A kollel fellow in Israel finally found the esrog of his dreams. As is customary, he took it from the store and brought it to his Rav for a ruling on its kashrus for use. R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth z”l known by the name of his book, the Shmiras Shabbos K’Hilchaso, looked at the esrog and admired its beauty, then said, “It’s truly a stunning esrog. Take it back to the dealer. It’s posul.”
The man was shocked. “What’s wrong with it? I didn’t find a single blemish!” “How much does it cost?” asked the Rav. “500 shekel,” replied the confused man.
“Tell me,” asked R’ Neuwirth. “Does your wife have a new dress for Yom Tov? Don’t your children have holes in their shoes? You can buy a cheaper esrog which will still be kosher and then take care of your family’s needs. For you, an esrog that costs so much is unfit for use.”
©2024 – J. Gewirtz
