[Avodah] Rashi and geography

[Zev Sero]

Shalom Berger wrote:
> 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?

1. We already know that Rashi's knowledge of geography wasn't much.

2. But in this case he might have a point.  Kush can mean a place in
central Asia, perhaps the Hindu Kush; cf the opinion that Hodu and Kush
are close to each other, and also the opinion that the Gichon, which
surrounds the Land of Kush, is the Ganges.  (Of course, Rashi says the
Pishon is the Nile, which is nowhere near the Tigris and Euphrates.
I wonder whether he knew that.)

-- 
Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
zev at sero.name          interpretation of the Constitution.
                       	                          - Clarence Thomas