During this Sukkot holiday in Los Angeles, famously Jewish movie star Adam Sandler performed the Sukkot mitzvah (Torah commandment) of shaking the four species – palm frond (lulav), citron (etrog), willow and myrtle – and reciting a blessing.

Chabad of Brentwood, Los Angeles, led by Rabbi Baruch Hecht, had set up a booth around the corner from the local Chabad House for the holiday of Sukkot in order to encourage passing Jews to perform the special mitzvah.

Adam Sandler Makes Blessing on Lulav and Etrog

While running the booth, the rabbi’s son-in-law Rabbi Zalman Goodman bumped into Hollywood actor Adam Sandler, who is Jewish, with his daughter. He invited the two to make the blessing.

Sandler and his daughter took the lulav and etrog in the prescribed manner. As the rabbi recited each Hebrew word of the blessing, the two repeated after him and then shook the four species as instructed.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us concerning the waving of the lulav.

Barukh atah Adonai Elokeinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al netilat lulav.

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלוקינו מלך העולם אשר קידשנו במצוותיו וציוונו על נטילת לולב

“Have you done it this year?” the rabbi asked Sandler, who replied “Not yet,” though he added that his children might have done it in Hebrew school.

“We did,” his daughter chimed in.

The rabbi then instructed Sandler to recite the “Shecheciyahu” blessing, which is said the first time the four species are taken each year.