After the destruction of the 2nd temple, it was less certain which fish/squid was used and the process to make the dye. Still the mitzva of Tzitzis exists, albeit in a less than perfect manner. R’ Gershon Henoch Leiner in…
By: Reuven Chaim Klein Let’s clarify this from the get-go: There is no word in Classical Hebrew for the color “purple.” I repeat: There is no word in Classical Hebrew for the color “purple.” In fact, the English word purple itself does…
I submitted this response in the comments. The status was “This comment is awaiting moderation.” Not surprisingly, it wasn’t approved on their site. From Rabbi Akiva Dershowitz and the “Beis Horaah” (https://dinonline.org/2018/08/22/the-reason-why-not-wearing-techeles/): Question: Some people wear “Techeles” Tztitzis. I…
A while ago a Chabadnik asked me to tie Techeiles on a Chabad Tallis Gadol for him. The problem was that while tying it on a Chassidic Tallis Kattan is relatively straightforward, a Tallis Gadol isn’t. That’s because the second…
Techeiles is a Mitzva explicitely stated in the Torah to integrate with Tzitzis. Strangely, this faded out of practice for 1,300 years, as the precise identity of the Chilazon and method of dyeing was lost. Over the span of the…
Techeilet traditionally has been associated with the color “blue” yet there are references to it being shades of green or purple. Rambam (Maimonides) calls it Shachor, which is debated to be either black or simply any dark color (Kesef Mishna).…
See (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo_dye): “In Mesopotamia, a neo-Babylonian cuneiform tablet of the seventh century BC gives a recipe for the dyeing of wool, where lapis-colored wool (uqnatu) is produced by repeated immersion and airing of the cloth.[ St. Clair, Kassia (2016). The…
My Memories of the Rav Abba Bronspigel During my ten years studying under our revered teacher, Rav Yasha Be’er Soloveitchik, I developed a close relationship with him. Through his pure and intense attitude toward Torah study, he became my rebbe…
Original Site: YU Commentator Published: Tuesday, February 3, 2004 The Church Visits YU In a study hall filled with the hubbub of Talmudic debate, the men wearing scarlet sashes and large crosses made their way between tables, sometimes sitting to chat…
In Levush HaAron (pages 89-92) the question is brought up: “How can the chemical test of Chazal differentiate between תכלת and קלא אילן?” It answers: “… The indirubin that is present in plant indigo is known to make vat dyes…
H/T Rabbi Mordechai Honig for finding this 15th century Ksav Yad on Rashi for Bechoros 38a. Our modern editions have “Chilazon” as “Limon” (almost like a lemon). Apparently this was a misprint, aaaaaand….. it’s yet another reference to Limetz/Limace (snail)!…
A few weeks ago I ran some dyeing experiments to test: a) if dyeing murex trunculus wool at night will produce blue, b) if it’s purple, if heat will turn it blue without UV rays from sunlight (as Ptil Tekhelet…
In case one was wondering if a Rishon was explicit in what Techeiles and the source is, to me the most blatant one is the Raavya (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliezer_ben_Joel_HaLevi) to explain Brachos 1 Halacha 2 in the Talmud Yerushalmi . While more…
Among the Techeiles community, it’s well known that Rabbi Chaim Yisroel Belsky ZT”L wore Techeiles but didn’t actively tell people they needed to wear it. What many people don’t know was his journey to arrive to the conclusion that murex…
By Steven Gutkin Associated Press Zebulon Simentov, 42, holds a peeling poster containing Judaic themes in Kabul, Afghanistan. Kabul’s last two Jews, Simentov and Isaq Levin live at separate ends of the same decaying synagogue in the capital of Kabul…
BY LAURA E. ADKINS OCTOBER 31, 2019 11:33 AM (JTA) — As the old saying goes, two Jews, three opinions. Add one headache for the Taliban. Meet Zabulon Simentov, 66, who is believed to be the last remaining Jew in Afghanistan. Emran Feroz recently profiled Simentov…
(6 Aug 2002) 1. Various of Ishaq Levin praying at the Jewish cemetery of Kabul. 2. SOUNDBITE: (Dari) Ishaq Levin: “I came here today to deliver my prayers. This is the old Jewish cemetery of Kabul where more than…
From http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/2011/02/unknown-portrait-of-vilna-gaon.html: ” This is from page 2 of the Camden News of Camden, Arkansas Saturday, May 15, 1937. Since someone is going to joke that the Vilna Gaon is not wearing a yarmulke, but the Cardinal is – well, I…