Commento su Sukkah 3:7
שִׁעוּר אֶתְרוֹג הַקָּטָן, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, כָּאֱגוֹז. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כַּבֵּיצָה. וּבְגָדוֹל, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֹּאחַז שְׁנַיִם בְּיָדוֹ אַחַת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו:
La dimensione (minima) per un piccolo etrog —R. Meir dice: La dimensione di una noce. R. Yehudah dice: La dimensione di un uovo. [L'halachah è conforme a R. Yehudah.] Se è inferiore alla dimensione di un uovo, è pasul.] La dimensione (massima) per un grande—in modo che due possano essere tenuti in una mano. Queste sono le parole di R. Yehudah. R. Yossi dice: Anche se uno può essere tenuto (solo) in due mani. [L'halachah è conforme a R. Yossi.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
רבי יהודה אומר כביצה – But the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yehuda for less than an egg’s bulk is invalid.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
Introduction
This mishnah teaches the minimum and maximum size for an etrog.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sukkah
רבי יהודה אומר אפילו בשתי ידיו – And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yosi.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
The minimum size of an etrog: Rabbi Meir says: the size of a nut. Rabbi Judah says: the size of an egg. Rabbi Meir sets the minimum size of an etrog at that of a nut, assumedly something about the size of a walnut. I have never seen an actual etrog this size, but I suppose that if they are picked early from the tree one can find them this size. Rabbi Judah sets the minimum size at that of an egg.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sukkah
The maximum [size] is such that two can be held in one hand, the words of Rabbi Judah. Rabbi Yose says, even one that can only be held with his two hands. In this section they argue about the maximum size of the etrog. According to Rabbi Judah (who is the stricter sage in both parts of the mishnah), it must be small enough so that one could hold two with one hand. The reason is that sometimes a person might need to hold the lulav and the etrog in one hand. If the etrog is too big he might drop the etrog which might ruin it by disfiguration. Rabbi Yose disagrees and says that the etrog can be so big that one needs both hands to hold it. In the Talmud, Rabbi Yose tells a story of Rabbi Akiva who came to the synagogue with an etrog so large that he had to carry it on his shoulder! In Israel, I have seen very large etrogim, ones that look like they would be difficult to carry with one hand.
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