Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz - Chazon Ish Etrog

Chazon Ish Etrog

Rabbi Lefkowitz was instrumental in saving the lineage of a variety of Balady Citron called "the Chazon Ish etrog", which was certified as kosher for the mitzvah of etrog by the Chazon Ish himself. After one Sukkot, the Chazon Ish handed Rabbi Lefkowitz a packet of seeds taken from the etrog he had used for the festival and instructed him to plant them in his yard. Rabbi Lefkowitz, who had no agricultural experience, followed his mentor's instructions to plant and water it, and the tree grew and bore fruit. Every year the Chazon Ish came to select his etrog for the holiday from the tree, as did his brother-in-law, the Steipler Gaon, and other Gedolei Yisrael. Rabbi Lefkowitz also allowed etrog growers to take cuttings from the tree to grow entire orchards of etrogim certified as kosher (mehudar) by the Chazon Ish. The tree itself defies natural laws, as etrog trees usually grow from the tree itself or from a cutting, not from seeds, and those planted from seeds usually don't yield fruit. Moreover, etrog trees typically produce for five to seven years, whereas Rabbi Lefkowitz's tree produced hundreds of clean, high-quality etrogim for over half a century. Mysteriously, the tree withered and died within a few months of Rabbi Lefkowitz's death.