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Can a dried lulav be used in pressing circumstances? The Gemara (גמרא) rules it's kosher b'sha'as hadechak, yet the Raavad protests: pasul means pasul d'Oraisa. The shiur develops the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s yesod that netilas lulav contains two distinct halachic components—a mitzvah (מצוה) requirement and a ritzui (korban-like) requirement—and that sha'as hadechak permits fulfilling the mitzvah component alone.
This shiur analyzes the Gemara (גמרא)'s ruling in Sukkah 29b that lulav hayavesh (a dried lulav) is kosher b'sha'as hadechak (in pressing circumstances), exploring the profound disagreement among Rishonim about the scope and meaning of this halacha (הלכה). The Rambam (רמב"ם) in Hilchos Lulav rules that b'sha'as hadechak one may use a dried lulav and even make a bracha on it, but this leniency applies only to lulav itself, not to the other minim. The Raavad objects strenuously: if the Gemara declares lulav hayavesh "pasul," how can there be any distinction between l'chatchilah and b'di'eved? Pasul d'Oraisa means pasul, period. Moreover, where does the Rambam find a basis in the Gemara for distinguishing between lulav and the other species, and why doesn't this leniency extend to other disqualifications? The shiur identifies three major chiddushim in the Rambam's ruling: (1) b'sha'as hadechak lulav hayavesh is kosher and one may make a bracha on it, (2) this applies only to lulav hayavesh and not to the other minim when they are dried, and (3) other disqualifications (like nikdam rosho or nifrat zu) are not kosher even b'sha'as hadechak. The Geonim disagree on the third point, ruling that all disqualifications are kosher b'sha'as hadechak on Yom Tov Rishon, since they are all kosher on Yom Tov Sheini. The Hagaos Maimonios disagrees on the second point, extending the leniency to hadas hayavesh as well.
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Sukkah 29b
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