In prewar Russia and Poland it was very difficult to get esrogim for Succos. The prices ranged between five to fifty rubles, in today's money, from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Communities would buy one esrog for everyone to use. Only the wealthy people could allow themselves to buy their own esrog and the very wealthy people an expensive one.
At the beginning of Ellul the Chafetz Chaim used to give the following three minute Shiur in his Yeshiva.
"We are in the month of Ellul and the Yomim Tovim are approaching. We are thinking to ourselves, if only I was a rich man, I would by my own Lulav and esrog. If only I was very rich and I could buy an esrog for fifty rubles.
The Mitzva is priceless.
A mitzva that we have once a year.
On the first day it is de'oiraysa - one of the 613 Mitzvos, and the rest of Succos it is De'rabanan - a Mitzva the Chazal gave us.
The reward for one word of Torah study is greater the the nicest esrog, all the four species, shofar, Matza and all the 613 Mitzvos.
In one minute a person can say 200 words.
A thousand words in five minutes, that's 613,000 Mitzvos.
And boys come five minutes late to the Seder (the study sessions)?"
And everyone was shaking.
There are many points to be learned from this short but powerful message.
Maybe the most obvious, utilizing one's time to do as many Mitzvos as possible. Every word of Torah study, every word of Prayer, every Mitzva, every time we give Charity and so much more.
We don't need to save our money for those Mitzvos that come our way once a year, when we can buy Mitzvos every day. We can even grab so many great Mitzvos that don't cost us money.
But one thing is for sure, Ellul is the time when we have to wake up and do some soul searching.
By Rabbi Dovid Caro
