Something really bothers me about when Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot begin on Shabbat. That is that we do not blow shofar or wave lulav and etrog on Shabbat. Why is this the case? Because someone might carry these items outside of an eruv, thereby violating Shabbat. This begs the question why not build an eruv so this is a non-issue? Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai issued a takanahלא פלוג, that we should not divide ourselves from other communities.[1] Hence no one blows shofar or waves lulav and etrog on Shabbat.One way of looking at this is the absurdity of following archaic traditions. More people are in shul on Shabbat-therefore we should do these rituals davka (specifically) on Shabbat. The other belief is the importance of tradition-just like two days of yom tov is a tradition that must be maintained, so too should the custom of not waving the lulav and etrog on Sukkot on Shabbat. You don’t like it? Come back tomorrow or during one of the other days of Sukkot!

There is one caveat that I will make. Following לא פלוג presumes a unity between communities that I’m not sure can be assumed today. There are those who feel that we are illegitimate for being Conservative Jews, and those feelings are unlikely to change. There remains a tendency to look over our right shoulders to see what our more traditional brethren are doing. Case in point: I became close to applying to the recently formed, modern orthodox rabbinical school Yeshivat Chovevei Todah, feeling that if I received smicha from there all of world Jewry would accept me as a rabbi. How wrong I was. 

I do feel that customs can evolve and change. With that being said, I recognize the importance of “kishke issues,” those things we feel in our gut are right and no amount of rationalisation will change. The truth is the tradition not to wave lulav and etrog on Shabbat is well-established. My one disappointment in maintaining it, which we will continue to do, is it means that some will not get to see the lulav and etrog waived this year. Please come back tomorrow to take part in this ritual.