The gemara in Makkos 23b records that there are 248 positive mitzvos out of the 613 total mitzvos in the Torah. Rashi says these correspond to the 248 limbs in our body, in order to attribute a mitzva to each limb. This might sound a bit overwhelming especially if Hashem hopes and expects a person to take advantage of each and every mitzva in order to perfect himself in this world.
However, in this week’s Torah portion of Emor there is a Medrish Tanchuma (21) which proposes a more palpable case for fulfilling all the mitzvos, making it less daunting. This is based on the mitzva of lulav and esrog; the medrish juxtaposes a pasuk in Tehillim with the pasuk, “And you shall take for you etc” (Vayikra 23:40) and “This is what the pasuk says, ‘All my bones shall say Hashem who is like You’ (Tehillim 35:10). Nicely said by Dovid who said this pasuk. This can be proven to you, for this lulav (date palm) is compared to the spine of a person. The hadasim (myrtle) are compared to eyes, the aravos (willow) compared to lips, and the esrog (citron) compared to the heart. Dovid said, there is no limb greater than these. They are equal to the whole body, this is the meaning of ‘all my bones.'”
The Be’ur Ha’amarim on the Medrish Tanchuma explains the connection between these two pesukim, in Emor and in Tehillim. “The word ‘to you’ [In Emor] is hinting to the fact that you should take yourself to subjugate yourself to Hashem. The subjugation is dependent on these 4 limbs that hinted to by the 4 species, which with them there are sight, action, speech, and thought. After them, man is pulled and it will then be that all the bones shall speak etc. ‘This Dovid nicely said’, meaning that granted it sounds like an exaggeration that all his bones will speak, for do the bones speak song…? Nevertheless, he rightfully said this because his intent was really just for these main limbs which all the actions of man, be it good or bad are dependent on. Once a person controls these main limbs then he controls all his bones and subjugates them for the sake of Hashem to serenade the king with each and every limb. Proof to the fact that [Dovid] wasn’t referring to every single limb, just these main ones which are inclusive of the entire body, is that the four species hint to these four main limbs and the Torah says about them that they should be taken to you for yourself.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
The Etz Yosef adds in the name of the Yefeh Toar that the reason why these limbs were chosen over any other are that they are to be merits for a person and not liabilities; through action, speech, and thought. Actions are through the movement of the bones of a person, and representing this is the spine, which is the connection for most of the movable bones of the body. The mouth is the receptacle of speech, and the heart is the receptacle of thought. And because arousal begins with eyesight, (as it says, the eye sees and the heart covets), therefore the eye is included . This is what it means when it says that these parts are equal to the rest of the body. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
If we focus on these four parts, the spine, mouth, eyes, and heart, then we can come to realize that we only have to concentrate on these in order to subjugate ourselves to doing Hashem’s will, and to fulfill His Torah and mitzvos. Everything else will fall into place. So it shouldn’t be too overwhelming to strive to fulfill all 248 positive mitzvos ,with the rest of the 613 mitzvos, because these four body parts are the main ones to concentrate on, in order to ensure everything else gets done.
The mitzva of lulav and esrog each year is going through the actions of showing ourselves that it is possible for us to put everything together and use our body to serve Hashem properly. It should be a reminder and a boost of energy to inspire ourselves for the year.