Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: Like in all socio-economic caste systems, the Rabbi who was managing the sale of the lulav and esrog for the upcoming holiday of Sukkot differentiated between three types and offered the following: Aleph (the most expensive), Bet (medium priced), and Gimel (the least expensive), and all were supposed to be full sets, but they weren't. This led me to reflect on all the different ways that we compete with and classify each other instead of valuing each person and acting like a real community (with an emphasis on "unity"). Really, it's a million things, from who can afford the better bar mitzvah to who makes the more lavish wedding; who is rated grade A for matchmaking, and who is considered to have a "mum" (defect) and be less or undesirable; who gets the prime kovod (honors) in the synagogue, and who never even gets called to the Torah for an Aliyah.

1. 9/28/23, 3:33 AM Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/bringing-the-community-together-this-sukkot/ 1/6
THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Leadership With Heart
Bringing the Community
Together this Sukkot
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2. 9/28/23, 3:33 AM Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/bringing-the-community-together-this-sukkot/ 2/6
Credit Photo: Dossy Blumenthal
It’s just two days after Yom Kippur, and already I can’t help but notice that some
people don’t seem to have learned anything from the High Holidays.
Like in all socio-economic caste systems, the Rabbi who was managing the sale
of the lulav and esrog for the upcoming holiday of Sukkot differentiated
between three types and offered the following: Aleph (the most expensive), Bet
(medium priced), and Gimel (the least expensive), and all were supposed to be
full and kosher sets.
However, when people went to pick up their lulav and esrog, those who had
purchased the less expensive sets were told that they would not receive the
piece that holds the parts of the lulav together (the palm branch together with
the two boughs of willow and three boughs of myrtle).
I said that the advertising for the sets did not mention withholding any parts
and that I never received a lulav set that was missing parts before or ever heard
of a supplier withholding parts of the set from purchasers. In fact, the piece that

3. 9/28/23, 3:33 AM Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/bringing-the-community-together-this-sukkot/ 3/6
holds the three parts of the lulav together is a piece from the palm branch that
is folded together and has a value of a penny or two, maybe. The point, though,
wasn’t the value of the missing piece, but the principle that the seller was trying
to “stick it” to the people who couldn’t afford the more expensive sets.
Aside from it being false advertising for the lulav and esrog sets, it was also
stealing from the people who had purchased them. And the person distributing
the sets told the customers:
Honestly, I was quite upset at the dishonesty of this whole affair, and I said:
After this, the distributor says that they checked again, and you can have the
piece that holds the lulav parts, but the supplier is withholding “the ring” that
holds them tightly all together.
At this point, I was livid, and I said:
Sorry, but the Rabbi told me not to give those pieces to you!”
“
I am disappointed that you withheld a 2-cent piece of the lulav that is for
conducting a mitzvah for the holiday of Sukkot!”
“
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4. 9/28/23, 3:33 AM Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
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Well, the supplier wouldn’t budge on the lulav ring for the “lower” customers.
They were intent on punishing the customers who paid the price for the lulav
sets, but who didn’t pay the top price!
So what did I do? I escalated this matter and said to the person who coordinated
all this:
Moreover, I insisted that this supplier not be used in the future.
In the end, we were able to get the lulav rings for the people, but it took an
extraordinary effort to get the supplier to do the right thing.
This really tested my faith, but I remembered the words of my dear father, Fred
Blumenthal (‫זצ״ל‬‎
) who said:
This is ridiculous—the 2-cent holder comes with it now, but the 1-cent ring
doesn’t, and this is acceptable to you.”
“
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I care about the people, and I just really want to see them treated with respect
and not degraded.”
“
Don’t look at others as the example, but rather you be the example (of what’s
right).”

5. 9/28/23, 3:33 AM Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/bringing-the-community-together-this-sukkot/ 5/6
This led me to reflect on all the different ways that we compete with and
classify each other instead of valuing each person and acting like a real
community (with an emphasis on “unity”). Really, it’s a million things, from
who can afford the better bar mitzvah to who makes the more lavish wedding;
who is rated grade A for matchmaking, and who is considered to have a “mum”
(defect) and be less or undesirable; who gets the prime kovod (honors) in the
synagogue, and who never even gets called to the Torah for an Aliyah.
The truth is that there is a conflict between the ideal and the real. We are told
that religion is a matter between us and Hashem and is purely about our
spiritual achievements. However, what we observe is that money talks! And
regardless of how much money, there is all too much judging going around.
The funny thing is that tying together the four species of the citron, date palm,
willow, and myrtle symbolizes four types of Jews with differing levels of Torah
knowledge and observance. So in the same way, despite our differences, we need
to walk into the sukkah together!
Let us hope and pray that teshuvah (repentance) isn’t just a cliche for Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but the prelude to proper and righteous behavior all
year round.
“

6. 9/28/23, 3:33 AM Bringing the Community Together this Sukkot | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/bringing-the-community-together-this-sukkot/ 6/6
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader who writes frequently about Jewish life,
culture, and security. All opinions are his own.
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