The concept of equality in the eyes of God, irrespective of our status or talents, is also the message of the Four Species.
The etrog symbolizes the human being who is graced with ta’am vere’ach, Torah and good deeds. The lulav symbolizes the human being who has ta’am, Torah, but no re’ach, no good deeds. The hadas symbolizes the human being who is graced with re’ach, good deeds, but no ta’am, no Torah. And the aravah has neither ta’am nor re’ach. Taken individually, none of the Four Species is functional. Bound together, however, they become one working unit in the service of God.
And in order to make quite sure that we understand that God’s value system is different from ours, on Hoshana Rabbah God singles out the aravah, the one with no ta’am and no re’ach, as the vehicle for achieving ultimate forgiveness as we head out of the halfway house for the new year.