A seemingly small request by Rav Dov Landau before Sukkos revealed the extraordinary care with which the Rosh Yeshiva approaches even the finest details of halacha.

Ahead of Yom Tov, R’ Shaya Dickstein visited the homes of leading Gedolei Yisroel to present them with exceptionally beautiful esrogim grown in orchards he owns in Morocco.

When he arrived at the home of Rav Dov Landau, the Rosh Yeshiva carefully examined the esrog and asked his son to inspect its quality as well.

After looking it over, Rav Landau made an unusual request: he asked R’ Shaya to formally transfer ownership of the esrog to him through a proper kinyan.

Those present were puzzled.

This year, the first day of Sukkos fell on Shabbos. As a result, the mitzvah of taking the arba minim was not performed that day, and the Torah requirement of “lachem” — that the daled minim belong to the person taking them — would seemingly not apply in the usual way.

Why, then, was Rav Landau particular that the esrog become his personal property?

The Rosh Yeshiva immediately explained the reason.

A number of distinguished American bochurim learn in Slabodka Yeshiva and observe a second day of Yom Tov in accordance with the practice of those who live outside Eretz Yisroel.

For those bochurim, Sunday was their first day on which they would actually perform the mitzvah of arba minim, and the requirement of “lachem” therefore applied fully to them.

The American bochurim traditionally come to the Rosh Yeshiva’s sukkah to use his arba minim. Rav Landau therefore wanted to ensure that the esrog was legally and halachically his, so that he would be able to properly transfer ownership to each of them for the mitzvah.

R’ Shaya immediately carried out the kinyan, formally transferring the esrog to Rav Landau.

Rav Landau then performed a hagbahah on the esrog, completing the acquisition.

That was the esrog subsequently used by the American bochurim of Slabodka Yeshiva when they performed the mitzvah of arba minim on their second day of Yom Tov.

What initially appeared to be an unnecessary technicality was, in fact, a carefully considered effort by the Rosh Yeshiva to ensure that the bochurim could fulfill the mitzvah in the most proper manner possible.

{Matzav.com}