Size and shape
The fruit is ready to harvest when it reaches about 15 cm (six inches)
in length. For commercial use it is generally harvested no earlier than
January when it is at optimum size. However, for ritual use it must be
picked while still small in order to reach the market in time. The
optimal size is also the best for marketability, as by growing larger it
may lose some of its beauty. Since the citron blooms several times a
season, fruit may also be picked during July and August, and even in
June. According to Halacha[3] the fruit must only reach the size of a
hen's egg in order to be considered kosher, but larger sizes are
preferred as long as they can be held with one hand. Marketwise, a nice
size fetches a higher price, so long as the fruit is also good in other
aspects. If both hands are needed to hold it, it is still kosher, but
less desirable.
A Moroccan Etrog with a prominent Gartel
The etrog may differ in shape since several citron varieties are used
for that purpose, each bearing fruits with a distinct form and shape.
Furthermore, a specific variety or even a single tree may also bear
fruit in several shapes and sizes. An etrog of completely round shape is
not-kosher,[3] whilst a slanted or bent specimen is permissible but not
the best.[3] The bearing branch must be arched down with care, in order
to get the fruit growing straight in a downward position. Otherwise the
body of the fruit will be forced into a downwards curve because of its
increasing weight. The practice of arching the branch must be performed
very delicately in order not to break the stiff citron twig. While many
prefer the pyramid shape of variety etrog, and others prefer the barrel
shape of the Diamante, some look for an etrog with a gartel—an
hourglass-like strip running around the middle, more commonly found on
the Moroccan citron.
An unearthed mosaic from the floor of a 6th century CE synagogue in
northern Negev, Israel, depicting garteled etrogs at the base of a
Menorah
According to researchers, this gartel indicates when the bearing tree
was infected by a certain virus or viroid, which decreases the albedo on
the specific spot. These viroids have been around since at least the
time of Bar Kokhba (circa 130 CE), based on the fact that archaeologists
have unearthed a mosaic dated to that time which depicts an etrog with a
gartel.[4] Only the etrog is found to be susceptible to these viroids,
proving again that the etrog is genetically pure and has not changed
significantly over the centuries.[5]
[edit] Color and texture
A man in Bnei Brak examines a Yemenite etrog for flaws
The fruit is typically picked while still green, taking advantage of
ethylene gas to ripen the fruit in a controlled manner. The same gas is
also naturally released from apples, so some growers simply put the
fruits in the same box as apples. The etrog used in the mitzvah of the
four species must be largely unblemished, with the fewest black specks
or other flaws.[6] Extra special care is needed to cut around the leaves
and thorns that may scratch the fruit. It is also important to protect
the fruit-bearing trees from any dust and carbon, which may get caught
in the stomata of the fruit during growth, and may later appear as a
black dot.
[edit] Pitam (Pitom)
An etrog with an intact pitam is considered especially valuable. A pitam
is composed of a style (Hebrew: "דַד"), and a stigma (Hebrew: "שׁוֹשַׁנְתָּא"),
which usually falls off during the growing process. However, varieties
that shed off their pitam during growth are also kosher. When only the
stigma breaks off, even post-harvest, it could still be considered
kosher as long as part of the style has remained attached. If the whole
pitam i.e. the stigma and style, are unnaturally broken off, all the way
to the bottom, it is not kosher for the ritual use.
A Yanover Esrog without a Pitam
Many pitams are preserved today thanks to an auxin discovered by Dr.
Eliezer E. Goldschmidt, formerly 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
found nearby had preserved beautiful, perfect pitams. Usually a citrus
fruit, other than an etrog or citron hybrid like the bergamot, does not
preserve its pitam. When it occasionally does, it should at least be
dry, sunken and very fragile. In this case the pitams were all fresh and
healthy just like those of the Moroccan or Greek citron varieties.
Experimenting with the picloram in a laboratory, Goldschmidt eventually
found the correct “dose” to achieve the desired effect: one droplet of
the chemical in three million drops of water. This invention is highly
appreciated by the Jewish community.[7]
[edit] Purity
In order for a citron to be kosher it must be pure, neither grafted nor
bred with any other species, therefore only a few traditional varieties
are used. To prevent grafting, the plantations must be under strict
rabbinical supervision.
[edit] Genetic research
The citron varieties traditionally used as Etrog, are the Diamante
Citron from Italy, the Greek Citron, the Balady Citron from Israel, the
Moroccan and Yemenite Citrons.
3 etrog.JPG Citron varieties
Acidic-pulp varieties:
Diamante citron
Greek citron
Balady citron
Florentine citron
Non-acidic varieties:
Moroccan citron
Corsican citron
Pulpless varieties:
Buddha's hand
Yemenite citron
Related Articles:
Citrus • Succade • Hybrid • Grafting • Chimera • Etrog • Sukkoth • Four
Species
This box: view · talk · edit
A general DNA study was arranged by the world-renowned researcher of the
etrog, Prof. Goldschmidt and colleagues, who positively testified 12
famous accessions of citron for purity and being genetically related. As
they clarify in their joint publication, this is only referring to the
genotypic information which could be changed by breeding for e.g. out
cross pollination etc., not about grafting which is not suspected to
change anything in the genes.[8]
The internal properties of an Etrog, represented by cross section of the
Lefkowitz variety
The Fingered and Florentine Citrons although they are also Citron
varieties or maybe hybrids, are not used for the ritual. The Corsican
Citron is no longer in use, though it was once used and sacred.
[edit] Selection and cultivation
In addition to the above, there are many rabbinical indicators to
identify pure etrogs out of possible hybrids. Those traditional
specifications were preserved by continues selections accomplished by
professional farmers.[9]
The most accepted indicators are as following: 1) a pure etrog has a
thick rind, in contrast to its narrow pulp segments which are also
almost dry, 2) the outer surface of an etrog fruit is ribbed and warted,
and 3) the etrog peduncle is somewhat buried inward; a lemon or
different citron hybrid is opposing one or all of the
specifications.[10]
A later and not so widely accepted indicator is the orientation of the
seed, which should be pointing vertically by an etrog, except if it was
strained by its neighbors; by a lemon and hybrids they are positioned
horizontally even when there is enough space.[11]
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.[12]
If the tree germinates from seeds, it will not fruit for about seven
years, and there may be some genetic change to the tree or fruit in the
event of seed propagation.[13]
[edit] Customs
To protect the etrog during the holiday, it is traditionally wrapped in
silky flax fibers and stored in a special box, often made from silver.
After the holiday, a common Ashkenazi custom is to save it until Tu
Bishvat and eat it in candied form or as succade, accompanied by prayers
that the worshiper will merit a beautiful etrog next Sukkot.[14] Some
families make jam or liqueur out of it,[15] or stick cloves in the skin
for use as besamim at the havdalah ceremony after Shabbat. The Dancing
Camel Brewery in Tel Aviv, Israel uses the rinds of etrogim in their
annual 'Trog Wit Beer, usually available around the Holiday of
Sukkot.[16]
[edit] References
^ Etrog page by the CVC of UCR
^ The Citrus Industry
^ a b c Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 648 and commentaries.
^ Bar-Joseph, M. 2003. Natural history of viroids-horticultural aspects,
pp. 246-251. In: Viroids. CSIRO Publication, Collingwood, Victoria,
Australia.
^ The Search for the Authentic Citron: Historic and Genetic Analysis;
HortScienc 40(7):1963-1968. 2005
^ Agog over etrog, Haaretz
^ Style Abscission in the Citron. American Journal of Botany, Vol. 58,
no 1. pp. 14-23
^ A brief documentation of this study could be found at the Global
Citrus Germplasm Network.
^ Article by Professor Goldschmidt, published by Tehumin, summer 5741
(1981), booklet 2, p. 144
^ Letter by rabbi Shmuel Yehuda Katzenellenbogen of Padua midst the 16th
century, printed in Teshuvat ha'Remo chapter 126
^ Shiurey Kneseth Hagdola and Olat Shabbat, cited by Magen Avraham,
Orach Chaim chapter 648, comment 23
^ Chiri, Alfredo. (2002). Etrog
^ Sunkist Website
^ Aish
^ Etrog recipes
^ The Historic Trail of the Elusive Etrog |
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