How much to invest in enhancing a mitzvah?
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Question
Dear Rabbi, I would like to know if you can give me a rule of thumb on how much I am obligated to enhance mitzvot. Do I always need to buy the most expensive item, or is it enough to buy the cheapest as long as it is kosher?
Answer
Hello Rabbi,
It is ruled in Halacha (B.K. 9:) that one should invest up to a third in enhancing a mitzvah, but there is a dispute about what a third means, see the source. According to Halacha, the Shulchan Aruch rules as the main opinion that if one has an object for a mitzvah in a limited size, for example, an etrog in an exact size, there is an enhancement of the mitzvah to replace it with a larger object, for example, a larger etrog, and the amount to invest is up to a third of the price, for example, a small but kosher etrog costs 100 shekels, one should invest up to 133 shekels in the enhanced etrog. [That is, add 33 shekels, which is a third of the original price] And there are those who are stringent to invest up to 150 shekels [then from the final price a third 50 shekels is for enhancement, and two-thirds 100 shekels is the price of the mitzvah itself].
However, the Shulchan Aruch brought another opinion that it is advisable to be stringent that it is not necessarily about the size of the object, but any enhancement, for example, if the second etrog is more beautiful, it is advisable to invest another third in the price. [In this case, both forms of calculating a third are as above].
Source
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