Friday, October 17, 2008

SOMETIMES AN ESRIG IS ONLY AN ESRIG

Every year, I purchase an etrog (AKA esrig), the bright yellow fruit that is a centerpiece of the Sukkot holiday ritual.

You order these things sight unseen here. If I were in Israel, I could do as the locals do, examining the fruit with a jeweler’s loupe, searching for minor defects to use as negotiating points. People have been known to spend a small fortune for a really nice-looking etrog. Kind of like the Japanese, who happily cough up an armload of yen for perfect melons, strawberries, et alia.

As I said, you order these things sight unseen, and hope you get a good-looking one.

This year, when my etrog showed up, it looked a little different:

Etrog Gadol


Bedam! A Runcible Etrog! Humongous, with a sort of groove across the midsection...I had never seen anything quite like it.

All kinds of possible captions suggest themselves. F’rinstance:
  • New and improved Etrog...with Handi-Grip!

  • Israeli Tickler!

  • Big Bird’s “Buzzy Buddy”...Batteries not included
Got any of your own? Leave ’em in the comments!

Update: Haveil Havalim #187 is up at Ill Call Baila.

No comments: