​This picture, taken from Adi Hirschbain’s collection housed in the National Library of Israel shows two ultra-orthodox Jews checking myrtle for their Four Species. What appears to be a vendor looks on.

In the photograph, the men are checking that there is a pattern of three leaves protruding from the same point in the branch. According to the Jewish ritual law, this three-leaf pattern must be repeated over at least half the length of the branch. Furthermore, each branch of the three (three myrtle branches are required) should be at least 29 cm long. Finally, the branch cannot be dried out.

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Sukkot and the Four Species - The Festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles) has two central commandments. The first is that Jews should live in a temporary abode (Sukkah) for seven days (eight days outside of Israel). The second is that on every day of the festival, Jews take the Four Species (Arba’at HaMinim) in hand and make a blessing over them. 

Each of the Four Species has certain requirements for them to be fitting (Kosher) for the commandment (Mitzvah). According to tradition, the buyer should check that the requirements are present in each of the species. The Four Species consist of the Lulav (palm branch), the Etrog (citrus fruit), Hadass (myrtle branches) and Aravah (willow branches). 

Ultra-Orthodox Jews - Ultra Orthodox Jews (Hareidim) see themselves as the most religiously observant of all Jews. They are characterized by their shunning of much of the modern secular culture.