He leaned over the soft ground, grabbed a little of its soil, and rubbed the dirt with his fingers. A smile of happiness appeared on his face. Finally, his dream comes true. He got up, shook the dust off his clothes, and turned to conclude the deal. A strip of land extending over several dunams, in the village of Hittin, near Tiberias, was transferred to him.
Rabbi Chaim-Elazar Wax was excited. For years he has been working from Kalisz, Poland, for the sake of the Land of Israel and its settlement, and was even elected president of Kollel Polish in the Land of Israel. He made great efforts to strengthen the Jewish settlement in the country, and was considered a prominent supporter of its settlers. He finally got to fulfill an old dream: to plant an etrogim orchard in the Holy Land. Who knows, with G-d's help, in a few years they will recite a blessing in Poland over etrogim from the Holy Land.
The years passed, the seedlings grew. Osher filled his heart when he received the first etrogim that grew in the orchard. He looked at them fondly, as if they were his own children, and decided to give them to great personalities. Among the rare recipients of etrogim from Eretz Yisrael was Rabbi Yechiel Danziger, the first Rebbe of Alexander, who rejoiced with great joy over the etrog.
One year was drought-stricken. The drought severely damaged the etrog orchard, and it was difficult to find an elegant and handsome etrog in it. And with that, a shipment of etrogim from Eretz Yisrael crossed the sea and reached Rabbi Wax. He hurriedly sent one etrog to the Rebbe of Alexander.
The etrog was received after Rosh Hashanah, the Rebbe looked at it, and an expression of dissatisfaction appeared on his face. He usually expressed his enthusiasm for the citrus fruit, but this time his reaction was restrained. The etrog was not elegant enough. "I don't want this etrog," the Rebbe said sadly. The heart of the sun is sour. He decided to arrange for another, more beautiful etrog for the Rebbe.
Without delay, he went to Piotrkow, where Rabbi Wax was serving at the time. He told him about the Rebbe's cold reaction to the sight of the etrog. The rabbi was saddened to hear this. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind: A few days ago, he sent an elegant etrog to one of the rabbis in the area. "Let's go to that rabbi," he suggested to the shemesh, "and implore him to give up the etrog and give it to the Rebbe." The two did not delay, and set off immediately.
When Rav Wax saw him at the entrance to his house, he was frightened for a moment. What caused Rav Wax, who is so preoccupied in the days between the holidays and the decade, to bother to come to him? "Thank God, everything is fine," Rabbi Wax smiled. "I will lay out my request before His Holiness, and I pray that he will be attentive to my words and will be pleased with it."
An expression of displeasure crossed the rabbi's face when he heard the request. Giving up the fine etrog?! He was so happy to receive him, and now he must say goodbye to him?! However, out of respect for Rabbi Wax, he agreed, and with a trembling hand returned the etrog to him. Rabbi Wax thanked him with all his heart, and noted the great privilege of granting the Rebbe of Alexander the special etrog. He said goodbye to the rabbi by showering him with blessings and thanks.
The happiness of the sun also skyrocketed. Thanks to his initiative and diligence, he will succeed in making his rabbi happy, and providing him with an etrog that is completely beautiful. With a heart full of joy, he drove to the Rebbe's house, and could barely contain his excitement: "Rabbi," he cried, "I have brought you a new etrog, unparalleled etrog!"
In front of the Rebbe's eyes, the sun opened the package and very carefully took out the etrog, which was tightly wrapped in a soft cloth. The sun held its breath in anticipation when the Rebbe took the etrog in his hands. The Rebbe's face remained sealed. He surveyed the etrog from all sides, and suddenly called out in a panic: "Oh... What do I see here? What a black bile there is here! What a black bile!"
The sun was horrified at this. "Tell me about this etrog," the Rebbe commanded. "Where did you get it from?"
The sun lowered his gaze, and laid out things to the Rebbe as they were – how he had traveled with Rabbi Wax to the same rabbi, in order to pressure him to give up the etrog in favor of the Rebbe.
The Rebbe sighed and said, "Please return the etrog to its owner. I do not want to have such an etrog, which carries within it the deep sorrow of its owner, that he was forced to give it up."
The etrog was returned, and the Rebbe was left without a proper etrog for the time being. The Rebbe's followers took the trouble to search for a respectable etrog for their rabbi, but their efforts were in vain. Suddenly the Rebbe said: "After all, every year Rabbi McAlish sends me a box with simple etrogim from Eretz Yisrael to decorate the sukkah. I will take one etrog from there, and I will recite a blessing on it."
With no other choice, the crate was brought to the Rebbe. The Rebbe put his hand inside him, and without looking inward, he took out the first etrog that his hand encountered. A river rose on his face at his sight. It was an etrog that lacked grace and splendor, much less beautiful than the first etrog, which he gave up at the beginning.
The Rebbe's associates stood around him, looking in silence at the miserable etrog that had been lifted from the crate. The Rebbe noticed their disappointment and said: "Not everything that looks beautiful is indeed beautiful, and not everyone who understands the etrogs understands the hearts as well... Etrog and Lev – they are one and the same thing. When the heart feels the etrog, a sign and a sign is that this is the real etrog."
