Etrog

Etrog (plural: etrogim, Hebrew: אֶתְרוֹג) is the yellow citron or Citrus medica used by Jewish people during the week-long holiday of Sukkot, as one of the four species. Together with a Lulav, Hadass and Aravah, the etrog is to be taken in each Jewish hand.

Taxonomy

While in Modern Hebrew etrog is the name for citron of any variety or form, whether kosher for the ritual or not, its English usage applies only to those varieties and specimens used as one of the Four Species. Some taxonomic experts, like Hodgson and others, have mistakenly treated etrog as one specific variety of citron. The various Jewish rites utilize different varieties, according to their tradition or the decision of their respective Posek.

Etymology

The romanization as Etrog according to the Sephardic pronunciation, is widely used in Israel through Modern Hebrew. The Ashkenazi pronunciation as in Yiddish, is esrog or esrig. It has been transliterated as Ethrog or Ethrogh in scholarly work, which is according to Yemenite Hebrew. The Hebrew word is thought to derive from the Persian name for the fruit, turung, likely borrowed via Aramaic.

Etrog (political term)

Etrog has become an epithet in the Israeli politics for a politician whom journalists prefer not to criticize in order to pave his way to a certain political position, or in order to promote common interests.

The first use of this metaphor is attributed to the Israeli journalist Amnon Abramovich. In February 2005, during Ariel Sharon's campaign to promote his disengagement plan, Abramovich (who supported the plan) said that Israeli journalists should treat Sharon like an "Etrog": as long as the disengagement plan was not completed they should cherish him and refrain from attacking him, but once the plan was carried out they should treat him like an etrog after the holiday [of Sukkot] is over, i.e. stop protecting him. This metaphor caught on quickly, and today it is not uncommon to use the term as a verb, e.g. "The press etrogs certain ministers" (לְאַתְרֵג).

References

Etrog (disambiguation)

Etrog or Esrog is the Hebrew word for the citron fruit or Citrus medica.

Surname

Etrog and Essrog are also Jewish surnames.

Political term