בְּעֵת הַנַּעֲנוּעִים צָרִיךְ לְהַגִּיעַ עַד הֶחָזֶה מָקוֹם שֶׁמַּכִּים בַּאֲמִירַת אָשַׁמְנוּ.

1 [Between each of] the movements (naanuim),2 [the base of] the Four Species should be brought back to touch the chest, at the place one strikes during the confessional beginning Ashamnu.3

אָמַר אַאַמוּ"ר בְּאַחַת הַהִתְוַעֲדוּת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁזֶּהוּ כְּמוֹ הָעִנְיָן שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַכּוֹבֶד רֹאשׁ שֶׁקּוֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁמִּתְמַרְמֵר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, עַל יְדֵי זֶה דַוְקָא יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת אַחַר כָּךְ הִתְפַּעֲלוּת הַמִּדּוֹת בַּתְּפִלָּה.

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], once said at a farbrengen that this practice reflects the concept that as a result of having experienced earnest submission before praying,4 and feeling contrite [on account of one’s sins], a person can then reach spiritual exuberance when he prays.

Living as a Chassid

At first glance, there appears to be a paradox here. On the one hand, genuine confession expresses the sharp remorse we feel upon recognizing our true spiritual condition. On the other hand, the lulav is taken in hand on Sukkos, “the season of our rejoicing,”5 when we give full expression to our feelings of joy.

The above custom tangibly bridges the chasm between these diverse emotions — for it is the very point one strikes during contrite confession that serves as the springboard for the joyous waving of the lulav. In other words, one’s earnest remorse plows the ground of our hearts and enables the seeds of emotional vitality to take root and flourish.