As Sukkot nears we had to order our sets of Arba Minim (The four species for more information see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Species). When we got the sign up sheet there was a moment of sticker shock. In America a set can cost between 40 and 80 dollars easily, for us the best of the best cost 41 Shekel or about $10.65.
This cost reduction really comes from our kibbutz producing all the four parts. We grow lulavim here. They grow them by placing a constraint on the palm branch every so often so they grow straight and together. In a day a lulav will grow 3.5 cm so they can be cut many times a year. In total 70-80 thousand lulavim are cut and sold by the kibbutz a year. As for etrogim these too are grown are trees here on our kibbutz. When we saw them for the first time I was surprised to see there are thorns are the etrog tree's baranchs. There were some amazing and beautiful ones growing on trees here. The aravot tree is litteraly next to the storage unit for the lulavim. so its a short walk from getting one to the other. The haddasim I did not see today but we apparently grow these too.
Its interesting to see all these plants which we are commanded to use and how they are all natural to our land Eretz Yisrael / Israel. They are not natural to America, or Europe, or Russia. Only to Israel, maybe its god giving us a hint?
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