The Four Species Market in Jerusalem

Happy Sukkot! Tonight we start celebrating the holiday of Sukkot, known in English at the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles. We can talk about the meanings in the coming days because the festivities go on until October 22.
But what I am excited to tell you about first is that today I saw for the first time in my life the Shuk Arba'at HaMinim! This special market opens for only a few days every year so that Jews can buy the Four Kinds (or Four Species) needed to perform the mitsvah of "taking [and shaking] the lulav."
The four are branches of willow, myrtle, and palm, plus the fruit citron.
So I scouted out the big tent from the outside, like the other photographer was doing.
But then, who wants to shoot through fences?
There were no women inside.
Would they let me in, a female, a non-religious one, wearing jeans, holding a camera yet??
Applying the Rebbe's advice from yesterday's post, I stopped thinking so much and decided to "just go over." The two entrance lines had security guards who could have examined my bag or wanded me, could have but did not.

I was in! In that other world of Orthodox and Haredi men. And wonder of wonders, they were so engrossed in examining every minute detail of the Four Species that no one even noticed my camera! What a rare opportunity.
So here the lulav (Hebrew for palm frond) is being checked to see if it is perfect.
Same for the etrog (citron fruit).
How do you like the man multi-tasking with the phone thingy in his ear? :)
The wonderful Shuk of the Four Kinds is a normal and exciting part of growing up for these religious boys. Come to think about it . . . I did some growing up there today too.