The Inner Beauty of the Kotzker Rebbe's Esrog

Year after year, Yankel took pride in sending the most beautiful mehudar esrog to his Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk. That year, however, business was not going well. "While things have taken a downturn," Yankel thought, "I have a chazakah, an annual obligation to fulfill." He did his best and managed to buy the Rebbe a beautiful esrog, nearly the quality of those of past years.

This year a competitor appeared as well, a wealthy chassid who had moved to the town. He challenged Yankel's longstanding tradition of providing the Rebbe with a mehudar esrog, and since he had greater means, he sought to outdo him. In fact, the esrog he bought for the Kotzker looked more mehudar than Yankel's.

"Reb Feivel," the Kotzker Rebbe called to his devoted gabbai. The Rebbe handed him the two esrogim and told him to show them to his inner circle of chassidim. "Show these two esrogim to my dear talmidim, and to Rav Avrohom, my son-in-law, as well. Let us hear their opinion on this matter."

The gabbai returned with their decision. They all agreed that the newer esrog was far more mehudar. The Kotzker was not satisfied. He turned back to Reb Feivish and asked, "Did you show the two esrogim to Rav Zev Wolf?"

"Zev Wolf? No, I did not."

"Please show the esrogim to him as well," said the Kotzker.

When Zev Wolf examined the two esrogim, he declared without hesitation that the former esrog was more mehudar and that the Rebbe should take that one. When his decision was relayed to the Kotzker, the Rebbe agreed. The Rebbe's son-in-law, Rav Avrohom, author of the Avnei Nezer, heard the decision and disagreed. He hurried to his father-in-law's room and said, "It seems clear that the new esrog is more mehudar."

"If you think so, here, take it as a gift," said the Kotzker, handing his son-in-law the newcomer's esrog.

On the first day of Yom Tov, the Avnei Nezer recited the brachah over the new esrog and shook it with the four species. On the second day the esrog fell apart. He hurried to Rav Zev Wolf and asked in amazement, "How did you know? Was it divine intuition, ruach hakodesh?"

"No, no," said Rav Zev Wolf, "it was not that." He explained, "I saw that the Rebbe was asking us to decide between two esrogim, one clearly more externally beautiful than the other. I just knew there must be something more to his request."