[Avodah] expensive etrog

[Zev Sero]

On 29/09/17 08:05, Ben Waxman via Avodah wrote:
>   In OH 656 the Mechaber writes that if one is shopping for an etrog and 
> sees two etrogim, one more mehudar than the other, you need to buy the 
> mehudar (either it is mitzvah or possibly a chiyuv). However, this only 
> applies if the mehudar etrog is no more than 33% more expensive.

The first opinion is that only if one is hadar and the other is not, 
must one spend up to a third more for the hadar, but if both are hadar 
one may buy the cheaper one.  The second opinion is that even if both 
are hadar, but one is more hadar than the other, one must spend up to a 
third more for the better one.   This rule is not just for esrog, it's 
in all mitzvos; "zeh Keli ve'anvehu" means one must pay up to a third 
extra for hiddur mitzvah (Bava Kama 9b).

 > The language that the Mechaber uses in the "yesh omrim" is "ein
 > meyakrim oto yoter m'shlish". Does this mean that it is assur to pay
 > more or there is simply no need (but if you want to, you  can)? If
 > there is no need to pay a lot of money for an etrog, is it really a
 > hiddur to buy one?

It means neither one.  You left out a word.  The Mechaber's language is 
"*im* ein meyakrin oto yoter mishlish".  One should buy the better one, 
*if* they don't make it more expensive than a third above the inferior 
one.  If they charge more than that, you don't have to buy it.  But 
there's certainly no restriction if you want to.  The gemara says "Up to 
a third is from his own, more than that is from Hakadosh Baruch Hu", 
i.e. that Hashem will pay him back for what he spends over a third.

-- 
Zev Sero                May 2017, with its *nine* days of Chanukah,
zev at sero.name           be a brilliant year for us all