Hayom Yom 15 Tishrei - Customs of Sukkos

כְּשֶׁנּוֹתְנִים הַד' מִינִים לְאַחֵר לְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם

When handing someone the Four Species so that he can recite a blessing over them,

אוֹמְרִים בְּפֵרוּשׁ שֶׁהוּא בְּמַתָּנָה עַל מְנָת לְהַחֲזִיר

one should say explicitly that it this “a gift on condition that it is returned.”

וּבִפְרַט בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן

This practice applies especially on the first day,

וְהוּא תּוֹעֶלֶת לַנּוֹתֵן וְלַמְּקַבֵּל

and it is of benefit both to the donor and to the recipient.

הוֹרָה אַאַמוּ"ר שֶׁיַּתְחִילוּ בִּרְכַּת שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ כְּשֶׁהַלּוּלָב בְּיָדוֹ אַחַת וְהָאֶתְרוֹג בַּשְׁנִיָּה

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], directed that one should begin reciting the blessing Shehecheyanu while holding the lulav in one hand and the esrog in the other.

הַפְּסוּקִים כִּי אָמַרְתִּי גו' - רַק בְּהוֹשַׁעֲנָא רַבָּה

[When reciting the Hoshanos, we say the verses and phrases that appear in the Siddur after each day’s reading, such as] Ki Amarti..., only on Hoshana Rabbah.

גַּם בַּיּוֹם מְבָרְכִים לֵשֵׁב בַּסּוּכָּה אַחַר קִדּוּשׁ וְלֹא אַחַר הַמּוֹצִיא

Even during the day, the blessing Leishev basukkah is recited after Kiddush, and not after Hamotzi.

הַהַנְהָגָה בְּעֵת בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעִיל יוֹם ב' דְּחַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת)

The customs that are observed during the Priestly Blessing (as detailed in the entry for the second day of Shavuos)

אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים עַל יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁרַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן הָיָה לוֹקֵחַ אֶת הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק, קוֹדֶם חֲתוּנָתוֹ

have come down to us by virtue of the fact that the Alter Rebbe used to take [his grandson] the Tzemach Tzedek — [in his youth,] before he was married —

תַּחַת טַלִּיתוֹ לִנְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם

under his tallis during the Priestly Blessing.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English