In his commentary to the Mishna (Sukka 4:3) and in the Yad (Lulav, 7:10-20) Maimonides explains that according to Sinatic tradition, there is a commandment to of n’tilath arava, taking hold of a willow branch, everyday of Tabernacles in the Temple. This is not the same ritual with which most are familiar, taking a willow branch (or branches) on the seventh day of the festival, now known as Hoshana Rabba, and whacking it on the ground. Interestingly enough, in the Yad, Maimonides seems to imply that although the the sages did not instruct us to recite a blessing on the latter ritual, there is a blessing recited on the ritual conducted in the Temple, while in his commentary to the Mishna, he writes explicitly that no blessing is recited even on the Temple ritual.
As many of our readers know, since last year I have been calling for as many proud and observant Jews as possible to join us and perform this simple yet important commandment during Tabernacles. Last year, my plans were thwarted when the Ministry of Health (sic) ordered me into quarantine right before Sukkoth because my cellphone had been in the vicinity of a cellphone belonging to someone who had recently tested positive for the China Virus, but this year the Lord heard our prayers and allowed us to visit His Temple with some willow branches that the security forces (who, it must be emphasized, “are there for our protection”) did not confiscate. Thus we were able to perform this commandment. Many are aware of the young men who succeeded in taking the Lulav, the complete bundle of the four species, in the Temple this past festival, and received a cash prize of 500 NIS from the B’tzalmo Human Rights Organization; I am happy to announce that I received a similar prize of 125 NIS for my trouble.
God gave us the Torah and the commandments for our own good. It is not our job to question, nor to dream up excuses for us not keeping His commandments. It is merely our job to try to keep them to the best of our ability. Just as we were able to keep this commandment this year for the first time in many centuries, so may we merit this coming year to keep even more of His commandments.
Avraham Ben Yehuda 
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I didn’t know that נטילת ערבה is one of the יהרג ועל יעבר-s, not that I imagine one thing like that starting the next intifada. You are to be saluted. And calling legal aid, or whatever a human rights group gives out, a ‘reward’ seems strange.
I note your reference to the China Virus. That is a provocative and unbecoming way to refer to a virus that, while mismanaged in its country of origin, is no person or group in particular’s fault. It has a name, SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, and regardless of your politics, should be spoken of accurately.