An etrog is a precious thing. The biblical citron gleams a gorgeous yellow, cut open it tastes just like a lemon. It looks a lot like a lemon as well, growing in various sizes and shape, sometimes as small as a nectarine, and other as large as a melon. In some ways the etrog is really robust, with thick skin and an inside that never rots.
In others, it is quite delicate. On one the end of the etrog is a tiny stem called the pitom. This is one of the most unique parts of an etrog, as it appears to have a double stem, one where the fruit hangs from the branch of the plant, and the other where a flower would be blossom. The pitom is essential in making the fruit kosher.
However, it is also extremely fragile. Drop it on the floor, tip it with your finger, just brush against it by accident, and the pitom will fall off. This year, we bought four etrogs and three of them lost their pitom in the first day of the holiday. Yet, despite this we need to shake the lulav (palm
branch) and etrog with all of our might. Even though the fruit is delicate, we must not treat it delicately.
The Torah, likewise, can be broken. Its pages are held together by thin strips of tape, the paper tears easily, and the words themselves can be smudged. And, like the etrog, it is easily made unkosher. If only one letter is unreadable, it cannot be read. But, read we must. As we begin Torah again this week – moving slowly from Genesis to Exodus, Exodus to Leviticus, Leviticus to Numbers, Numbers to Deuteronomy, and then back again – we cannot be afraid of the task that lies ahead.
We must proceed vigorously, despite the risks. As Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav teaches, “the whole world is a very narrow bridge, the essential thing is not to be afraid.” So, whether it is shaking the lulav, carrying the Torah, or any other important life endeavor, the lesson we should take away is not that things are breakable, but that we are strong enough to handle breakable things.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex