During the holiday of Sukkot, which is coming up shortly, it is traditional to take a citron fruit called an etrog, along with three plants, and shake them. They are shaken in six directions - up, down, and the four points of the compass. The Gemara gives three reasons why we do this.
Rabbi Yochannan taught: We shake the lulav it horizontally [to praise [G-d], the One who possesses the four winds [East, West, North, and South] and vertically [to praise G-d], the One who possesses Heaven and Earth.
In Israel they taught thus: Rabbi Hama Bar Ukva said in the name of Rabbi Yossi, who taught in the name of Rabbi Hannina: We shake the lulav horizontally to prevent the harmful winds, and vertically to prevent the harmful dew...
Rav Acha Bar Yakov said when he would shake the lulav horizontally, 'This is a arrow in Satan's eyes!' However, it is not appropriate to follow Rav Acha's practice, for if you challenge Satan, Satan will challenge you.
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