[Avodah] A Little More Mysticism

[Sholom Simon]

>The gematria of lulav is 68 and is equivalent to the gematria of 
>chayim (life).  One symbol of the lulav (and esrog)

Tangent tidbit: see B"Y 651, at the very end, where he notes a minhag 
Ashkenaz to have 68 aravos with the lulav (because of this gematria), 
although some had 71 (68 + 3 for either the 3 Avos, or 3 for each of 
the other minim).  And yet the Rambam, and going back to R Saadya 
Gaon, they say that the max is 2 aravos, but unlimied hadasim.

-- Sholom