CONTENTS Techeiles Revisited Berel Wein PAGES 1-3 Techeiles Revisited Rabbi Berel Wein Principles Regarding Tying Tzitzis ne of the enduring mysteries of Jewish life following the exile of the with Techeiles from the was the disappearance of the string of Collected Sources techeiles in the tzitzis garment that Jews wore. Techeiles was known PAGES 4-6 O to be of a blue color while the other strings of the tzitzis were white in color. Kala Ilan Not only did Jews stop wearing techeiles but they apparently even forgot how Rabbi Ari Zivotofsky it was once manufactured. The identified techeiles as being produced PAGES 7-9 from the “blood” of a sea creature called the chilazon. And though the Talmud Dyeing Techeiles did specify certain traits and identifying characteristics belonging to the Dr. Baruch Sterman chilazon, the description was never specific enough for later generations of PAGES 10-11 Jews to unequivocally determine which sea creature was in fact the chilazon. It was known that the chilazon was harvested in abundance along the northern The Coins of Techeiles Dr. Ari Greenspan coast of the Land of Israel from Haifa to south of Tyre in Lebanon (Shabbos 26a). Though techeiles itself disappeared from Jewish life as part of the damage PAGE 12 of exile, the subject of techeiles continued to be discussed in the great halachic DEDICATED BY works of all ages. Just as the Jews did not forget Zion and , their RABBI & MRS. DOVID FULD subconscious memory of past glory and spiritual greatness kept techeiles alive, in their memory if not in actual practice. There are a number of basic questions to the arena of Jewish practice about that require study in order for any one hundred thirty years ago. Since determination of the possibility of then, the search for the chilazon observing techeiles in our time. The and the debate about renewing the three main questions are: 1) When and observance of techeiles has intensified why did techeiles disappear from the until it has now achieved the status Jewish world? 2) Which sea creature is of discussion regarding practical the chilazon and how can blue dye be observance. manufactured from it? and 3) Even if There are various dates and reasons the chilazon can be positively identi- attributed to the demise of techeiles fied and techeiles processed from it, is in the Jewish world. In the ancient it within our halachic power to revive world (and later in the world of ), a “lost” commandment, the tradition “Color is an emotional experience. the colors of and blue were (mesorah) of which has also been Techeiles is the emotional reminder of reserved for royalty and the upper lost? These questions, which have the bond between ourselves and Hashem classes. The Romans were especially always existed and been discussed and how we get closer to Hashem with zealous about their governmental in halachic and , Ahavas Hashem, the love of Hashem, monopoly on dye production for the began to move from the realm of the love of and Mitzvos,” royal purple and blue. The Talmud Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski purely intellectual and speculative

Techeiles Revisited PEREK HATECHEILES • 1 ance of techeiles from the - for techeiles. The problem that Rabbi ish scene. From all of this it Herzog raised was solved by a chance seems clear that techeiles was discovery of Dr. Otto Elsner of the no longer available by the time Shenkar Institute in in the of the zenith of the Moslem early 1980’s. He discovered that the conquests in the Mediter- liquid extracted from the gland of ranean basin and the Bal- the snail, when exposed to the air, kans in the seventh century. turns purple in color. However, dur- Rabbi David ben Zimra ing the dyeing process, when it is ex- (Radvaz) of Cairo stated at posed to direct sunlight it turns into the end of the fifteenth cen- a brilliant indigo blue. The many tury that the chilazon may thousands of Jews who wear techei- certainly yet exist in the waters of les today in their tzitzis obtain their the Mediterranean but “we are techeiles strings from the dye of this unable to harvest it.” This situa- trunculus snail (except of course The seal of the of Radzyn, tion remained in effect until the for the Radzyner Chasidim who Rav , z”l end of the nineteenth century. follow their Rebbe’s opinion that the chilazon was a squid.) There seems to As for the remaining two questions be little doubt today that the snail, records the arrest of two from regarding techeiles – the identity of Murex trunculus , is indeed the long- Israel who were smuggling techeiles the sea creature called chilazon and lost elusive chilazon. into the Jewish community of Babylo- whether a “lost” commandment and nia ( 12a). The Talmud also tradition can be revived after centu- The question of reviving techeiles records that techeiles was brought to ries of absence – there entered on the use has been hotly debated in rab- in the time of Rav Achai scene in 1889 Rabbi Gershon Henoch binic circles for over a century. Rabbi c. 500 CE (Menachos 43a). There is Leiner, the Radzyner Rebbe. Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, the rabbi in no specific reference in the Talmud Leiner claimed that the chilazon was Slutzk and Brisk in the middle and that Jews were not able to obtain a type of squid called the cuttlefish late 1800’s, discussed Rabbi Leiner’s and wear techeiles. Since the final re- and he actually produced thousands techeiles and rejected it. Unfor- daction of the Babylonian Talmud of sets of tzitzis that included a blue tunately, the Beis Halevi’s actual occurred c. 570 CE, Rabbi Isaac string made from a dye obtained from was lost and two versions Halevi Herzog, the first Chief Rabbi of that squid, which he believed was of his reckoning have come down to Israel, in his seminal work on techeiles, techeiles. He defended his conten- us. The Radzyner Rebbe, quoting the assumes that the techeiles manufac- tions in a massive three-volume Brisker Rav in order to answer his ob- turing factories in the Land of Israel work of Torah scholarship entitled jection, presents Rav Soleveitchik’s were destroyed during the time of the Sfunei Tmunei Chol, Psil Techei- contention that since this squid was Moslem conquest of the country, in les, and Ein Hatecheiles. However, well known to the rabbis of all the ages, c. 638. In any event, the range of dates Rabbi Herzog in his 1913 advanced for the disappearance of dissertation proved that techeiles in the Jewish world extends Rabbi Leiner’s squid was from the late fifth century (Rabbi not the chilazon. Rather, Yehoshua Kutner in Yeshuat Malko, Rabbi Herzog advanced Orach Chaim, 2:1-3) to the fifteenth the theory that the century with the fall of Constanti- chilazon was a snail, Mu- nople to the Moslems in 1453 (men- rex trunculus, that had tioned by Rav Herzog as a possibil- been discovered in Medi- ity, though he personally rejects it.) terranean waters by a Mar Shalom (died 859), French zoologist, Henri Rav Nachshon Gaon (died in Lacaze Duthiers, in 1857. 889) Rav Shmuel ben Chafni However, Rabbi Herzog Gaon (died 1034), Rav Yitzchak was disappointed by the Alfasi (died 1103), Rambam (died fact that the dye obtained 1204), and many other great from this snail was pur- The Chilazon: of Babylonia and of Spain ple in color and not the Murex trunculus and France bemoan the disappear- blue indigo necessary

2 • PEREK HATECHEILES Techeiles Revisited yet they did not regard it as being the Soloveitchik, the Beis chilazon, this in effect constitutes a Halevi’s great grandson, negative tradition regarding equating in Shiurim L’zecher Abba the squid with the chilazon. However, Mari z”l vol. 1, p. 228). if the chilazon was instead found to Clearly, this discrepancy be a newly discovered sea creature that regarding the Beis Hal- was unknown to the rabbis through- evi’s position has rami- out the centuries, the lack of rabbinic fications regarding te- tradition would not necessarily dis- cheiles obtained from qualify the techeiles produced from the Murex trunculus since this recently discovered sea creature, the recent discovery of assuming, of course, that the prospec- the existence of this snail tive chilazon and techeiles met the and the even more re- criteria set forth in the Talmud. With- cent discovery of how to in the Brisk family, though, a differ- obtain blue indigo ent line of reasoning is attributed to dye from its gland, the Beis Halevi. They claim would be sufficient that the Brisker Rav required a in terms of the first Seated from left to right: HaRav Reuven Katz, positive tradition regarding the identi- position attributed to the HaGaon Rav Dov Weidenfeld of Tzivin, fication of the chilazon, and once that Brisker Rav, and on that HaRav Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman, and Chief Rabbi line of mesora was broken, the halachic basis some feel that it is Isaac HaLevi Herzog. determination of the chilazon and obligatory to wear techei- wearing techeiles derived from les in our very time. it would have to wait for Mes- techeiles amongst Jews of later gen- There is a statement in the sianic times (see Rav Yosef Dov erations. There is no unanimity in [Midrash Tanhuma (Shelach 28); current rabbinic opinion regarding Bamidbar Rabba this question of the reintroduction of (17:5).] that techeiles techeiles into Jewish life and practice, was “nignaz” – “put- though as an empiric observation, the away/hidden.” There use of techeiles continues to spread are those that main- widely throughout the Jewish people. tain that this state- One thing is certain: techeiles has ment also precludes become a living issue and has left the use of techeiles the exclusivity of the study hall and in our time. But it entered into the everyday life of tens of seems clear that this thousands of Jews the world over. was not the intention of the Midrash, espe- cially since techeiles was still in use after “There is an obligation the time of the writ- upon all who are capable, ing of this Midrash. Rabbonim such to search for [], as Rabbi Yechiel to merit Israel with this Michal Tukachinsky commandment, which has have interpreted the Midrash as mean- been forgotten for the last ing that techeiles several centuries. And he became less and less common but not who succeeds in this, will that it disappeared surely be blessed by God.” completely, nor was this Midrashic state- RABBI G.H. LEINER, THE RADZYNER REBBE ment intended to The Radzyner Map of Eretz Yisroel. prevent the use of Printed in Sidrei Taharos.

Techeiles Revisited PEREK HATECHEILES • 3 There are three different opinions of Principles Regarding the Rishonim regarding the ratio of Tying Tzitzis with Techeiles white to blue strings: Collected Sources

lthough the method for tying white tzitzis is fairly standardized, the situation regarding tying tzitzis with techeiles is the subject of Awidespread machlokes. There are many aspects dealt with by the and Rishonim:

NUMBER OF STRINGS ON How many strings must one place? EACH CORNER Not less than three – this is the opinion of Beis Hillel. Beis Shammai say: Three Half of – ( הל‘ ציצית א‘:ו ) Rambam תנו רבנן כמה חוטין הוא נותן? בית [strings] of [white] wool and a fourth of one string (when folded becomes one שמאי אומרים ד‘‚ ובית הלל אומרים techeiles. And the halacha is according to of the eight strings) is techeiles. The ג‘... מנחות מא: Beis Shammai. SIFRE SHELACH (115) The Rabbis taught, How many strings Rambam understands the posuk in :Bamidbar in the following manner כמה גדילים נעשים? אין פחות does one place [on each corner]? Beis ונתנו על ציצת הכנף (= לבן) פתיל תכלת – משלושה חוטים כדברי בית הלל. בית Shammai say four and Beis Hillel say =) put upon the fringe of each corner שמאי אומרים: מארבעה חוטים של three... MENACHOS 41B white) one thread of blue. Only the תכלת וארבעה חוטים של לבן... והלכה around the white ( פתיל ) windings כדברי בית שמאי. ספרי כי תצא (רלד) .must be techeiles ( כנף ) RATIO OF WHITE TO core TECHEILES STRINGS How many strings are placed? Not less than three strings according to Beis מכמה גדילים אתה עושה? אין פחות Hillel. Beis Shammai say: Four strings משלושה – דברי בית הלל. בית שמאי of techeiles and four strings of white. And אומרים: שלושה של צמר ורביעית .the halacha is according to Beis Shammai של תכלת. והלכה כבית שמאי. (SIFRE KI TETZEI (234 ספרי שלח (קטו)

Note: The Vilna Gaon claims that the correct version of this Sifre is — ”בג‘ חוטין של לבן ורביעית של תכלת” “With three strings of white and a and the ( השגות הל‘ ציצית א‘:ו ) fourth of techeiles.” This change Raavad Based on the Sifre – ( ערך תכלת ) would harmonize the two quotes Aruch from the Sifre. in Shelach hold that one full string (when folded it becomes two of the eight) must be techeiles.

4 • PEREK HATECHEILES Principles Regarding Tying Tzitzis with Techeiles the number seven includes both THE KNOTS the white and the techeiles), or that KESHER ELYON ואמר רבה שמע מינה קשר עליון Rebbe is talking about the absolute דאורייתא. מנחות לט. minimum required to fulfill the mitzva (bedieved deoraysa), but the best method (lechatchila derabanan) Rabbah says, this implies that the upper- should have between seven and thir- most knot is required from the Torah. teen twists. MENACHOS 39A

brings ( מנחות לט. ותוספות שם ) COLOR OF TWISTS down two possibilities regarding the תנא, כשהוא מתחיל, מתחיל בלבן – and ( מנחות לח. ד“ה התכלת ) Tosfos -Rashi .placement of the uppermost knot ’הכנף‘, מין כנף‚ וכשהוא מסיים‚ מסיים Two – ( שם וכן מא: ד“ה בית שמאי ) Tosfos בלבן – מעלין בקודש ולא מורידין. full strings (four of the eight) are • Closest to the garment, in order to מנחות לט. .techeiles connect the strings to the garment We learned in the Mishna, when ISSUES REGARDING THE one begins, he begins with white • At the end of all the twists, which WINDINGS (KRICHOS) – “[the fringe of each] corner,” the adds stability to the windings CHULYOS same kind as the corner [i.e. the same DOUBLE OR SINGLE KNOTS color as the garment]; And when one There is an argument as to the וכמה שיעור חוליא? תניא, רבי concludes, he concludes with white nature of the knots of the tzitzis. The אומר כדי שיכרוך וישנה. תאנא‚ – one always increases holiness and hold that ( גאוניקה ח“ב עמ‘ Geonim (331 הפוחת לא יפחות משבע‚ והמוסיף never decreases. MENACHOS 39A a knot can be one string tucked under לא יוסיף על שלוש עשרה. הפוחת לא ‚ ( מנחות לט. ד“ה לא ) There is an argument as to the expla- itself. Rabbenu Tam יפחות משבע – כנגד שבעה רקיעים nation of this passage: compares the knots of tzitzis to knots והמוסיף לא יוסיף על שלש עשרה -in other laws like Shabbos, and there – כנגד שבעה רקיעין וששה אוירין גאוניקה ח“ב עמ‘ ) Rav • -fore requires a double knot. Accord שביניהם. מנחות לט. 330-331) holds that the first chulya ing to Rabbenu Chananel, the knot And what is the measurement of a chu- is white, the next is techeiles, and so is made by looping one string around lya (link)? We learned in a Braisa, Rebbe on alternating white and techeiles the rest, whereas The Mordechai holds says so that you can wind once, then for seven or thirteen chulyos. These that all the strings are used (by loop- again, and a third time. We learned in a chulyos of alternating colors are ing four around the other four). Braisa, one who minimizes should not termed l’sayrugin. have less than seven, and one who maxi- KNOTS ON EACH CHULYA ( הל‘ ציצית א‘:ב‘-ג ) mizes should not exceed thirteen. One who • The Rambam אמר רבא שמע מינה צריך לקשור על holds that the first twist of the first כל חוליא וחוליא מנחות לח: – minimizes should not have less than seven this is analogous to the seven heavens, and chulya and the last twist of the last one who maximizes should not exceed chulya are white, and all the other Ravah says, this implies that one thirteen – this is analogous to the seven twists are techeiles. must tie a knot after each and every heavens and six spaces between them. chulya. MENACHOS 38B ( השגות הל‘ ציצית א‘: ז ) The Raavad • MENACHOS 39A holds that the twists of each chulya FIVE KNOTS alternate between white and ציצית‚ שש מאות. שמונה חוטין According to the Gemara, when tying techeiles. וחמישה קשרים‚ הרי שש מאות ושלש tzitzis, there is a concept of chulyos עשרה. תנחומא, קרח י“ב literally, links or vertebrae). There is CHULYOS IDENTIFIED) an argument as to what the numbers seven and thirteen refer. Most Ris- [The word] tzitzis is numerically equiva- honim explain that these numbers lent to 600. 8 strings and 5 knots add up to refer to the amount of chulyos (each 613. TANCHUMA, KORACH 12 of which is made up of three twists as Rebbe states). Some Rishonim explain that each chulya can have between seven and thirteen twists, and they explain Rebbe’s three twists as referring either to the number of Left to right: L’sayrugin, Yemenite, techeiles twists in each chulya (and ARI z”l/Radzyn, Raavad.

Principles Regarding Tying Tzitzis with Techeiles PEREK HATECHEILES • 5 THE LENGTH OF THE WIND- Rav Amram Gaon – The Vilna Gaon – thir- INGS AND THE STRINGS seven or thirteen chulyos teen chulyos, alternat- ,alternating white then ing white and techeiles אמר רב הונא אמר רב ששת אמר techeiles. A knot at the distributed between five רב ירמיה בר אבא אמר רב... ונויי beginning and at the end double knots. Between תכלת שליש גדיל ושני שלישי ענף. according to the Baal the first and second knot) מנחות לט. Haitur, a knot after each – four chulyos (white, te- said in the name of Rav Sheshes chulya). (These knots are cheiles, white, techeiles) in the name of Rav Yirmiyah bar Abba in not double, but rather the and the same between the the name of Rav: The most ornate techeiles winding string tucked second-third, and third- ought be one third windings and two thirds under itself. According fourth knots. Between hanging threads. MENACHOS 39A to the Shaalos U’tshuvos the fourth and last knot Binyamin Zeev, the knots – one chulya of white. VARIOUS OPINIONS are double knots.) REGARDING THE KRICHOS The Rambam – all FOR TZITZIS WITH The Raavad according to twists are techeiles except TECHEILES Rav Natronai Gaon – five the first and last. Seven knots. Between each knot, or thirteen chulyos are Disclaimer! Very few Poskim define seven to thirteen twists, tied with a knot between their shittah in complete detail. Often with the twists alternat- each that keeps them they discuss one issue (for example, ing white then techeiles. in place and separate alternating the colors of the chulyos), Between the second and from each other. The Ye- but leave another (e.g. the type of knot) third knot, the amount of menites have a tradition unexplained. In the following list of twists is not definite, but (even with white tzitzis) shittos, some details are the result of most probably still alter- of tying each chulya into speculation in order to determine a nate between techeiles and a special knot. complete practical method of tying. white. The principles discussed above are The Rambam accord- applied differently by the Poskim. Tosfos – first a double ing to the Ari z”l and They correspond to the accompany- knot, then one chulya of the Radzyner – has all ing pictures. The following is an (in- white and one of techeiles, the twists techeiles except complete) list: then a second double knot, the first and last. There again white then techei- are five knots: between les and a knot, then again the first and second knot white and techeiles then a there are seven twists, RABBI MEIR USED TO SAY: knot, and finishing with between the second one white chulya and a and third – eight twists, “What distinguished double knot. This has sev- between the third and Techeiles from all en chulyos and five knots. fourth – eleven twists, and between the fourth and last – thir- other types of dyes? The Chinuch – thirteen teen twists (similar to the way we tie Because the techeiles chulyos, alternating white tzitzis without techeiles). Each group and techeiles distributed of three is separated by winding the is similar to the sea, between five double knots. techeiles around and inside to hold Between the first and sec- them together. and the sea is similar ond knot – three chulyos to the sky and the (white, techeiles, white). Af- ter the second knot anoth- sky is similar to the er three chulyos, (techei- les, white, techeiles). After throne of Glory.” the third another three MENACHOS 43B (white, techeiles, white), and after the fourth – four chulyos (techeiles, white, techeiles, white).

6 • PEREK HATECHEILES Principles Regarding Tying Tzitzis with Techeiles Kala Ilan Rabbi Ari Zivotofsky

The Gemara in Menachos (41b) states: ת“ר: טלית שכולה תכלת – כל מיני צבעונין פוטרין בה, חוץ מקלא אילן.

The Rabbis taught in a Baraisa: With respect to a garment that is made entirely of techeiles, threads of all colors satisfy the tzitzis obligation in it, with the exception of kala ilan.

Rashi explains the reason why the kala ilan dye is unacceptable: דדמי לתכלת וזימנין דמזבן לה לאינש אחרינא וסבר דכל חוטיה תכלת וכי מצריך לטלית אחריתי שקיל תרי חוטים מהכא ונותן שם... ושדי קלא אילן עם לבן בציצית והוי כלאים בלא מצוה.

Since it is similar to techeiles and it may happen that the tallis is sold to another person who assumes all the strings are made of techeiles. And when he needs them for another tallis, he will take two strings from this [tallis] and put them on the other one… and he will have kala ilan with white on the tzitzis thus making kelaim without any .

Kala ilan is a fraudulent dye which is (Iggros Moshe, Yoreh Deah, vol. 2; visually indistinguishable from the 133) Since kala ilan was identical to more expensive techeiles. It is there- the much more expensive techeiles, Isatis tinctoria– the woad plant fore imperative to ensure that one unscrupulous people might attempt not substitute kala ilan for techeiles to pawn off strings dyed with it in either maliciously or by accident. place of genuine techeiles. The Sifri As the Gemara explains previously (Bamidbar, 115) warns against this: אני ה‘ אלהיכם אשר הוצאתי אתכם -Menachos 40a), the mitzvah of plac) מארץ מצרים, וכי מה ענין יציאת ing techeiles on one’s tallis overrides מצרים לכאן אלא שלא יאמר הרי אני ,the issur of shaatnez, and as such נותן צבעונים וקלא אילן והם דומים one is obligated to put techeiles לתכלת ומי מודיע עלי בגלוי אני ה‘ .which by definition is of wool, c.f) אלהיכם דעו מה עשיתי להם למצריים Yevamos 4b) on a tallis made of שהיו מעשיהם בסתר ופרסמתים linen. This, of course, is true only בגלוי. when using authentic techeiles, but if the wool strings are dyed with the counterfeit kala ilan, the prohibition “I am Hashem your God who took you of shaatnez would remain intact, out of the land of Egypt.” What does leav- hence the injunction against any use ing Egypt have to do with this [parasha of of kala ilan was instituted in order to tzitzis]? Rather one should not say, avoid any possible confusion. “Behold I put other dyes and kala ilan (see for example) which are identical to techeiles and who can make this information public?” “I am Hashem your God.” Know what I did to (הלכות קטנות לרא“ש (מנחות) הלכות the Egyptians whose misdeeds were done ציצית סימן א‘). in private and I advertised them in public. Indigofera tinctoria – the indigo plant Although the white (i.e. non-techeiles) strings of the tzitzis can theoretically be made of any color, the injunction This idea is brought down in a num- against using kala ilan (instead of ber of additional places including white) is so severe that Rav Moshe Bava Metziah (61b), Rashi on the Feinstein felt that even if one had true posuk in Shema (Bamidbar 15;41), techeiles strings that were afterwards and Sheiltos D’rav (Vaera dipped in kala ilan (to increase their 43). These sources show that the sim- luster), they would still be prohibited. ilarity between kala ilan and techeiles

Kala Ilan PEREK HATECHEILES • 7 was absolute, in that only Hashem KALA ILAN AND can distinguish between them. Never- ARCHEOLOGY theless, this assertion is challenged by In 1961, Yigal Yadin excavated a the Gemara in Menachos (42b): cave near Ein Gedi which had served .as Bar Kochba’s command center ת“ר: תכלת אין לה בדיקה‚ ואין נקחית ,Yadin found an archive of letters אלא מן המומחה... ותכלת אין לה documents, and other artifacts that בדיקה? והא רב יצחק בריה דרב יהודה shed light on the life of the leaders בדיק ליה‚ (סי‘ בגשם) מייתי מגביא -and participants of the Great Rebel גילא ומיא דשבלילתא ומימי רגלים lion against Rome. One of the finds בן ארבעים יום‚ ותרי לה בגווייהו was “a bundle of wool… wrapped in a מאורתא ועד לצפרא‚ איפרד חזותיה piece of woolen mantle with colored – פסולה‚ לא איפרד חזותיה – כשרה. Indigofera tinctoria – the indigo plant bands and a linen cloth.” The chemi- The Rabbis taught in a Braisa: Techeiles KALA ILAN AND ISATIS cal analysis of the wool showed it to has no means of examination, and there- be dyed with a mixture of indigo and fore it may be bought only from an The Aruch defines kala ilan as kermes (which is the Biblical tolaat פירוש אינדק“ו expert… Does techeiles actually have no indigo ( ) and the Mosif shani). Yadin came to the conclusion means of examination? But Rav Yitzchak adds “Binyamin said: That is its Greek that “this wool was intended for the the son of Rav Yehudah would test name, it is a type of dye that is simi- petil techeiles of the ritual tassels [techeiles] for authenticity. (BeGeSHeM lar to techeiles.” The Nemukay Yosef (tzitzis).” Since the wool was dyed לד‚ ע“א בדפי הרי“ף is a mnemonic for the items that he used ( ) also identifies with plant indigo and not dye in his test.) He would bring alum, sap of kala ilan with indigo and the derived from a chilazon, Yadin came fenugreek, and urine that is forty days old, color blue. The Teshuvos Hageonim to the conclusion that this was in fact גאוניקה לגינזבורג ‚ כרך ב‘ עמ‘ 33 and he would soak [the techeiles] in them ( ) notes kala ilan, and not real techeiles. from evening until morning. If its color that in Arabic it is called nil (which faded, [the thread] was deemed unfit, for is indigo). Subsequent investigation and delib- fading indicates that it is kala ilan, and if eration regarding Yadin’s find have Another dye mentioned by raised serious doubts as to whether its color did not fade, it was deemed fit, for as similar to techeiles, and iden- this indicates that it was genuine. the bundle of wool was intended for tified with the Arabic nil is use as tzitzis. Professor Feliks also ,Kaftor Vaferach) ( איסטיס ) isatis The Rambam (Hilchos Tzitzis, wondered why the fraudulent dye – ch. 48, Radvaz in Teshuvah 685, 2;5) agrees that although the two are ostensibly used in place of the more Rav Bartenura on the in visually identical, chemical tests expensive genuine color – would Kelaim 2; 5, Pachad Yitzchak, vol. 4, can distinguish between kala ilan incorporate tolaat shani, which was p. 78 — see Rav Shlomo Teitelbaum and techeiles. It is generally agreed at least as costly as techeiles! Yadin in Lulaot Hatecheiles, pp. 235-240) that the tests recounted here are also “proved” that the wool was used difficult to understand and are Although both isatis and kala ilan for tzitzis from the fact that it was denote indigo and are both simi- tied with a linen cord, and that this שו“ת שאילת ) therefore inconclusive lar to techeiles, the terms are not was done deliberately since tzitzis .( יעבץ חלק א סימן נו used interchangeably. The Rambam must be shaatnez. This, of course, (Hilchos Tzitzis, 2; 1) does seem to does not correspond to the Halacha use isatis in place of kala ilan. Most as we know it. Taking all this into probably the two were associated consideration, the question of Yadin’s with different plants which both pro- find and its link to kala ilan and duced the same dye (indigo). Isatis techeiles is quite tenuous. (See Rav referred to the woad plant (Isatis Menachem Borstein’s discussion in tinctoria) which is indigenous to Hatecheiles, Sifraiti, 1988, pp. 73-74 the temperate regions of northern and the picture of the wool found in Europe, while kala ilan corresponded the Cave of Letters on page 48, no. 8.) to Indigofera tinctoria which was cultivated in warmer climates (spe- Isatis tinctoria – the woad plant cifically China and India) and yields much higher concentrations of indigo.

8 • PEREK HATECHEILES Kala Ilan Recently unearthed at the archeo- logical dig on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, ORIGIN OF THE this specimen dates from the first TERM KALA ILAN century C.E. – the years before the Rav Herzog ( Biblical Blue , churban Bayis Sheni (destruction of page 94) suggested a number the ). The area has of possibilities explaining the been identified as the houses where the Kohanim lived. A few tens of origins of the term kala ilan. Murex trunculus shells were found. Kala in Sanskrit means black or deep blue and nilam is indigo (similar to the Arabic nil). Kala ilan may mean the kala derived from trees (ilan in Hebrew) or perhaps it is a אם אחר החיפוש נשיג ידינו למצוא The inconclusive nature of this find corruption of kala-nil(am). דם איזה מין חלזון שיהיה notwithstanding, people continue Rav Herzog also posits that שנוכל לצבוע בו צבע התכלת צבע to refer to Yadin’s find as categorical (the Chinese lan (= indigo עומדת ביפיה ולא תשתנה‚ ודאי יכול evidence of the discovery of ancient might be involved. This may לקיים מצות תכלת בלא שום ספק. tzitzis with techeiles. One modern be lent additional support (שפוני טמוני חול‚ עמ‘ י“ד) source (Moznaim edition English translation of the Rambam, Hilchos by the fact that in ancient If, after searching we would be able to Tzitzis, page 199 footnote) goes so far Chinese, the term for indigo as to claim that Yadin found techeiles find the blood of any kind of Chilazon was actually k’lan which is strings according to the shitta of the that would enable us to properly dye the very similar to kala ilan ( Indigo Rambam! Needless to say, this asser- color of techeiles which would retain its tion is unsubstantiated. original beauty and would not fade, then Textiles , Gösta Sandberg, certainly we would be able to fulfill the Black, 1989). mitzvah of techeiles without any doubt. KALA ILAN AS A The Chinese character for in- (SEFUNEI TEMUNEI CHOL, PAGE 14, BASIS FOR IDENTIFYING digo (lan) is made up of three 1999 EDITION) TRUE TECHEILES elements – an eye, a person, and a vessel with water. Taken together, Kala ilan and techeiles are impossible Both Rav Herzog ( The Royal Purple this represents a reflection in the to tell apart (at least with the naked and Biblical Blue , Keter, 1987, page water (perhaps of the sky). eye), and so one should be able to make 73) and the Radzyner offer the use of this property when attempting same line of proof for this assertion. to identify true techeiles. If one finds If there is another chilazon whose a candidate for the techeiles – pro- dye satisfies these criteria, but is not ducing chilazon, the most important kosher for techeiles, then why would test would be to see if the color of the Chazal not warn us regarding its dye is the same as that of indigo. In use? The only caution recorded in the fact, the argument can be taken one Gemara is with regard to kala ilan – step further, namely, that if one finds indigo derived from a plant source any marine organism that yields – but there is no admonition against a dye which is permanent and the using another sea animal that is not color of indigo, then that dye must be the chilazon shel techeiles. Therefore, kosher for techeiles. This is the opin- either that species’ dye is also ion of both of the greatest authorities kosher for techeiles, or there is only one on techeiles – Rav Gershon Henoch species in the world (or in the Leiner of Radzyn and Rav Yitzchok Mediterranean) that satisfies both Isaac Halevi Herzog. The Radzyner those criteria. In either case, any sea writes: creature which produces a permanent dye the color of indigo must necessar- ily be kosher for use as techeiles.

Kala Ilan PEREK HATECHEILES • 9 This will cause it gradually to deposit the portions of flesh which are bound to have adhered to the veins, and after about nine days the cauldron is strained and wool that has been washed clean is dipped for a trial. (Natural History, Book IX. LXII. 133) This procedure has been reenacted by researchers in Israel and England who have been able to produce beautiful blue dyed wool. With the advances in our understanding of dye chemistry, however, much more efficient meth- ods can be used which yield results in a consistent and reliable manner. Techeiles belongs to a group of colo- rants known as vat dyes. These must undergo specific chemical processing before they can be bound to fabric. One of the main characteristics of techeiles is its fastness – it does not fade with time or wash out of the wool. The Gemara (Menachos 43a) explains that even after chemical its color does – לא איפרד חזותיה testing not fade, or as the Rambam puts שעומדת ביפיה ,(Dyeing Techeiles it (Hilchos Tzitzis 2;1 it remains beautiful and – ולא תשתנה Dr. Baruch Sterman does not change. The Gemara in Menachos (42b) relates: This trait of steadfast stability in a dye translates chemically into the אמר ליה אביי לרב שמואל בר רב יהודה: הא תכילתא היכי צבעיתו לה? אמר fact that the dye pigment does not ליה: מייתינן דם חלזון וסמנין ורמינן להו ביורה [ומרתחינן ליה]‚ ושקלינא פורתא readily bind to water or soap or other בביעתא וטעמינן להו באודרא‚ ושדינן ליה לההוא ביעתא וקלינן ליה לאודרא. substances that could serve to remove said to Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yehudah: This thread of techeiles, how do you dye it? it from the fabric. However, if a dye [Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yehudah] replied: We bring the blood of the sea creature chilazon is hard to get out of the wool, it is and certain herbs, and we put them in a pot and boil it up. Then, we take a little bit of equally hard to get it into the wool, the dye in an eggshell and test it with a wad of wool. Then we spill out the dye left in that i.e. to dye the wool in the first place! eggshell and we burn the wad of wool that was dyed for the purpose of testing. Overcoming this obstacle is the major The dye process recounted here is difficulty facing the vat dyes. similar to that brought down by the In order to dissolve the techeiles ancient Greek and Roman scholars. molecule in water and introduce Aristotle (d. 322 BCE) and Pliny the it into the wool, it must undergo Elder (d. 79 CE) describe the proce- the chemical process known as dure used in dyeing with the porphyra. reduction. In ancient times this was Pliny elaborates on the method: accomplished through fermen- The vein of [the snail] is removed tation, where the meat and dye- The chilazon after being broken open and to this salt has to be added… containing parts of the snail were (petziah), showing the gland where the and it should be heated in a leaden heated on a low flame for a few days precursor to the dye is stored. pot, and with 50 lbs of dye to every (as described by the Gemara and by six gallons of water kept at a uniform the classical scholars). Bacteria that and moderate temperature by a pipe live on the snail meat ferment the dye brought from a furnace some way off. and reduce it. In modern times, that

10 • PEREK HATECHEILES Dyeing Techeiles same result can be accomplished can see the lus- much more quickly by adding a strong trous blue techei- reducing agent (such as sodium les of the wool dithionite). In this reduced state, two in its final state, important things can happen. Firstly, and the yellow- the dye molecule dissolves in water, green of the dye allowing wool to absorb the solu- solution. tion and take up the dye. Secondly, The chilazon the chemical bonds are weakened so stores the te- that exposure to sunlight removes cheiles inside a the purple tint from the dye molecule gland. (These dye (present when taken from the snail), compounds are and leaving it the beautiful sky-blue actually formed that is techeiles. as the snail (.in digests its food ( יורה ) When the dye is in the vat the reduced state, it does not have the In order to be- same color that it will ultimately have come the dye, two in the wool. Rather the solution has additional things a yellow-green hue, as can be seen in are necessary; an the accompanying picture. This may enzyme called help us understand the second part of purpurase which Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah’s statement is also present in (echoed by Pliny) regarding the need the snail, and air. to “test” the dye by pouring out some The enzyme de- dye into an egg shell and dipping composes quickly wool into it. Why not just look at the after the snail dye solution and see if it is the right dies, so the dye must be extracted and since killing the snail is actually color? Since the dye in its reduced exposed to air while the snail is alive detrimental to the dyeing process. דכמה דאית ביה נשמה – טפי ניחא state gives no indication of the color or shortly after its death. This accords ליה‚ כי היכי דליציל ציבעיה. (that the dyed wool will have, the only well with the sugya in Shabbos (75a way to accurately determine this is which discusses whether breaking to dye some wool which brings it out open a chilazon and extracting its dye The more life it has, the more it pleases, so of reduction by exposing it to the should make one liable for the trans- that the dye will be clear. oxygen in the air. In the picture one gression of taking a life on Shabbos,

he posuk in krias shema says that by looking at the tzitzis one will remember all of Hashem’s mitzvot. Rashi explains that the word tzitzis T is numerically equal to 600. Add to that the 8 strings and 5 knots, and you have 613, the number of mitzvos in the Torah. The Ramban and others disagree with Rashi and claim that it is the string of techeiles itself that serves as the reminder. The sky-blue thread evokes contemplation of the heavens and of God’s throne, which leads one to remember the mitzvos. Interestingly, work by Dutch scientists* regarding the properties of the techeiles dye molecule revealed a striking coincidence. The color of a substance is determined by way it reflects and absorbs light. No two molecules have the same pattern (called a wavelength absorption spectrum) which is measured in units called nanometers. Techeiles obtained from the Murex trunculus snail derives its color from a sharp peak in its spectrum at exactly 613 nanometers. * J. Wouters and A. Verhecken, JSDC Volume 107, July/August, 1991.

Dyeing Techeiles PEREK HATECHEILES • 11 The beautiful coin of Tyre (above) shows the eagle representing the The Coins of Techeiles Roman government, and between Dr. Ari Greenspan its legs is the valuable Murex shell.

uring the 3rd century the Roman government severely restricted “It was sent to Ravah: a pair came from the wearing of techeiles and argaman, and use of these colors was Reket, the eagle caught them, and in limited to the ruling class. At some point, this most expensive their hands they had things made in Luz. D What were they? Techeiles, by the mercy of dyes became worth a fortune, as the Gemara states, “therefore [Techeiles] is expensive” (Menachos, 44a). of heaven and their merits they escaped in peace.” Most techeiles and argaman came It is no wonder that for a period of from the coast of northern Israel 70 years or so, these coins were used Two people came to Ravah who was in and Lebanon, and we are told in the to publicize the most important com- Bavel. They had items made in Luz, a Gemara that the snails are found modity and industry of the city – the city known for its techeiles manufac- from “Haifa to the ladders of Tyre” famous dyes of techeiles and argaman. ture (Sota, 46b). Reket is the city of (Shabbos 26a). Numerous coins with a predomi- Teveria, the seat of the Sanhedrin in Tyre was also renowned for being the nantly depicted Murex shell, the those days. Some suggest that these most important Roman coin mint ancient source of the dyes, have been two individuals were shluchei sanhe- east of Rome. So unadulterated was discovered. drin trying to smuggle techeiles into the silver of Tyre, and of such high Bavel for mitzvas tzitzis. The eagle Perhaps the most interesting intersec- quality were its coins, that Chazal is the symbol of Rome, and as Rashi tion of these elements is the following tell us that for any mitzvos aseh says, Roman soldiers caught them. A elusive story (Sanhedrin, 12b): that requires money, the coin to use great miracle happened and they were -released and made their way success והא שלחו ליה לרבא: זוג בא מרקת‚ ,is the “Tyrian Shekel” (Kiddushin .fully to Bavel ותפשו נשר‚ ובידם דברים הנעשה בלוז‚ 11a). The Tyrian Shekel was widely ומאי ניהו – תכלת‚ בזכות הרחמים used throughout the entire Roman ובזכותם יצאו בשלום. .Empire; it was the dollar of its day

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12 • PEREK HATECHEILES The Coins of Tekhelet