how much to spend on 4 minim (esrog)?

Ruchel

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 11:07 am

it can cost 15 to 150 euros (20 to 200 dollars), depending on the size, colour.... we don't spend more than 30 euros for it. The mitzva is done just the same according to dh, we prefer keeping for buying cool stuff to decorate the sukkah (and for dh to buy me a nice gift LOL

amother

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 11:20 am

We don't have the money for etrog/lulav or sukkah this year. I have been crying for days, but that obviously does no good.

Ruchel

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 12:06 pm

amother wrote:

We don't have the money for etrog/lulav or sukkah this year. I have been crying for days, but that obviously does no good.

maybe someone from your community can lend u the 4 species?

hila

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 12:18 pm

And if you have a place to put it, maybe you can set up a sukka from bits and pieces ? and cut branches for schach ?

If you ae near here - come and join us for chag ?

Ruchel

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 5:33 pm

we also cut branches from our garden, we don't buy wood. When we lived in an apt we got branches from the forrest.

greenfire

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 6:00 pm

so hila ... keep talking to that esrog tree Mr. Green

as far as I say ... it is a crazy meshuga avaira ... to hike up the prices beyond what is normal ... shock

it disables plenty of people such as myself from doing this mitzva!!! Twisted Evil

yup there are people who get around it by waiting for the last minute ... or buying on the east side where there is only 1 middleman instead of a couple of $$$$ hungry madmen ...

PinkandYellow

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 6:05 pm

dh got the whole set for around 400 nis, $100. last year he spent only $50 but he said he's not sure why its more expensive this yr (same place) but the set is nicer this time around. and he figures since we just spent $100 on meat for yom tov its not bad to spend the same on the arba minim. but we won't be having our own succa either.

TammyTammy

Mon, Sep 24 2007, 6:24 pm

$65 here (Brooklyn).

All this discussion reminds me of the movie Ushpizin (where the guy buys an Esrog called the "yahalom" (diamond).

Tammy

catonmylap

Tue, Sep 25 2007, 3:13 am

amother wrote:

We don't have the money for etrog/lulav or sukkah this year. I have been crying for days, but that obviously does no good.

That's really sad.

Shuls usually have one extra set for people who don't have.

Someone would probably help you too if you aren't too embarrassed to let someone know. Rabbis also have discretionary funds for these sorts of things.

Motek

Tue, Sep 25 2007, 1:19 pm

TammyTammy wrote:

All this discussion reminds me of the movie Ushpizin (where the guy buys an Esrog called the "yahalom" (diamond).

Tammy

yeah, I keep thinking about that movie

marion wrote:

I told him he could spend up to 120.

You told him? Does he also tell you what you can spend?

TammyTammy

Tue, Sep 25 2007, 1:22 pm

Motek wrote:

marion wrote:

I told him he could spend up to 120.

You told him? Does he also tell you what you can spend?

In some families, both partners take an active role in the finances. In others, only the husband does and yet, in others, only the wife does. Perhaps marion's household is in the latter group? Since she controls the finances, she would know how much they can afford.

Tammy

Motek

Wed, Sep 26 2007, 12:27 pm

I thought of posting the amount but am hesitant to do so. What's the purpose? Even anonymously, doesn't posting amounts create uncomfortable feelings for some posters?

As for the other threads:

1) did you buy clothing/jewelry yet - nobody was asked to state an amount. The purpose of that thread was not to compare what we bought but to remind women that it's something special to do for yomtov.

2) does your husband eat out of the succa - I said you can just answer the poll, no need to have a contest as to who is more machmir than who. I simply thought it would be interesting to see what different Jews do.

Yaelita

Sun, Sep 30 2007, 5:12 pm

dewyt wrote:

ummm...here in boro park on erev yomtov (which is the only time my dh has time to whip by and get a set) he gets a set for like $10- dunno how Mehudar it is, but its a fine esrog and lulav every year ( I think he has to buy the hadasim separate...?) but he spends really really not alot- we dont have the money for more and we dont need an overpriced one. if you do the mitzvah hashem is happy.

DH does the same thing - he goes to Boro Park (huge selection) closer to yom tov (a day before, some yeaars when he had time even on erev yom tov). This year he bought a whole set for $25.00. The years when he went a few hrs before yom tov, $10 was the price.

Ruchel

Mon, Oct 01 2007, 5:32 am

this year had everything for 20 euros( 25 dollars). Dh learned the etrog doesn't have to be perfect, you just can't see the pulp.

Tamiri

Mon, Oct 01 2007, 8:16 am

We have to buy 3-4 sets here. We get it delivered to our home for 75 shekels regular set and 85 shekels mehudar. We are pleased with what they bring us every year.
I went to the shuk Arbaat HaMinim in Petach Tikva and the prices were higher, but if you wait till the end you can get much cheaper.

amother

Mon, Oct 01 2007, 8:27 am

amother wrote:

We don't have the money for etrog/lulav or sukkah this year. I have been crying for days, but that obviously does no good.

How can someone have internet and computer but not be able to afford arbaas haminim? Work computer?

Yaelita

Mon, Oct 01 2007, 9:32 am

amother wrote:

We don't have the money for etrog/lulav or sukkah this year. I have been crying for days, but that obviously does no good.

How can someone have internet and computer but not be able to afford arbaas haminim? Work computer?

THere are free (hand-me-down) computers (or an old computer that had been bought years ago and is still functioning); and there are plenty of free internet providers.

GAMZu

Mon, Oct 01 2007, 1:24 pm

I know plenty of people who don't buy, but they use others' minim.
Sukka is pretty simple to make using a metal frame and sheets.
I'm so sorry about your situation!

DH spent $60 on lulav and $80 on esrog. I was upset, since we don't have that kind of $. But he said you couldn't get kosher ones for less.

Motek

Tue, Oct 02 2007, 12:16 pm

Ruchel wrote:

this year had everything for 20 euros( 25 dollars). Dh learned the etrog doesn't have to be perfect, you just can't see the pulp.

just can't see the pulp? that's it?! why would he settle for such a miserable esrog when you say he's coming into lots of money? the esrog is referred to as hadar and one tries to buy the most (halachically) beautiful esrog and other minim as one can.