3816 —מנהגי ד' מינים וכיוון הנענועים

B"H, 11 Tishrei, 5716. Brooklyn.

Haraha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Menachem Zev HaLevi

Shalom u'Vrachah!

We acknowledge receipt of your letter from Erev Yom Kippur, in which you write about customs regarding the four species. Thank you for your notes on this topic, although it is difficult to establish exactly what was practiced by so-and-so, especially since you did not hear his reasoning or all the details—perhaps it was only a one-time occurrence, etc.

Regarding what you wrote about reciting the Name [of G‑d], this is also surprising, because according to the simple explanation it applies to "before it" and not "after it," and it is questionable why one would change the direction of na'anuim. Especially since Havayah (the Divine Name) represents the attribute of mercy, and mercy leans toward kindness—to the south.

With blessings for a good sealing and for our time of rejoicing, both materially and spiritually together.

* And so it also appears from the words of Admor HaZaken in Siman (before Hallel), where he writes in Hodu LaHashem—even though at the end he is uncertain about the word Hodu.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that when considering customs related to mitzvot like na'anuim with the four species, one must be careful not to draw conclusions without clear sources or reasoning. The direction associated with G‑d's Name reflects deeper meanings in chassidic tradition.