Lulavim and Ephithalamia

Apparently the lulav crisis has passed. I was planning to say something about it. In short (and I will try to get back to this later):

מה שמברכין כל הציבור על אתרוג אחד ולולב אחד בכל מלכות אשכנז, נוהגין זה שדעת
כל אחד ואחד מסכים שינתן לכל אחד ואחד כלו עד שיצא בו ואז יחזירנו, ומנהג יפה
לקנותו חבר עיר או הגבאים משלהם ואחר כך יגבו דמים מן הקהל...
That the entire community makes the blessing on one citron and one lulav in all of Ashkenaz, this is because each person agrees to give it
to each other person until he fulfills his obligation and then returns it. And
it is a nice custom that the leaders of the community or the gabbaim
should buy it with their own money and then collect the expense from the
community
(Ra'avya no. 654, quoted in Sefer Assufot, Meorot Harishonim p. 136)

Avi Shmidman has completed his MA thesis. It is titled "Epithalamia for the Grace after Meals from the Cairo Geniza", Bar Ilan University, 2005. I'm really excited about reading it!