Balady citron
Balady citron (etrog) | |
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C. medica L. var. Balady |
The balady citron is a variety of citron, or etrog, grown in Israel and Palestine, mostly for Jewish ritual purposes. Not native to the region, it was imported around 500 or 300 BCE by either Jewish or Greek settlers. Initially not widely grown, it was promoted and popularized in the 1870s by Rabbi Chaim Elozor Wax.
Etymology
The balady citron is an acidic variety, alongside the Florentine and Diamante citron from Italy, and the Greek citron.[2]
History
Citron varieties |
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Acidic-pulp varieties |
Non-acidic varieties |
Pulpless varieties |
Citron hybrids |
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Citrus fruits are not native to Israel.
Mamluk and Ottoman rule |
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Key events |
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Key figures |
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Economy |
Philanthropy |
Communities |
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Synagogues |
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In the 1870s, Rabbi
The pro-
The supporters of the Balady were strained in a conflict of interest. While the Greek citron grown in
Rescue and selections
The Old Yishuv rabbis Shmuel Salant and Meir Auerbach supported the progeny of Umm el-Fahm, but those declined quickly. Later, some Israeli rabbis did their utmost for the rescue of Balady. Each collected propagation material from a different place and brought it into cultivation under close supervision. This is how a diversity of sub-varieties or selections with different names developed.[21]
The list of rabbis who were instrumental includes (arranged in order of date): Rabbi Zarach Reuven Braverman founder and dean of the Yeshiva Mea Shearim and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld;[22] which both where close disciples of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin.[21] Braverman's citron was planted by in the orchard of Yehoshua Stampfer and Zonnenfeld's (today known as 'Kibilewitz')' in the same orchard, but in the time of his son-in-law, Pinhas Globman.[23]
When the
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook promoted the intraspecific graft from the Greek citron onto Balady citron rootstock, and granted his Hechsher for this, believing that it was a practical solution to grow beautiful etrogs that were also kosher. However, he still acknowledged the halachic promotion of those etrogs cultivated at different Arabic villages, that were never as nice but were praised for not being grafted.[25]
Balady citron varieties are still grown and sold today in diaspora as well as in Israel, and are favored by the followers of the Brisker Rov and the Chazon Ish.[26]
Local cultivars are also used in Israeli cuisine for jams, juice and alcoholic drinks.
See also
- Agricultural research in Israel
- Agriculture in Israel
- Agriculture in Palestine
- Jewish holidays
- Jewish cuisine
- Palestinian cuisine
References
- ^ קונטרס פרי עץ הדר, ירושלים תרל"ח Archived 2008-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Meena, Ajay Kumar; Kandale, Ajit; Rao, M. M.; Panda, P.; Reddy, Govind (2011). "A review on citron-pharmacognosy, phytochemistry and medicinal uses". The Journal of Pharmacy. 2 (1): 14–20.
- ^ Friedrich Simon Bodenheimer (1951). "1. The History and Extent of Citrus Cultivation in Palestine". Citrus Entomology in the Middle East: With Special References to Egypt, Iran, Irak, Palestine, Syria, Turkey. Dr. W. Junk. p. 3.
Citrus plants are no natives of Palestine.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-85199-019-4.
- ISBN 978-0-19-104072-6.
From there it reached Babylonia, where it came to the notice of the exiled Jews, who later brought it back to Israël.
- ^ Report FS. United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 1935. p. 2.
Of the fruits now grown in Palestine, it is believed that the citron (Ethrog in Hebrew) is the oldest known in that country.
- ^ Isaac, Erich (1958). "Rise of the Palestinian Citron". The Citron in the Mediterranean: A Study in Religious Influences. Economic geography. University of California. p. 76.
Etrogim were, of course grown from ancient times in Palestine and individual citron reached European Jewish dignitaries, but there was no significant trade until the latter part of the nineteenth century.
- ^ R. E. Hunter (1946). "Review: Hesperides. History of citrus fruits, Tolkowsky, Samuel, London, 1938". The Journal of the Palestine Oriental Society. Vol. 19–20. The Society. p. xlii.
The fruits were cultivated in Palestine and exported to Jewish communities settled in Europe.
- ^ Letter by Rabbi Meir Auerbach, printed at the end of the 4th chapter of first volume of the responsa Nefesh Chaya by Rabbi Chaim Elozor Wax שו"ת נפש חיה או"ח סי' ד סוה"ס
- ^ Issac, (1958). "Israëli" citrons began to figure in the European market in the late 1850s. These etrogim, however, met considerable opposition from certain Orthodox communities on the grounds that they were grafted. To counteract this unfavorable propaganda, a group of Palestinian rabbis investigated the situation and published a volume to inform world Jewry in which areas grafting was practiced and which exporters could not be relied upon, thus by implication putting the seal of approval upon the rest. The rabbis denied that grafting was universal in Palestine."
- ^ תולדות הנפש חיה, י.ד. בית הלוי, פרקים ח-י. שו"ת ביכורי שלמה סי' לח
- ^ a b תולדות הנפש חיה, י.ד. בית הלוי, פרקים ח-י.
- ^ שו"ת נפש חיה או"ח סי' ב-ד
- תולדות הנפש חיה, י.ד. בית הלוי, פרקים ח-י.
- ^ Our History, Kupath Rabbi Meir Baal Haness.
- ^ יוסף שלמון, הפולמוס על אתרוגי קורפו ואתרוגי ארץ ישראל - 1875–1891, ציון - רבעון לחקר תולדות ישראל, שנה סה (תש"ס) עמוד 75 והלאה.
- ^ קונטרס פרי עץ הדר, השותפים סלאנט, ירושלים תרל"ח Archived 2008-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
- יוסף שלמון, הפולמוס על אתרוגי קורפו ואתרוגי ארץ ישראל - 1875–1891, ציון - רבעון לחקר תולדות ישראל, שנה סה (תש"ס) עמוד 75 והלאה.
- ^ Taharat Haetrogim page 299.
- ^ Letter by Rabbi Shneor Zalman of Lublin, in Igros Baal Torath Chesed Chapter 9, אגרות בעל תורת חסד סימן ט
- Responsa Imrei Binah by Rabbi Meir Auerbach, chapter 11 of the last cycle of the first volume שו"ת אמרי בינה או"ח-יו"ד סוה"ס סי' יא
- ^ Igros HoRaye 114
- ^ תולדות הנפש חיה, י.ד. בית הלוי, פרק ח.
- אתרוגי ארץ ישראל, זהר עמר, תשע"א, עמוד 16 והלאה.
- יוסף שלמון, הפולמוס על אתרוגי קורפו ואתרוגי ארץ ישראל - 1875–1891, ציון - רבעון לחקר תולדות ישראל, שנה סה (תש"ס) עמוד 75 והלאה.
- ^ a b אתרוגי ארץ ישראל, זהר עמר, תשע"א
- ^ According to Professor Eliezer E. Goldschmidt (Hilkhot Sadeh, issue 146, Elul 5765, Page 24) the Kibilewitz-etrog was obtained in 1910 at the remote nature of Wadi Qelt. According to the Widow Kibilewitz and Mr. & Mrs. Kelli, it was obtained by Rabbi Sonnenfeld.
- ^ Rozenfeld article in Kobetz Etz Chaim
- ^ Menachem Pines, (September 2009). "The Chazon Ish's Magic Esrog Tree", Mishpacha.
- ^ .אגרות הראי"ה, חלק א, סימן נב, עמוד סא
- ^ See Etrog in Hebrew Wikipedia
Further reading
- Tolkowsky, S. (1938). Hesperides: a History of the Culture and Use of Citrus Fruits. John Bale, Sons and Curnow Ltd, London.
- Isaac, Eric; Isaac, Rael. (1958). A Goodly Tree: Sacred and Profane History. Commentary.
- Salmon, Y. (2000). The Controversy over Etrogim from Corfu and Palestine, 1875—1891. Zion, pp. 75–106.
- HaLevanon 11 no 23 Moshe Montefiori supporting plantation.
- HaLevanon 13 no 42 Letter by Rabbi Meir Auerbach, no 47 Letter by the Pitamand those without one should not be used.
- HaLevanon 14 no 2 go right to page 4—History of Balady and description of sub-varieties by Yakov Sapiraddressing the conflict over the Jaffa-Greek etrog and the Balady.