaking the arba minim: the custom of most Sephardi communities (Ari z"l)
The arba minim are waved three times to the south, three times north, three times east, three times up, three times down, and three times west.
Throughout the time the arba minim are shaken in four directions, the lulav needs to be right next to the etrog. At the beginning of each shake, the arba minim are brought to the chest. Each time the arba minim are waved to a different direction, the entire body turns to that direction. Throughout the shaking, the lulav top-up, bottom-down.
When waving up and down, one's body remains facing east, and the arba minim are held to the chest. Then they are brought up and back to the chest three times. The same procedure is performed when waving downwards: the arba minim are brought to the chest, with the bottom part facing down, and in this way they are brought down and back to the chest three times.
The blessing:
לְשֵׁם יִחוּד
לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, וּרְחִימוּ וּדְחִילוּ, לְיַחֲדָא שֵׁם י"ה בְּאוֹתִיּוֹת ו"ה בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. הִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ בָּאִים לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת (ביום הראשון מוסיף: עֲשֵׂה דְּאוֹרַיְתָא שֶׁל) נְטִילַת לוּלָב הֲדַס עֲרָבָה וְאֶתְרוֹג, (ביום הראשון מוסיף: בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת), לְתַקֵּן שֹׁרֶשׁ מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּמָקוֹם עֶלְיוֹן. לַעֲשׂוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לְיֹצְרֵנוּ וְלַעֲשׂות רְצוֹן בּוֹרְאֵנוּ. וִיהִי נֹעַם אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ. וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ. וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת לוּלָב
On the first day, say shehechiyanu:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
After saying the blessing, take the etrog in your left hand, bring the etrog and lulav together, and wave it south, north, east, up, down, and west.