Rif Succah 18a {Succah 34b; 36b - 37b}

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18a

{Succah 34b}
Mishna:
The required size of a small etrog: Rabbi Meir says: Like a nut {egoz}; Rabbi Yehuda says: like an egg.
And by a large one {the maximum size}: Such that he can grab two in one hand. These are the words of Rabbi Yehuda.
Rabbi Yossi says: Even {[one]} in both hands.

And the halacha is like Rabbi Yehuda by a small one and like Rabbi Yossi by a large one.

{Succah 36b}
Mishna:
The lulav must only be tied with its own kind {=lulav leaves}. These are the words of Rabbi Yehuda.
Rabbi Meir says: Even with twine.

Rabbi Meir said: There was an incident in which the residents of Yerushalayim that they tied their lulavim with gold lace.
Rabbi Yehuda {our Mishna: they} said to him: From there do you have a proof? {the preceding statement absent in our Mishna} They tied it with its own kind underneath!

Gemara:
Rabbi Yehuda is consistent in his opinion, for he maintains that a lulav requires tying, and thus if he tied it with another kind, there would be five species.
And we establish in this like Rabbi Meir.

{Succah 37a}
Rabba told those who tie {grow??} hoshanot {=lulav bundles} in the house of the Exilarch to leave a handhold {on the bottom} such that it is not a separation {chatzitza}.
Rava said: Anything which is for its beautification is not a separation.

And Rabba said: One should not take up the lulav with a handkerchief for we need ולקחתם and then there will be none.
Rava said: Taking {לקיחה} via some other entity is still called taking.

{Succah 37b}
And Rabba said: One should not insert the lulav into the hoshana {bundle of tied myrtle and willows} lest some leaves be torn off of them and they will be a separation {between the lulav and them}.
Rava said: A species with its own kind is not a separation.

And the halacha in all of them is like Rava.

And Rava {our gemara: Rabba} said: A myrtle {hadas} of mitzvah {used for lulav} is forbidden to be smelled; an etrog of mitzvah is permitted to be smelled.
What is the reason?
A myrtle, which is for smelling, when he sets it apart he sets it apart from smelling. An etrog, which is for eating, when he sets it apart he sets it apart from eating.

And Rava said: A myrtle which is attached {to the ground} is permitted to be smelled. An etrog which is attached is forbidden to be smelled.
What is the reason?
A myrtle, which is for smelling, if we permit him {to smell it} he will not come to detach it. An etrog, which is made for food, if we permit him he will come to detach him.

And Rava said: The lulav {bundle} in the right hand and the etrog in the left.
What is the reason? These are three mitzvot and this is one.

Rabbi Yirmiya said to Rabbi Zera: What is the reason that we bless on the lulav? Since its species is higher than all of them.