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What Etrog should one use?

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Tag-MehirTzedek:
http://machonshilo.org/en/eng/list-ask-the-rav/57-shophar-lulav-sukka/80-etrog-type

  What type of ethrog should I buy?
      Answer
One should buy a Yemenite etrog.


 Also Q and A from this Rav (Rav Elbaz)

 Do you know if a number (2 or 3 for example) of people are able to all use 1 set (although not better still is it acceptable).
 Or put another way- is it better to own less quality or questionable Etrog (and whole set obviously) individually or share a higher quality set with someone else? 
  Do you consider for example a Moroccan Etrog set or another variety using it as making a Beracha Levatalah, or just better to have Yeminite species only as hiddur Misswah?
 
  Also let's say in a situation where their would not be any Teimani Etrogim available should people use other set's and with a Beracha?
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Although Yemenite Etrogim are most certainly the most halachically preferred species of etrog, many Poskim consider moroccan Etrogim Meyuchas as well and kosher for the blessing. I would not go so far to say that making a Beracha on any other kind of etrog is a Beracha levatala, however, like the poskim say, it is preferable to take an etrog which is CERTAINLY not grafted.

Although it is preferable for each individual to have his own set of lulav and etrog, there are definitely halachic ways to permit several persons to share one set. First of all, from the third day of Sukkot on (in israel from the second day on) a borrowed lulav and  are perfectly kosher to make a blessing on. Even on the first two days (first day in israel), the owner may give his lulav and etrog to another (or several others) as a gift and tell the recipient "this is a gift to you on the condition that you return it to me." in this way, the recipient may recite a blessing on it with no problem. (for a synopsis of these laws, see Sukkah 41 and Shulchan Aruch chapter 658). This can surely be taken into consideration if one has money for only one etrog Meyuchas or several not such meyuchasim.

  Shabbat shalom and Gmar hatima Tova,

         Meir Gavriel Elbaz   


 

Tag-MehirTzedek:
www( DOT)
 torahanytime.com/scripts/media.php?file=media/Rabbi/Meir_Gavriel_Elbaz/2012-09-06/Sukkot:_Some_Laws_Regarding_the_Four_Species/Rabbi__Meir_Gavriel_Elbaz__Sukkot:_Some_Laws_Regarding_the_Four_Species__2012-09-06.wmv

muman613:
I never heard of this....It would help if he would provide a reason for saying that it is only kosher to use a 'yemenite' etrog... where does he get this stuff?

PS: I have found some information about this decision..

http://www.chayas.com/ethrogpage.htm

muman613:
1-   Talmud Bavli lists signs (simonim) for an Ethrog as follows: The ethrog is described as the only tree in which the fruit and the tree have the same taste. In addition, the ethrog is considered unique in that the fruit will stay on the tree past its "season" and continues to grow and thrive year-round.

2- RaMb"M: "If even the slightest amount of an Ethrog is missing, as a result of a hole, it is posul." (Hilchoth Shofar/Sukkah/Lulav 8)


There are other examples - like the chimaera - that should certainly warrant closer study,

Throughout the ages, our wise men were already aware of the alterations caused by grafting. In Yemen & certain places in Europe, they actually warned about it in Jewish (legal) codes/writings.

Some modern rabbis believe that grafting effects seed position (inside the fruit). Others believe that grafting creates spots and/or changes the indentation of the stem on the fruit. Many have suggested that an authentic ethrog should have ridges on it's exterior - and not be totally smooth. I am not sure if there is a basis to that or not. However, I know this. The citrus INDUSTRIES are most certainly monetarily motivated. To date, they have provided no evidence that grafting has no effect on the content of an ethrog. I believe the "onis probandi" rests on them to prove their case. Until they can 100% guarantee that their grafts have/had no effect on the ethrog, we will continue to avoid them (at all costs). Instead, we opt for Ethrogim (ie: seeds) that have a tradition of being "non-grafted". We also avoid using Ethrogim that exhibit features of being cross-hybrid-bread with lemons.

A full discussion of this topic appears here: http://www.chayas.com/sheela.htm#ethrog

muman613:
The Etrog we use is from Israel, and my Rabbi just told me that it has the Hecsher Eida Hachareidis which ensures that our Etrogim are not grafted... Thus our Etrogs are Kosher according to Halacha...

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