Why is techeles not universally accepted?

Question

The Machon Ptil Tekhelet has (to my mind) some pretty compelling arguments as to why the Murex Trunculus is very likely the genuine chilazon from which techeles (blue dye) for the mitzva of tzitzis is produced.

OTOH, we don't see that the Orthodox Jewish world is collectively rushing out to fulfill the mitzva as prescribed in the Torah. And not for lack of money, either - there is no end of people who are spending extra money on tefillin that are blackened on the back, extra-mehudar esrogim, the most expensive matzos available etc. So why are people not spending extra money to put techeles in their tzitzis?

I speculate a few reasons:

1. They have not heard of the research and reasoning of Machon Ptil Tekhelet.
2. They do not accept said research and reasoning and believe it is not the real techeles.
3. They are unconvinced that it is the real techeles, and therefore don't feel compelled to act - but then why not buy it even out of doubt, when a Torah mitzva is at stake? Or is there some potential loss in the event that Murex Trunculus is not genuine techeles?
4. The Rabbis accept that it would be good to wear techeles, but they themselves don't want to start wearing techeles publicly, because this will put pressure on the general populace to follow suit, and the expense will be too great for some people; therefore they decided effectively to be mevatel mitzvas aseh (annul a positive commandment) for the sake of shalom/peace, and not place people under additional financial stress.
5. It's a political thing (I hope not!) - since Machon Ptil Tekhelet is identified with the Dati Leumi (Religious Zionist) sector, the Charedi (black-and-white) world doesn't want anything to do with it.

What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

Most of those people who don't accept the Machon Ptil Tekhelet's research and reasons do so because they are of the opinion that once a Mesorah has been lost, we can not get it back/reinstate it until Moshiach comes. Incidentally, I believe Rav Kook ZT"L was also of that opinion.

Answer 2

The Gemara (Bava Metzia 61b) speaks pretty harshly about "one who attaches kala ilan [indigo] to his garment and claims that it's techeiles." Since, as Shalom noted, the identity of techeiles is in fact uncertain (I've heard of at least three different opinions what creature it comes from), that may be reason enough to avoid using what might be the wrong stuff.

There is also a Kabbalistic idea (from the Arizal) that techeiles is not needed after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, and that it will be restored only when Moshiach comes.

Answer 3

The Rambam says that using the wrong techelet makes the tzitzit pasul. Additionally, if you don't use techelet at all you fulfill the mitzvah. Simply not a gamble worth taking - it's already a mitzvah in the bank.

Mishna Torah - Hilchot Tzitzit- chapter 2, halacha 1: The term techelet when used regarding tzitzit refers to a specific dye that remains beautiful without changing. [If the techelet] is not dyed with this dye, it is unfit to be used as tzitzit (פסול) even though it is sky blue in color. והתכלת האמורה בציצית, צריך שתהא צביעתה צביעה ידועה, שעומדת ביפיה, ולא תשתנה. וכל שלא נצבע באותה הצביעה, פסול לציצית: אף על פי שהוא כעין הרקיע, כגון שצבעו באסטיס או בשאר המשחירין--הרי זה פסול לציצית. ורחל בת עז, צמרה פסול לציצית

Answer 4

http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=31622&pgnum=403

Thhe Rebbe Rashab wrote to R' Leiner (The original re-discoverer of techeiles [even though he was found to have been fooled by the scientists of his day, yet the reasons of the Rebbe Rashab still apply to the modern day tcheiles.]).

The Rebbe Rashab writes that it cannot be the real tcheiles because the Alter Rebbe writes in Likkutei Torah (in the name of the Pri Aitz Chaim) that there is no tcheiles in the time of exile because it represents a high spiritual level that we cannot reach in the time of exile.

This is similar to the rule that we do not blow Shofar on Rosh Hashana that falls out on Shabbos because of the Gzeira of Rava (we are afraid one will carry it in the street to learn how to blow it.) However, in Kabbalah it's explained that we don't blow shofar on shabbos because we can't reach the level of Shofar (whatever the shofar would accomplish shabbos already does). It is explained in Chassidus that the real reason for not blowing the shofar is because of the Kabbalistic reason, but in order not to make rulings based on only kabbalah, the gemarah gives a reason (although seemingly forced) of the gzeirah of Rava.

So too here, we can't reach what Tcheiles represents in exile, therefore, we shouldn't wear it, and the simple reason is because people may put it on a linen garment (tzitzis with tcheichles (wool) can be put on a linen garment) but we are not sure that it is real tcheiles, so we don't wear tcheiles at all.

The Rebbe Rashabs also asks that if the only reason nobody wore tcheiles was because of expenses, why were there no exceptionally pious people who would try to get a hold of it at all costs, like people tried getting Esrogim at all costs even when there were wars, etc.

Answer 5

Two versions of Beis HaLevi's response to Radziner Rebbe; one that's recorded in Radziner Rebbe's book is that there must be compelling archeological evidence that the tcheilis is indeed the correct version. Another verison passed down by word of mouth in the Soloveitchik family was that we lost the Mesorah. However, Rav Eliyashuv, in a letter adressed to his Talmid, Rav Feivel Cohen of NY, believed the first version was correct based on Halachic principles. In any event, Rav Eliyashuv wanted to do more research before committing to a specific psak. The Baal Hamaor paskuns in Shabbos 2nd perek that Tcheilis is meakav Halavan. He actually didn't wear Tzitzis!!! Could be that if the Tcheiles is in fact correct we should be obligated. Another consideration is the high peice of Tcheiles that the Rabbonim don't want to obligate the general population to purchase.

Answer 6

I think the question is asked backwards. Nothing is "universally accepted" unless you limit the meaning of "universe" to the groups of people you tend to agree with, or think have valid views.

The question to me, is for those who accept the new techelet. Why don't they pressure other Jews to wear them? Or, if offered a communal talit, why would most not say that the talit is not a talit because it doesn't have techelet?

The answer to that might have to do with the personality of people who are more willing to accept the new techelet, or it might be because they also agree that not wearing techelet is ok.

I would argue, that techelet is not "universally" accepted because those who do accept it, are not pushing an effort to make more people accept it. They don't look down upon, or make snide comments to those who have all white tzizit. On the other hand, those who do only wear white tzizit, will often attempt to discourage those who wear techelet. (The guy at my local judaica shop doesn't carry techelet at all, and tried to tell me it was assur min ha gedolim)

Answer 7

They have some good evidence but there are also some issues. For example, why doesn't any earlier source mention that Techelet is from the same thing as Aragaman? It seems like a pretty basic thing that they should say when identifying the animal.

Another problem is how the Gemara's test (to make sure it wasn't indigo) would work if Techelet is chemically identical to indigo. The institute says there were impurities or something involved in the process, but its still an issue.

Also, (as of a year ago) they have not showed how the Techelet would have been extracted in ancient times. This would be an important way to demonstrate its real. (They use modern techniques to get it.)

A fourth issue was raise more recently by researchers that claimed techelet was really a different color. That would also have to be dealt with.

If they can answer these objections, I think more people will begin wearing it, though not necessarily haredim.

Update: They have now shown how the extraction and dying process could have been done in ancient times. There's also a large amount of evidence that those snails were used for dying then.

Answer 8

Many believe that once the mesora (tradition) was lost, it was lost; modern scientific methods can't restore mesora. (The fact that there are different forms of tcheiles today doesn't help.)

Answer 9

This answer may have been hinted to but I don't think it was mainstream enough. The reason we don't wear Tekhelet is because the GEDOLEI TORAH don't and we trust they know their business.

Answer 10

For Ashkenazim I still can't find an answer to this Taana- Safek Deorayta LeHumra. If you are Ashekenazi then until I hear otherwise I think you should wear Tekhlet. However, for Sephardim this isn't the case because the Techelet will only return at the time of the rebuilding of the bet hamikdash (see ben yohayada b"m 61b).

EDIT: I found an answer from the Rav Sternbuch Shelit"a in Teshuvot WeHanhagot (1:26) where he brings down an opinion that "Safek Deorayta LeHumra" only applies in a case where you know for sure that you are being Yotze. However, we don't even know 100% percent if we are being Yotze Mitzvas HaTecheles.

Answer 11

from http://doseofhalacha.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/a-colourful-debate.html

Question: I see some men walking around with a blue techeles thread on their tzitzis. If we know what techeles is, why don’t we all wear it?

Answer: Wearing techeles was always an integral part of the mitzva of wearing tzitzis. Unfortunately, however, the art of making techeles from the chilazon has been lost for close to 2,000 years. The Midrash (Tanchuma, Shelach) laments that “now we have no techeles, only white, as techeles has been hidden.” While the Tosefta (Bava Metzia 61:) writes that one who doesn’t wear techeles has transgressed the mitzva of tzitzis, we see in the Gemara (Bava Metzia 61b and Menachot 40a, 43a) that wearing the wrong techeles invalidates the tzitzis.

But what is the chilazon? In the 1880’s, the Radzyner Rebbe, R’ Gershon Henoch Leiner, maintained that a particular squid (Sepia officinalis) was the long lost chilazon. He published 3 seforim on the subject, though while many used this dye to make techeles, it was far from blue and white! In 1913, R’ Issac Herzog published his doctoral thesis on techeles, naming a mollusk (Murex trunculus) as the most likely candidate for the source of techeles. The debate continues to this day.

While R’ Herzog’s arguments are most compelling, the Beis Halevi (R’ Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, 1820-1892) maintained that as the techeles has been lost from our mesorah, tradition, it should not be reinstated, irrespective of the evidence. It is certainly no simple matter to reinstate a ‘lost tradition:’

While Kohanim duchen daily (Birchas Kohanim) in Eretz Yisrael, in Chutz La’aretz this Mitzva is reserved for Yom Tov. Various reasons have been given for this, including our lack of true Simcha in the Diaspora. Nonetheless, many Gedolim including both the Vilna Gaon and his student, R’ Chaim of Volozhin unsuccessfully tried to reinstate the daily Bracha. The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 128:64) writes that it’s as if there was a voice from heaven calling out against reinstating it.

We eagerly await the day when the true glory of these Mitzvos will be reinstated for all.

Answer 12

I have two hypotheses:

1) If a major rav were to come out with a clear psak in favor, or just start wearing techelet publicly himself, it would be a whole lot to carry on his shoulders. As far as I know, most poskim are hesitant to tackle the question at all. Even Rav Moshe Karp was staunchly opposed to wearing techelet, but when one of his sons came home one Shabbos with techelet (so the story goes) he had no alternative, and started debating techelet proponents. Eventually he changed his opinion. I'm not sure exactly what he holds today.

2) A lot of charedim are very hesitant to go against the grain, therefore they are not prepared to be open-minded in approaching the question. From my observations, I get the impression that they will grasp at the first argument they hear against it, and breathe a sigh of relief that now they won't have to stick out like a sore thumb. But I've almost never come across someone charedi who decides to investigate the topic very open-mindedly and then comes to the conclusion that he should not wear Murex trunculus.

Answer 13

Parshas Shelach discusses Techeiles at the very end and Rashi (14:41) says on the pasuk "Ani Hashem" which means that "I am the one who in the future with discern and exact payment from one who puts a turquoise dye extracted from a tree on his garment and says its Techeiles. His source is found in Bava Metzia 61B which commentators mention there that an unscrupulous person would dye his tzitzis not knowing this makes the mitzvah of tzitzis pasul and then tries to sell them in the market place.