More Gedolim, Rabbis, and Awesome People that Wear Techeiles

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Earlier I wrote a preliminary post on Gedolim/Rabbis wearing techeiles, which is comprehensive but far from complete. I’ve been privileged to receive a kuntrus on pro-Techeiles Rabbis (both past and present), as well as from other sources. Here are more Gedolim that wear murex Techeiles that were left out from the previous post. This is in no particular order.

Disclaimer: all names and pictures shared have already been shared publicly, be it online, video or social media. There is a much larger list which chooses to remain quiet about wearing Techeiles for the time being.

Rabbi Meir Soloveitchik

R’ Meir is a son of R’ Eliyahu Soloveitchik, now of Landers, and the great-nephew of R’ Yoshe Ber Soloveitchik. He also serves as the official White House Rabbi.

R’ Shabtai Rappaport

R’ Rappaport was one of the people that started the whole process going. Without him it’s hard to say if the rest would be wearing Techeiles today.

R’ Yehoshua/Josh Yankelowitz

Young and bright, R’ Yankelowitz was mentioned by R’ Bentzion Twerski as the one who convinced him of the murex’ authenticity.

R’ Shlomoh Taitelbaum

Shlomoh Taitelbaum is actually one of the unofficial founders of Ptil Tekhelet. He studied in Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore and Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Jerusalem. He spent the better part of three years researching the halachic acceptability of identifying and re-instituting the mitzvah of tekhelet – culminating in his work “Lulaot Tekhelet” which is heralded as a major breakthrough into the Chareidi community. His lectures and shiurim on the subject focus primarily on the theoretical and Talmudic aspects of the re-identification of the coveted dye. He presently lives in Neve Yaakov, Jerusalem.

Techeiles Links

R’ Mordechai/Mottel Katz

R’ Mordechai/Mottel Katz serves as Rav of Khal Avereichai Torah V’Daas in Brooklyn, NY.

Techeiles Links

Rabbi Eliyahu Weber

R’ Tzvi Weber, wearing his son Eliyahu’s Tallis while acting as Sandak at his grandson’s bris. He apparently didn’t have a Tallis on him so was loaned one.

Hakham Eliyahu Ben-Haim

Hacham ben Haim is Rosh Yeshivah at RIETS and student of HaRav Ben Zion Abba Shaul. He also acts as Av Bet Din of Queens. It appears he ties like the Ben Ish Hai similar to R’ Mazuz.

Rav Eliezer “Leizer” Geldzahler ZT”L

R’ Geldzahler ZT”L was a son-in-law of Rebbetzin Faige Twerski of Milwaukee, WI, who’s husband is R’ Michel Twerski. He also was the founder of Ohr Yisroel institutions in the US. R; Geldzahler unfortunately passed away in a coma, which started from a tragic bus accident in Israel. He was 46 years old.

A book on his life and legacy can be purchased on Amazon.

R’ Dov Kook

Photo courtesy: https://www.jdn.co.il/%D7%A7%D7%94%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA/486569/

Rav Amram Opman

Of the Yerushalayim Eideh Chareidis

The entire Zilberman group

In the Old City in Yerushalayim.

קהילה עם בשורה חוצת גבולות. קהילת זילברמן צילום: בועז בן-ארי, חרדים 10

R’ Shlomo Gissinger ZT”L

Rav, Zichron Yaakov of Lakewood. He wore Tosafos with the Chinuch pattern, tied for him by R’ Yisroel Barkin, a nephew of R’ Belsky.

Rabbi Shlomo Machpud

With Ari Greenspan and Assaf Shtein. Courtesy: Ptil Tekhelet.

In Bnei Brak.

Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum

Later in life and in private, as told to me by one of his sons, who in turn was advised by a third party (that’s how much later in life).

The son and brother of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, z”l

HaRav Moshe Mordechai Karp

Photo credit: ravberland.com

Harav Gershon Meltzer

Harav Sroya Deblitzky /Develitzky ZT”L

R’ Deblitzky ZT”L was a mekubal and a talmid of the Chazon Ish.

Rabbi Akiva Sofer

Rabbi Ahron Yoel Kushner

Rabbi Hillel Danziger (Maybe)

He acknowledged the murex as the real Chilazon, but at the same time he works for Artscroll which is notably conservative towards adopting Techeiles. Therefore I’m saying it’s a maybe.

Ari Fuld HY”D

Ari Fuld was a known Jewish activist and was killed by a 17 year old terrorist.

Lipa Schmeltzer (did)

Lipa Schmeltzer (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipa_Schmeltzer) is a Chasidic entertainer who now lives in Airmont. He started out as a badchan (wedding jester) and built a reputation for being a natural performer at bar mitzvahs and weddings. Now he is a professionally educated one with a B.A. from Columbia University, and also runs a Shul in Airmont. For a while he ran a popular Facebook podcast Sheini V’Chamishi, where Monday’s and Thursday’s he would say a quick one minute dvar Torah, often with some shtick in the background.