[Avodah] Rashi and geography

[Shalom Berger]

I was learning Massechet Sukkah with my son and we came across the sugya of "etrog ha-kushi" (31a), which concludes that whether or not a black etrog is kosher depends on where you are - "ha lan ve-ha lehu."

Rashi's explaination follows the usual definition of those terms, and he explains that since Bavel is closer to Kush than is Eretz Yisrael, people in Bavel are used to them, and black is acceptable. Since Israel is far from Kush, black is abnormal and therefore pasul.

Working with the assumption that Kush is Ethiopia, it appears that Rashi has it backwards. Any suggestions?

Shalom

Rabbi Shalom Z. Berger, Ed.D.
The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora
School of Education
Bar-Ilan University
http://www.lookstein.org
Blogging at http://schmoozed.lookstein.org/
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