Etrog

Etrog
Etrog with a pitom Note an etrog grows upside down, the stem is on the bottom of this picture.
Etrog without a pitom.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Citrus
Species:	C. medica
Binomial name
Citrus medica L.

Etrog, ethrog or esrog are all different pronunciations of the word אֶתְרוֹג, which is the most common Hebrew name for the citron or Citrus Medica.

It is one of the four species used in a waving ritual during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. The rest of the species are the lulav (date palm frond), hadass (myrtle bough), and aravah (willow branch).

Leviticus 23:40 refers to the etrog as pri eitz hadar (פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר), which literally means, "a fruit of the beautiful tree." Modern Hebrew translates hadar as "citrus" in connection with the rabbinical definition of the etrog as the fruit referred to by the Torah. Most interesting is the commentary of Nahmanides who states that the word "Hadar" was the original Hebrew word for the citron solely, and the name was later replaced by the word Etrog meaning love and attraction. The new word is from Talmudical Aramaic which was adapted in Babylonia after destruction of the First Temple.

The Arabic name for the fruit itranj اترنج is also cognate with the Hebrew; the itranj is mentioned favorably in the Hadith. Similar names like "turunj" etc. are found in different languages.

The Etrog is typically grown from cuttings that are two to four years old; the tree begins to bear fruit when it is around four years old. If the tree germinates from seeds, it will not fruit until about seven years. Besides, there might be some genetic changes to the tree and its fruits, whenever seed propagation is used.

Marketability

A man in Bnei Brak examines a Yemenite Etrog for flaws.

Cleanliness and Shape

The fruit is ready to harvest when it reaches six inches in length, for the best marketing, and is typically picked off the tree while it is still green.

According to Halakha, the Etrog used in the mitzvah of the four species must be largely unblemished and of a nice form and shape. Extra special care is needed to cut around the leaves and thorns which may scratch the fruit. Also, the bearing branch should be curved in order to get the fruit growing in a straight downward position. Otherwise, the fruit will be forced to make the curve on its own body when turned downwards because of its increasing weight.

There is a favorite amongst some Hasidim is to take an Etrog with a gartel (an hourglass-like waist running around the middle). Professor Bar Joseph discovered that the gartel is indicating that the tree was infected by a certain virus or viroid which decreases the albedo on the specific spot. Those viroids has been around since the time of Bar Kokhba, and archeologyists have unearthed a mosaic depicting an Etrog with a gartel.

Researchers also mentioned that only the Etrog is susceptible to those viroids, and that the phenomenon is providing evidence that the Etrog is of pure genetic, and didn't change too much during centuries.

Otherwise, people look for an Etrog which resembles a tower, being built with nice long almost straight walls and a pointy roof.

Pitom

An etrog that still has a pitom at its tip (a pitom is composed of a style called in Hebrew "dad", and the stigma which is called shoshanta, and it usually falls off during the growing process) is considered especially valuable. However, those varieties that shed their pitom during growth just like other citrus species − are also kosher. When only the stigma break off even post harvest, it could still be considered kosher as long as part of the style is remained attached.

Many Pitom's are preserved today thanks to an auxin discovered by Dr. Eliezer E. Goldschmidt, professor of horticulture at the Hebrew University. Working with the Picloram hormone in a citrus orchard one day, he discovered to his surprise that some of the Valencia Oranges of nearby had preserved beautiful, perfect Pitom's.

Valencia Oranges saved their Pitoms thanks to droplets of Picloram hormone

Usually a citrus fruit besides an Etrog or citron hybrid like the Bergamot, does not preserve its Pitom. When it occasionally does, it should be at least very dry and intended to break. In this case the Pitam's where all fresh and healthy just like those of the Moroccan or Greek citron varieties.

Experimenting with the Picloram in a laboratory, Professor Goldschmidt eventually found the correct “dose” to achieve the desired effect: one droplet of the chemical in three million drops of water. An invention which is highly appreciated by the Jewish community.

Grafting and Breeding

A general DNA study was arranged by the world known researcher of the etrog, Pro. E.E. Goldschmidt & colleagues, who positively testified 12 known accessions of citron for purity and being genetically related. This is all about genotypeic classification which could be changed by breeding for e.g. out cross pollination etc., not about grafting which is not suspected to change any genes.

A brief documentation of this study could be found at the Global Citrus Germplasm Network.

The etrog in popular culture

File:Kloiszenbergusaesrog.jpg

Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Halberstam of Sanz-Klausenburg Examining an Etrog

The purchase of a beautiful etrog is an important part of the plot in the Israeli film Ushpizin.

See also

• Citron
• Yanova esrog
• Greek citron
• Beladdi
• Shwartzman Etrogs
• Four Species

External links

• The complete list of professional research done Pro. Eliezer Goldshmidt, at The Hebrew University Jerusalem
• http://www.esrogfarm.com/esrogvarieties/web/default/
• http://www.milechai.com/judaism/esrog.html
• http://www.hamafitz.com/esrog.asp
• http://www.flohrsesrogim.com/about_esrog.htm
• http://members.aol.com/zrsesrog/book.htm
• http://www.esrogworld.com/Videos.html
• http://www.google.com/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Judaism/Shopping/Holidays/Sukkot/
• Yemenite Etrogim Examined The Preservation Of An Ancient Fruit

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)