All About Etrogs

The Etrog

The term “etrog” refers to a select variety of citron (a species that is similar to a lemon) that are used for religious purposes by the Jewish people. The etrog and all types of citron are classified as “Citrus medica”, and are all named in Hebrew “אֶתְרוֹג‬”.

Varieties

Each ethnic group/nationality of Jews use their own variety of etrog. Sephardic Jews who live primarily in Israel use the Balady citron or the Greek citron. Ashkenazi Jews are known to use the Diamante citron, Moroccan Jews use the Moroccan citron, and Yemenite Jews use the Yemenite citron. The Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews make up the largest percentage of the Jewish population, so their etrogim are the most commonly used ones.

The Balady citron, named the "Israeli etrog" or the "Chazon Ish etrog", and the Greek citron, named the "Corfu etrog", have had an interesting history of competing for dominance. The Corfu etrog received its name because a large portion of the fruit was grown on the Greek island of Corfu, located on the west coast of Greece. In the 19th century, the etrog trees of Corfu were accused of being grafted, which would make them unfit for Sukkot. Even worse, A pogrom occurred on the island a few decades later. These events caused some Jewish communities to switch to the Balady citron. Eventually, both varieties of citrons were brought to Israel, where they are most commonly cultivated today. The Corfu etrog is especially grown in the city of Jaffa.

The Diamante citron is commonly referred to as the "Calabria Etrog" or by religious Jews as the "Yanova Etrog". This is due to the fact that they are mostly grown in the Italian province of Calabria, and they have also been associated with the Italian port city of Genoa, as Genoa has exported the fruit to various Jewish communities throughout history (Genoa is translated into Yiddish as Yanova). Religious Ashkenazi Jews and especially the Hasidic community almost always use this variety, because they believe this is the kind that Moses used. When a harsh frost in January 2017 hit Italy and destroyed about 90% of the harvest, prices skyrocketed, and some Calabria etorgim exceeded $500 USD.

The Moroccan citron is known as the Moroccan etrog, and the Yemenite citron is known as the Yemenite etrog. The Moroccan citron was originally cultivated and is primarily produced in the Moroccan town of Assads, in the Souss-Massa-Drâa region, which is in central Morocco. It is the only citron used as an etrog to have sweet tasting pulp, and it is characterized by its lack of seeds. The Yemenite citron originated in Ethiopia and traveled to Yemen as a result of the trade routes between the two areas and because they were apart of the same kingdom for centuries. It is the only citron used as an etrog to have no pulp, and it can grow to gigantic proportions.

Jewish symbol

The etrog is an important symbol of Judaism. The etrog was found on coins during the first Jewish revolt against the Romans in 66 BCE, and during the Bar Kokhba Revolt, in which coins depicting the lulav and etrog were created. Mosaics that featured the etrog were found on the floors of synagogues built during the Roman and Byzantine periods. Some people even believe that the Tree of Knowledge was an etrog tree!

Economics and what makes an etrog kosher

There are many factors that can determine an etrog's price and if it kosher. The supply of etrogim always fluctuates, like any other crop. Many times, the supply of etrogim drop, and the price goes up. Examples include the 2017 frost in Italy, and the Shmita year, which is a religious decree that prohibits farming in the land of Israel. This happens every 7 years (the last one was in the Hebrew year 5775/or Gregorian late 2014 to late 2015, and the next one will be 5782/late 2021 to late 2022). Since a large portion of etrogim are grown in Israel, the cost of an etrog will go up every Shmita year. Israeli farmers usually sell their land to non-Jews during a Shmita year, and the farmers pay for their produce to be grown and sold. After the Shmita year, the farmers buy their land back and they also receive all of the money made from the produce. Some Jews consider this to be a loophole, and they will not buy any etrog from Israel during a Shmita year.

Looks also affect the price/kosher status. Some varieties of etrogim have a small woody piece at one of their ends, called a pitom. If an etrog that should have a pitom doesn't have one, it can not be used for the religious activities of Sukkot, and it loses its value. The straighter the pitom of an etrog is, the prettier, and more expensive, an etrog becomes. Shape is an important factor too. An etrog should be wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. If an etrog is round, it is unfit for use. Also, the etrog has to be at least larger than an egg. A crooked or bent etrog is still kosher however, and gigantic etrogim are perfectly okay, too! Bigger etrogim are more valuable. Color-wise, a bold, paler-yellow color is considered to be the most beautiful color for an etrog. Yemenite etrogim tend to be more green, as they need to be picked earlier or they might harm the tree/fruit. Two ways color can render an etrog non-kosher is if the fruit is very green, or there is a spot on the etrog. A single spot on the top portion of an etrog will create an unfit etrog if it is any color but light brown (caused by a leaf covering the growing fruit) or if there's a considerably big spot anywhere on the etrog. If there are 2 or more spots on the bottom portion of the etrog, of any color, the etrog is also non-kosher. A spotless etrog is very prized. The last rule for etrogim is that if they are from a grafted tree, they aren't kosher. Etrogim with thin peels are assumed to be grafted, so an etrog should have a thick peel inside.