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