The Mystery Of Tekhelet - Part II of III

The Mystery of Tekhelet is a fascinating documentary that takes the viewer on a journey through history in search of the ancient blue dye, Tekhelet.

The movie, richly filmed, travels through 3000 years of Jewish history. Come see scuba divers collecting the snails of Tekhelet off the coast of Israel. Observe Bedouin shepherds shearing sheep. Participate in sophisticated chemical analysis of the dyes as well as the actual dyeing of Tekhelet in a 2500 year old Tekhelet factory.

The Biblical commandment of Tzitzit and Tekhelet becomes meaningful in a profound way in P'til Tekhelet's The Mystery of Tekhelet.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Tekhelet
• Techeles
• Techeiles
• Tzitzis
• Tzitzit
• Dye
• Science
• Archeology
• Chemistry
• Bible
• Biblical
• blue
• snail

[candyberriche]

I suspect there are even deeper meanings to this topic. I am not Jewish, but I find this interesting on a spiritual, human level. The mystery for me is, 'how did people find this little snail's gland...especially since it is so rare?' It is a 'permanent and stable' dye too! I could contemplate and learn about this whole process for hours! What a gift!

[mnavon]

Regarding how people found out about the snail's dye - there is a myth that Hercules' dog came running up to his master with purple dye on its lips, when Hercules opened the dog's mouth he found the Murex snail - the rest, as they say, is history.

[zipporahreshel]

Lev 11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

Lev 11:11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

Lev 11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

[mnavon]

Indeed, the Murex snail, as all snails, is not kosher to eat, however, they are perfectly "kosher" for ritual use - note for example that the color "tolaat shnai" is from a tolaat - WORM. Please see my article "The Hillazon and the Principle of 'Muttar be-fikha' " available on the tekhelet website "Library".

[SWORDOFTRUTH9]

I saw two Rabbis who say it is the Cuttlefish ink that makes this dye for Tekhelet, something very sacred to me. I believe it was on the tv show naked archaeologist. Would like to know for sure.

[mnavon]

There are people who believe that the cuttlefish ink makes tekhelet, but this has long been proven to be false. The Radziner Rebbe was given the recipe for a well known synthetic dye known as "prussian blue" which makes blue from the iron filings added and has nothing to do with the squid extract which is burned off.

[KingOystar]

I am now wearing Tekelet on my Tzitzit! :)

[KingOystar]

wow that gland is so small no wonder it would have been so expensive.

[bhatindawalla]

Amazing how dye is obtained.

[mnavon]

This is a fascinating question dealt with in a paper posted in the tekhlet dot com website in the library section - since I can't post a link here - just google "muttar be-fikha". There are examples of non-kosher items being used for mitzvot, the most stiking being tolaat shani, which is dye from a worm. Also the Gemara talks about making tzitzit from silk which is also the poduct of a worm. The only things that MUST be from kosher source a things with G-d's name written on them (sta"m).