The Esreg in Yiddish
Note: We transcribe the word אתרוג according to its pronunciation in Yiddish, esreg, which is commonly written in English as esrog or etrog. The Four Species, also transcribed according to their pronunciations in Yiddish, are: lulev (palm), hodes (myrtle), arove (willow), and esreg (citron).
It is a mitsve (a mandate in Jewish tradition) to hold the Four Species on each day of Sukes -- except Shabes -- and make a blessing over them. This mitsve is sometimes known as bentshn lulev (blessing the lulev), but in Yiddish it is usually called bentshn esreg (blessing the esreg) – a curious fact, given that the blessing itself mentions only the lulev!
The significant role played by the esreg in Jewish tradition has left its mark on Jewish consciousness. This, in turn, is reflected in a number of Yiddish idioms and proverbs, some of which we list below.
The Esreg in Idioms
אַ לולבֿ מיט אַן אתרוג
On Sukes, the lulev and the esreg are a pair with a considerable difference between their two sizes. So, in Yiddish, a couple which has one tall person and one short person can be called “a lulev with an esreg”.
אתרוג – בלינדער אתרוג
It is considered a special merit to fulfil the commandment of blessing the esreg with the most beautiful esreg one can afford. In our movie, we see how Nomi carefully picks out “shoyn eyn mol an esreg”, a remarkable esreg, that “shines like the sun”, and then takes the utmost care of it. This custom of choosing a beautiful and valuable esreg can help us understand the following two expressions:
אתרוג – A talented person of good character and good standing;
בלינדער אתרוג – Usually an esreg is carefully examined before purchase to ensure it has no blemishes. Sometimes, however, one has to buy an esreg without seeing it; in such a case it is known as “a blind esreg”. By extension, the same term can be used to designate any transaction where one makes a commitment or purchase without knowing exactly what it is one is committing to.
The Esreg in Proverbs
אַז מע האָט נישט קײן אתרוג, דאַרף מען קײן פּושקע נישט האָבן.
“If you don’t have an esreg, you don’t need a box for it.” If the main thing is unavailable, there is no point in contemplating extras. For example, if you live far from the beach and can’t afford the airfare to get there, there is no point in acquiring a surfboard. The proverb can also be used ironically as if to console, in a way similar to a second proverb:
דער אתרוג קאָסט דאָס גאַנצע געלט, און איבערן לולבֿ מאַכט מען די ברכה.
“All the money is spent on the esreg yet the blessing is made over the lulev.” — Meaning, the esreg may be financially the most precious, but ritual singles out the lulev for special consideration. Differing measures of assessment (e.g. monetary value, beauty, prestige, ritual importance) sometimes lead to a situation where the object or person that seems at first glance to be the most beautiful, important or valuable is rejected in favor of something (someone) seemingly lesser. For example, a young child opens a gift and is more interested in the box than the toy.
װאָס טוט קהל אָן אַן אתרוג? – מע בענטשט ניט.
“What does the community do when it doesn’t have an esreg? It doesn’t make the blessing.” (In Eastern Europe, communities frequently only had one esreg that was shared by all its members.) This proverb expresses the simple but difficult truth that when something is lacking – even something extremely important, a necessity of life – there is no choice but to do without it.
