Would you pay NIS 10,000 for a citrus fruit – or any fruit? Apparently, there are people in Israel who do. Especially now, just before Sukkot, when the etrog transforms from a simple citrus fruit into a highly sought-after, exquisite, and sometimes extraordinarily expensive item.
The etrog is one of the Four Species, possessing both taste and aroma. It symbolizes those who possess both knowledge of Torah and good deeds. However, the Torah itself does not explicitly use the word "etrog," but rather "fruit of a majestic tree" (pri etz hadar): "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a majestic tree, palm branches, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook" (Leviticus 23:40). The Sages determined that this refers to the etrog. Incidentally, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda derived the term "pri hadar" (citrus fruits) for the fruit family we know as oranges, lemons, tangerines, and others from this phrase.
Yet, there are etrogim, and then there are etrogim. Some carry a story that begins in 1960s Brooklyn.
The blessed orchard
About 15 years ago, I visited Calabria in southwestern Italy, located in the "toe" of the Italian boot. There I saw the largest etrogim I have ever seen – roughly the size of a vertical pomelo. In Calabria, they mainly grow two primary crops that made the region famous: Red onions and the etrog, known in Italian as cedro. There is even a town specializing in their cultivation called Santa Maria del Cedro, which became a global center for growing the Diamante variety of etrogim. They even make etrog and lemon ice cream there, as the fruit has become a symbol of the area.
Calabrian etrogim are also known as "Yanova" etrogim, named after the port of Genoa, from which Calabria’s etrogim were shipped. These are massive, magnificent etrogim, considered the most exquisite for Jewish communities worldwide during Sukkot. Today, this Italian etrog is also grown in Israel. In fact, one special orchard in Kfar Chabad has been growing these Italian etrogim for 60 years.
Rabbi Chaim Nachum Yonatan Luria, 76, manages the Lubavitch Etrog Orchard in Kfar Chabad, which was planted in the late 1960s. According to Luria, the orchard is blessed. In 1966, his father-in-law traveled to the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Brooklyn and requested the etrog the Rebbe had used for blessings during Sukkot. "After the holiday, the Rebbe gave him the etrog and said, 'When you return to Israel, open the etrog, take the seeds, and plant an orchard,'" Luria recounted. He added that the etrog contained about 20 seeds, four of which took root and became small saplings from which the entire orchard grew.
Why is the etrog so expensive?
Here enters one of the most sensitive subjects in the etrog world – grafting – which also affects its price.
In agriculture, it is customary to graft citrus fruits onto a rootstock to obtain a stronger, more resistant tree. For example, bitter orange (chushchash), whose fruit is inedible, is used as rootstock onto which a citrus branch is grafted. This yields a tree that can live for decades, as the rootstock provides a robust root system. Occasionally, however, this can affect the fruit's taste.
"Our etrog trees are ungrafted," Luria explained. "We use various techniques to extend their lifespan, though not for decades. The problem is that it is not enough to know that the tree is ungrafted today. Those who are strict about an ungrafted etrog want to know that its previous generations were never grafted either."
How can one know that the tree was never grafted or crossbred in the past?
"That is precisely why my father-in-law asked for an etrog from the Lubavitcher Rebbe," Luria said, "an etrog that he said he saw 'with his own eyes from the beginning of the world to its end' and contained no crossbreeding. For us, that preserves the purity of the variety."
Preserving the etrog's 'pregnancy'
Even after successfully growing the tree, one cannot simply pick an etrog and run to the sukkah. "During the first three years, the tree is in its orlah period, so its fruit cannot be used and is discarded," Luria explained. "In the fourth year, the fruit is neta revai, which must be redeemed, originally tied to redeeming and bringing the funds to Jerusalem. In the fifth year, laws of tithes (trumot and ma'asrot) begin, and in the sixth year, there is also the poor man's tithe (ma'asar ani)." Then comes the seventh year – the Shmita (sabbatical) year – when the fruits are declared ownerless (hefker). Thus, the etrog is not exempt from bureaucracy; it simply receives it through Torah law.
Etrog trees can yield fruit year-round, but the main bloom occurs in the spring. "The problem is that fruit ripening from this bloom won't necessarily be the exact etrog a grower wants to see on Sukkot," Luria said. Therefore, the goal is to guide the etrogim's development so harvesting takes place a few weeks before the holiday, after growing for about three months under suitable conditions. This does not always succeed, but he manages the cultivation so the tree yields fruit as close as possible to the desired date.
An exquisite etrog must be beautiful, symmetrical, not crooked, and above all, free of blemishes. At this point, a security operation begins that might seem extreme – until one remembers the fruit could sell for thousands of shekels. "The trees are tied and frames are built around them so they do not sway in the wind, preventing branches from rubbing against the fruit and thorns from scratching it. Surrounding branches are trimmed to prevent damage," Luria said, describing the effort to guard the etrog's "pregnancy."
Then comes the smallest, most lethal enemy – insects
"Insects are one of the biggest problems in growing exquisite etrogim," Luria explained. "Mainly when the bloom opens, they can enter the flower, nibble on it, and leave a mark."
That mark can appear on the pitam – the upper tip of the etrog, which is one of the most sensitive spots regarding kashrut and perfection. "They enter the flower, sit and eat a bit, and then a mark appears on the pitam area – that is the worst. The etrog grows, but the tip does not," he said.
Pesticide spraying is also a delicate matter. Spraying against insects can save the fruit, but overly harsh chemicals can leave marks and spoil the etrog's appearance. "That is why we use the gentlest spraying possible," he added. However, insects adapt to pesticides, requiring adjustments to the spray formulas each year, which is far from cheap. "Dealing with pests and adjusting spray materials can cost tens of thousands of shekels," he said.
Half of the etrogim are disqualified before reaching the sukkah
Anyone standing before an etrog stall seeing dozens of fruits lined up might think it was a successful harvest. Behind the scenes, however, the numbers are far less festive.
The Thai workers in the orchard tie the trees, protect the fruits, harvest, wash, and sort them. Along the way, many etrogim are discarded. "About 50 percent are thrown out during harvesting, and another 30 percent during sorting," Luria said. In other words, on its journey from the tree to the festive table, the fruit passes through a tough screening process. Not every etrog born is destined to be a holiday star.
So, how much does an etrog cost?
"The price starts at almost nothing – disqualified ones can be obtained free of charge – and can climb to thousands of shekels," Luria said. "The more you pay, the more you beautify the mitzvah." He noted that exceptionally expensive etrogim can reach around $3,000. Most people, however, buy an etrog at an average price of about NIS 100.
What distinguishes a $1,000 etrog from a $3,000 one?
"There is no measure for beauty," Luria explained. "Shape, symmetry, and cleanliness all play a role. The closer the etrog gets to perfection, the higher the price. That is why some inspect etrogim with a magnifying glass. Anyone paying a large sum wants to ensure the fruit is clean, free of bumps, scratches, or suspicious spots, especially on the pitam."
The pitam is that tiny part at the tip of the etrog that occupies growers and buyers far more than expected for such a small piece of fruit. "If the pitam is missing, the etrog may be invalid," Luria said. "Therefore, it is inspected carefully for black spots, damage, or other marks."
What happens to the etrog after Sukkot?
Once the holiday ends, the etrog usually finishes its role as one of the Four Species, though not necessarily its career as a fruit. "Some companies collect leftover etrogim after the holiday to make jams, dried fruit for Tu Bishvat, and other products," Luria said. "Some make jam, and others use the etrog to prepare perfume for Havdalah."
Agriculture with help from Above
The orchard remains open continuously until Sukkot. "People arrive even at night, and work around the etrogim continues almost nonstop," Luria said. "It takes a lot of strength and, above all, God's blessing."
This year, according to him, the etrogim turned out better. "Why? I don't know. Perhaps I have special merits this year, or God sent angels," he said with a smile.
After 60 years of running the orchard, producing thousands of etrogim, spending tens of thousands of shekels on pest control, dealing with insects targeting the pitam, and employing workers trying to save every fruit from damage – perhaps this, too, is agriculture with a little help from Above.