If no cup is available for washing one's hands, one can immerse them into a river or into snow, if there's enough snow on the ground to fill a Mikve. (About 500 litres/130 gallons of water.)
On Sukkoth there's a Mitzvah to shake the four species; a Lulav, 3 Haddasim, 2 Aravot and an Etrog.
The Etrog is a citron; Citrus Medica.
It is held in one's left hand when shaking the four species, with the stem (where it was cut off the tree) facing downwards.
By nature the Etrog tree is very soft (mine buckled during a light Jerusalem snow storm), therefore it is often grafted onto other trees to make it stronger. An Etrog from a grafted tree cannot be used when shaking the four species.
(Grafted fruit is Kosher to eat, despite the prohibition against grafting trees.)
The Etrog needs to be whole; scratches and dents may invalidate it.
The Etrog should not have dark dots on it, though it may have light scabs that are a result of leaves and thorns brushing against it while it grows. (Etrog trees have thorns that grow to about 2" long.)
The "nose" of the the Etrog - from where it starts getting narrow - should be perfectly clean.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 174:2, Shulchan Aruch 648
Ktiva Vechatima Tova
- Danny
Monday, 13 Elul 5771
On Sukkoth there's a Mitzvah to shake the four species; a Lulav, 3 Haddasim, 2 Aravot and an Etrog.
The Etrog is a citron; Citrus Medica.
It is held in one's left hand when shaking the four species, with the stem (where it was cut off the tree) facing downwards.
By nature the Etrog tree is very soft (mine buckled during a light Jerusalem snow storm), therefore it is often grafted onto other trees to make it stronger. An Etrog from a grafted tree cannot be used when shaking the four species.
(Grafted fruit is Kosher to eat, despite the prohibition against grafting trees.)
The Etrog needs to be whole; scratches and dents may invalidate it.
The Etrog should not have dark dots on it, though it may have light scabs that are a result of leaves and thorns brushing against it while it grows. (Etrog trees have thorns that grow to about 2" long.)
The "nose" of the the Etrog - from where it starts getting narrow - should be perfectly clean.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 174:2, Shulchan Aruch 648
Ktiva Vechatima Tova
- Danny
Monday, 13 Elul 5770
One may put congealed fat onto hot food on Shabbat even though it will dissolve. One may not crush snow or ice in order to help them melt faster. One may put ice into liquids in order to chill them, even though the ice will melt. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 80:13 Shabbat Shalom, - Danny, Thursday, 3 Tamuz 5769 Please daven for a complete recovery for Tamar bat Naama - תמר בת נעמה
On Sukkoth there's a Mitzva to shake the four species; a Lulav, 3 Haddasim, 2 Aravot and an Etrog.
The Etrog is a citron; Citrus Medica.
It is held in ones left hand when shaking the four species, with the stem (where it was cut off the tree) facing downwards.
By nature the Etrog tree is very soft (mine buckled during a light Jerusalem snow storm), therefore it is often grafted onto other trees to make it stronger.
An Etrog from a grafted tree cannot be used when shaking the four species. (Grafted fruit is Kosher to eat, despite the prohibition against grafting trees.)
The Etrog needs to be whole; scratches and dents may invalidate it.
The Etrog should not have dark dots on it, though it may have light scabs that are a result of leaves and thorns brushing against it while it grows. (Etrog trees have thorns that grow to about 2" long.)
The "nose" of the the Etrog - from where it starts getting narrow - should be perfectly clean.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 174:2, Shulchan Aruch 648
Ktiva Vechatima Tova; wishing you happy year to come
- Danny Monday, 15 Elul 5768
Written in memory of my grandfather - Yehuda ben Yissoschor - whose 21st Yahrzeit is today.
On Shabbos one may not crush snow or hail - causing them to dissolve, but one may put snow or hail into liquids where they will dissolve by themselves. On Shabbos one may not shake a black garment to remove the snow or dust from it. Source: Kitzur Sulchan Aruch 80: 14, 39. The 39 categories of activity prohibited on shabbat
If no cup is available for washing ones hands, one can immerse them into a river or into snow, if there's enough snow on the ground to fill a mikve. (About 350 litres/90 gallons.) This applies to washing three times after arising as well as before eating bread. Sources: KSA 2:6, 40:7
