Responsum of Rabbi Joseph Joffe of Manchester concerning the permissibility of Ethrogim [citrons] from the Greek Isle of Corfu

(ANGLO-JUDAICA)

Manchester

1896

Autograph Manuscript, Signed. Stamps of Rabbi Joffe and other members of the Manchester Rabbinate

Lithuanian-born Joseph Joffe (1845-98), author of the works “Yosef Be’ur” and “Alim li-Terufah,” served as rabbi of Salant before assuming the rabbinate of Manchester in 1893. He was succeeded by his son-in-law Rabbi Israel Jacob Hakohen Joffe (1875-1934). (See N.Z. Friedmann, Otzar Harabanim, p. 176, no. 8353). In response to a Halachic query from a Mr. Moses Jacobson of Liverpool, Rabbi Joffe responds that though it would be preferable to purchase an ethrog from Eretz Israel, in order to strengthen the Yishuv there, he saw no reason to disallow the use of ethrogim from Corfu. - There was at this time considerable controversy whether the Corfiote ethrog was pure citron and not a hybrid of some other species and therefore not halachically legitimate for ritual use on Sukoth