Myrtle

Hadas (הדס) — myrtle — is one of the four species (arba'at haminim) used during the festival of Sukkot, where three myrtle branches are bound with the lulav (palm), aravah (willow), and etrog (citron). The myrtle's fragrant, three-lobed leaves have made it a symbol of sweetness and righteousness in Jewish tradition. According to the Midrash, the four species represent different types of Jews: the hadas, which has fragrance but no taste, symbolizes those who perform good deeds even without Torah learning. This teaching emphasizes that every person has a role to play in the community, regardless of their level of scholarship. The name Hadassah — derived from hadas — is the Hebrew name of Queen Esther, heroine of the Purim story. The Book of Esther (2:7) tells us: 'He raised Hadassah, that is Esther.' The Talmud explains she was called Hadassah because the righteous are compared to myrtle. The name Hadassah lives on through the international women's Zionist organization founded in 1912. Myrtle branches are also traditionally used in the Havdalah ceremony that marks the end of Shabbat, where their sweet fragrance provides one of the multi-sensory elements of the ritual. In the Land of Israel, wild myrtle grows in the forests of the Galilee and Carmel, and its aromatic presence adds beauty to nature hikes during the autumn months.