![]() The Esrog's skin should not be entirely smooth. ![]() There should be no permanent black spots or holes on the Esrog's surface, particularly on the sloping portion towards the top (Chotam). The Esrog must be elongated, and not totally round. The Esrog must exceed the minimum size, which is defined as the volume of two medium chicken eggs, or a weight of at least 3.5 ounces. While the Esrog is naturally all green while growing on the tree, when it is used, at least some part of the Esrog must be yellow, and any discolored areas should be relatively small. Such Esrogim are kosher to use without a Pitom. The only exception is the kind of Esrog which the naturally falls off as it grows to maturity. That includes an unbroken skin, the presence of an intact Pitom at the top and a stem (Ukatz) on the bottom. It must be complete - meaning that no piece of the fruit may be missing. It must bear a rabbinical certification, attesting that the Esrog is a pure citron, and is not the result of a grafting onto another species of tree, or the offspring of a hybrid of more than one species. What Are the Minimum Qualifications for an Esrog to Be Kosher?ġ. There are also many stories from Jewish tradition describing how pious Jews have gone to great lengths and paid much higher premiums to acquire the best Esrog available. The talmudic sages teach (Baba Kamma 9) that a person should be willing to spend at least one-third more than the standard market price in order to acquire the most beautiful available Esrog. The mitzvah of Lulav and Esrog is unique inasmuch as it is the only one in which the Torah specifically calls for the use of a “beautiful” fruit.The quality of the Esrog determines how much of a premium a set of Arba Minim will sell for, since each Esrog is usually accompanied by a standard grade of Lulav, Hadassim and Aravos. How Much Extra Should One Be Willing to Spend for a More Beautiful Lulav and Esrog? They are therefore often not the “bargain” they may seem to be. As a result, many of these street Esrogim, upon careful inspection, turn out to be of inferior value, and some may not even be kosher for use. They are often selling Esrogim which have already been “picked over” or rejected by discriminating buyers at a more established Esrog outlet or local store, due to less-than-obvious defects. ![]() However, if you do notice significant damage caused during shipment of Arba Minim bought from The Esrog Headquarters, please contact its Customer Service department immediately.īy contrast, one should be particularly cautious when buying Arba Minim from cut-rate street vendors who pop up in some large Jewish communities during the days immediately before Sukkos. Thankfully, due to the use of modern packaging materials and expedited shipping services, damage to Arba Minim during transport is much less likely than it was in previous years. Therefore, when buying from The Esrog Headquarters, the only inspection generally required is to check for possible damage during shipping. All of the Lulavim, Hadassim and Aravos sold by The Esrog Headquarters are also under rabbinical supervision guaranteeing that they meet or exceed the minimum requirements of Jewish law. Esrogim identified as having any potentially significant defects are segregated from the rest, and are sold only as part of the lowest-priced Chinuch sets, which are intended for practice or educational use only. The higher priced Esrogim are selected for their adherence to the highest “ideal” standards, while even lowpriced standard grade Esrogim are guaranteed to meet all minimum standards for use. The policy of The Esrog Headquarters is to immediately remove any Esrog with disqualifying defects during the grading process. Those who buy their Arba Minim from recognized, reputable sources, such as The Esrog Headquarters, need not worry about most of the possible disqualifications or problems listed below. General Advice for Buying a Lulav and Esrog: For further guidance, please consult your rabbi. The answers below generally follow the Ashkenazic (Eastern European) traditions. The laws and traditions regarding the selection of the Arba Minim are complex, and the traditions vary in the Ashkenazic, Sephardic and Chassidic communities. Jewish tradition also encourages us to acquire an Esrog with additional attributes which qualify it to be called “Pri Etz Hadar”- a beautiful fruit. Jewish law provides exacting minimum requirements for each of the four species which make up the Arba Minim.
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