What is etrog Sukkot?

What is etrog Sukkot?

etrog, (Hebrew: “citron”) also spelled ethrog or esrog, plural etrogim, ethrogim, esrogim, etrogs, ethrogs, or esrogs, one of four species of plants used during the Jewish celebration of Sukkot (Feast of Booths), a festival of gratitude to God for the bounty of the earth that is celebrated in autumn at the end of the …

What does the etrog symbolize?

Each species is said to kabbalistically represent an aspect of the user’s body; the lulav represents the spine, the myrtle the eyes, the willow the lips, and the etrog represents the heart.

What is a Pitom?

The pitom is the remnant of the part of the flower that received pollen during fertilization. An etrog that sheds its pitom during the growing process is kosher. But an etrog with a pitom that breaks off during the holiday is considered damaged and no longer kosher for performing the mitzvah of the Four Species.

Where are Etrogs grow?

The origin of etrog, or yellow citron (Citrus medica), is unknown, but it was commonly cultivated in the Mediterranean. Today, the fruit is primarily cultivated in Sicily, Corsica and Crete, Greece, Israel and a few of the Central and South American countries.

What do you eat on Sukkot?

Sukkot meal inspiration can come from the harvest origin of the holiday, and meals can include fresh fruits and vegetables, or other harvest-related ingredients. Of course, challah, chicken soup, and kugels are traditional Jewish foods that can be served on Sukkot (or any time of the year).

Where do Etrogs grow?

Etrog, also known as yellow citron, is primarily grown in the Mediterranean, Israel, and a few Central and South American countries. The tree is small and shrub-like, and grows fruits that resemble large, oblong lemons with a bumpy rind. Inside, you’ll find pulp that is a pale yellow with lots of seeds.

Which side do the Hadassim go on?

One places the hadassim on the right side of the lulav’s spine and the aravos on the left, so that when one takes the lulav with its spine facing him, the hadassim are to his right and the aravos are to his left.

What is the tip of the etrog called?

pitam
The etrog’s condition is a very serious matter Second, the knobby bit at the top of the fruit, called pitam, must either be complete or should have naturally shed during the growing process.

Can you eat the etrog after Sukkot?

After Sukkot, they’re worth almost nothing. Rabbi Rosen says it breaks no religious rules just to toss the etrog out with other holiday leftovers. “It doesn’t have any sanctity,” he says. “It isn’t something like a Torah scroll that has God’s name written in it.”

Does etrog go bad?

The etrog is very unlike most other fruits: it does not spoil; rather, it shrivels over time. And there is precious little juice.

Why is Sukkot so important?

Sukkot commemorates the 40 years the Jewish spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land after escaping slavery in Egypt. Still, pilgrimage is an essential part of Judaism. After all, it was one of G-d’s commandments to Moses that Jews shall pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year.

When should you wave the lulav on Sukkot?

Waving the Lulav. It is a mitzvah to wave the lulav on each of the first seven days of Sukkot. The proper time is in the morning — either before the morning service or during the service immediately before the Hallel.

Is your etrog kosher?

An etrog that sheds its pitom during the growing process is kosher. But an etrog with a pitom that breaks off during the holiday is considered damaged and no longer kosher for performing the mitzvah of the Four Species. The etrog is mostly rind, with very little pulp or juice.

What is the meaning of etrog in the Bible?

Biblical references. Grammatically, the Hebrew phrase is ambiguous; it is typically translated as “fruit of a beautiful tree,” but it can also be read as “a beautiful fruit of a tree.”. Etrogs are carefully selected for the performance of the Sukkot holiday rituals.

Why do we pick up the lulav and etrog first?

Some have the custom of picking up the etrog first and then the lulav — reversing the order when putting them down–because the etrog is referred to before the others in the biblical verse. It is a mitzvah to wave the lulav on each of the first seven days of Sukkot.