Techeiles and Argamon
The Story of the Mitzvah’s Renewal, from Rebbes to Researchers, from Croatia’s Waters to the Shores of Tzur, from the Squid to the Chilazon Argamon
By Yoel Yaakobi
כ”ד בסיוון תשע”ב 14.06.12, 19:06
June 14, 2012
A new initiative by ‘Keren HaTekhelet’ aims to significantly lower the cost of producing the dye, making it easier for many to fulfill the mitzvah of P’sil Techeiles in their tzitzis. | The research and ideological debate continues: Can thousands of chilzonos be raised in captivity to produce the needed dye? And will Klal Yisrael accept this renewed mitzvah?
It’s no coincidence that the Torah places Parshas Tzitzis at the end of Parshas Shelach, which deals with the complicated relationship between Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. The mitzvah of tzitzis—especially the techeiles component—has had its own share of twists and turns, paralleling Klal Yisrael’s return to Eretz Yisrael.
Over the last 130 years, three main identifications have been proposed for the Talmudic chilazon that was used to produce techeiles. Now, a new initiative looks to enhance the observance of this old-yet-new mitzvah. The project, called ‘Keren HaTekhelet,’ adopts the latest scientific identification of the Talmudic chilazon—the Murex trunculus (Argamon K’hei HaKotzim). This identification is gaining practical acceptance among Rabbanim and the wider public. The initiative seeks to reduce the price of the strings by farming the chilzonos as part of a marine agriculture industry.
The Radzin Revelation
Rav Menachem Burstein, head of Machon Puah and author of the sefer HaTekhelet, which summarizes the various approaches, explains that the discussions surrounding techeiles stem from multiple halachic uncertainties. For example, does the dye need to come from a living creature, or did Chazal mention a chilazon simply because that was the only stable source available in their time? Could we use synthetic dyes today instead?
Rav Burstein points out that since the chilazon was well-known in the times of Chazal, they didn’t see a need to describe it precisely. Instead, we have to piece together its details from various sources in Chazal. Every identification fits some of the descriptions but has its challenges. He also cites the opinion of Rav Yisrael Ariel, head of Machon HaMikdash, who holds that any marine chilazon is kosher for the mitzvah, and there is no requirement to use one specific species. Other questions revolve around the exact shade of blue that qualifies as techeiles and the role of various additives in the dyeing process.
One person whose contribution to rediscovering techeiles is undisputed is Reb Gershon Chanoch Leiner, the Radziner Rebbe. As one interviewee put it, he “brought this mitzvah down from shamayim and removed it from the category of mitzvos reserved for Moshiach’s times.” The Radziner Rebbe was a remarkable figure—an autodidact with deep knowledge of both Torah and science. His interest in techeiles wasn’t theoretical; it was a deeply personal mission.
Before diving into scientific research, the Rebbe first examined all relevant sources in Chazal and the Rishonim, gathering everything necessary to identify the chilazon. He compiled his findings in his sefer Sh’funei T’moni Chol, where he pinpointed the location of the chilazon, outlined eleven simanim from Chazal, and defined the precise shade of blue required. Once he had this information, he set out to find a creature that fit the criteria. A marine specimen was sent to him from the Mediterranean—the cuttlefish (Diyunun HaRokchim)—which, in the Rebbe’s opinion, matched all the simanim.
After receiving responses from leading Gedolim, the Rebbe traveled to Italy’s Mediterranean coast and visited the underwater museum in Naples. There, he saw the cuttlefish in its full splendor. Following further research, he became convinced that this was the Talmudic chilazon. The cuttlefish contains an ink sac filled with a blackish dye, which it expels when threatened.
On the 10th of Tammuz, 5648 (1888), the Rebbe obtained several cuttlefish ink sacs in Venice and brought them home to test their dyeing properties. In Radzin, he set up a laboratory, using his knowledge of chemistry to refine the process. He was careful to use only techniques available in ancient times to ensure the resulting dye was the same as the original. On the first day of Chanukah 5649 (1888), he successfully dyed tzitzis with a dark blue shade. In his view, the term “techeiles” need not be identical to modern definitions of the color.
The demand for Radziner techeiles was overwhelming, forcing the Rebbe to make three more trips to Italy to obtain additional cuttlefish.
The Controversy and the Hidden Wearers
Along with the excitement surrounding the Rebbe’s discovery, a fierce controversy erupted. Some who wore Radziner techeiles faced actual persecution. However, several Gedolim accepted it—at least discreetly. The Maharsham of Berzan, a major posek of the time, not only wore Radziner techeiles but even requested to be buried with it. Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, the Rav of Vilna and head of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah before the Holocaust, also wore it. On the other hand, there were major opponents, such as Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein, author of Aruch HaShulchan.
The tradition of dyeing Radziner techeiles continued until the Holocaust, when the Rebbe’s grandson, the Radziner Rebbe, was killed. His brother-in-law, Rav Avraham Yissachar Englard, a son-in-law of the previous Rebbe, later reestablished Radzin Chassidus.
Before the Holocaust, the Radziner Rebbe had transmitted the dyeing process to ten of his chassidim. Tragically, all ten were murdered, and the secret of techeiles was lost once again.
However, a letter written by the Radziner Rebbe’s personal sofer—who was also responsible for the dyeing process—later resurfaced. The letter, sent in response to a request from Rav Yoel Herzog in Paris for his son, Rav Yitzchak Isaac Herzog (who would later lead the next stage in the rediscovery of techeiles), detailed the dyeing method. This letter formed the basis for the second renewal of techeiles.
With the help of Professor Otto Elsner of Shenkar College, experiments were conducted to decipher the dyeing process described in the letter. The descriptions were far from scientific—one example being that the required heating temperature was defined as “the heat of Gehinnom.” “Do you know how many degrees Celsius Gehinnom is?” Professor Elsner jokingly asked Rav Burstein.
Chilazon for the Goyim, Chilazon for the Jews
Rav Yitzchak Englard, son of the previous Radziner Rebbe and the one currently overseeing the dyeing process, pushes back against the way Radzin’s approach is sometimes treated. Even during the lifetime of the Rebbe who renewed the mitzvah of techeiles, many questions were raised, which he himself addressed in his seforim P’sil Techeiles and Ayin HaTekhelet.
One of the first questions was about identifying the chilazon as a creature like the cuttlefish, which has no shell at all. Rav Englard sees this as precisely where the Radziner Rebbe’s brilliance shines through—he remained loyal first and foremost to the simanim of Chazal and only then looked for a species that fit. “If you want to say the chilazon is just some random snail (Beraleh), you don’t have to be a gaon for that.”
Rav Dov Lior: What arrogance is there in this? Should we stop taking Terumos and Ma’asros today just because they didn’t do so in chutz la’aretz? They didn’t know what the chilazon was in the past. If a person believes that wearing techeiles is a mitzvah, should he refrain just because someone else doesn’t think so?
Rav Englard also rejects a claim often made by those who follow other techeiles approaches: that if the Radziner Rebbe were alive today and knew about the new theories, he would have changed his mind. “We are maaminim bnei maaminim. This argument bothers me. Saying that ‘if the Baal HaTecheiles were alive today, he would have changed his mind’ is like saying that if Moshe Rabbeinu were alive today, he’d change his mind about kindling fire on Shabbos just because now it’s easier.” He adds that while he has plenty to respond to the objections against the Radziner approach, his father instructed him to remain quiet. “I don’t think it serves the goal—which is that as many Jews as possible should wear techeiles.”
Rav Burstein explains that one of the biggest arguments against Radzin’s method concerns its dyeing process—which results in a deep blue color that, from a purely chemical standpoint, could theoretically be produced from any living creature. The current Radziner Rebbe responded by saying that it doesn’t matter, because the Torah requires that this process be done specifically with this particular chilazon.
Rav Herzog and His Chilazon Dilemma
This issue, along with other questions, is what ultimately led Rav Yitzchak Isaac HaLevi Herzog to reject the Radziner method. As a young Rav, Rav Herzog wrote a doctoral dissertation on the topic of techeiles in Eretz Yisrael. Initially, he attempted to identify the techeiles source as the Murex trunculus, whose shell remnants were discovered at archaeological sites alongside what appeared to be ancient dyeing facilities. However, he had some serious difficulties with this theory.
One challenge was that Chazal describe the chilazon’s body as resembling the sea—but the Murex shell is light beige. Another issue was Chazal’s statement that the chilazon only emerges once every seventy years. Even if that phrase was meant to imply rarity rather than a literal cycle, Rav Herzog noted that the Murex wasn’t particularly rare. Faced with these problems, Rav Herzog proposed that there were two types of chilazon: one used for dyeing by the goyim (the Murex), and another used for the mitzvah of techeiles by Jews.
Rav Herzog continued searching for another species and eventually identified the s’golit, a small marine snail with an actual purple color, which he argued better matched the description of “resembling the sea.” It was also far rarer than the Murex. This snail also excretes a color-changing liquid, which it uses to confuse predators—similar to the behavior of the Radziner’s cuttlefish. However, Rav Herzog was unsure if its secretion could be used as a dye. Furthermore, Rav Burstein points out, there is no known historical evidence of this species being used for dyeing.
The Role of Modern Research
Professor Otto Elsner, who was originally recruited to test Radziner techeiles, began investigating further and concluded that the Murex trunculus was indeed the real chilazon. Dr. Yisrael Ziderman, a biochemist among the early researchers who adopted the Murex approach and now heads the scientific efforts at Keren HaTekhelet, explains that the secretion from the Murex (which is colorless at first) plays a role in breaking down excess proteins.
The Italian Cooking Connection
Dr. Ziderman stumbled upon techeiles research almost by accident. He had been tasked with translating Rav Herzog’s dissertation into Hebrew, updating it with modern scientific insights, and writing the Chilazon entry in the Talmudic Encyclopedia. His background in animal physiology (B.Sc.) and biochemistry (M.Sc., Ph.D.) made him a natural fit for this field. “I started studying the three species Rav Herzog mentioned—the Radziner’s cuttlefish, the Murex trunculus, and the s’golit—to understand their dye production. I eventually came to the same initial conclusion as Rav Herzog—that the chilazon is the Murex.”
In reality, the Murex identification was originally Rav Herzog’s own finding. The problem was that he still had unanswered questions. Ziderman proposed answers. He suggested that the Murex shell that had been sent to Rav Herzog from the Paris Museum of Natural History was too clean—stripped of its natural biological covering. However, when Ziderman organized a dive expedition, they found Murex shells in their natural habitat. It turned out that in the wild, the Murex shell is covered with algae and marine growth, making it appear identical to the seabed. “To find this chilazon, you have to look for a rock that moves—that’s the real meaning of the Gemara’s description!” He also found explanations to resolve the rarity issue based on the Rambam’s interpretation.
The First to Wear the Murex Techeiles
The first person to actually wear tzitzis dyed with Murex techeiles was Rav Eliyahu Tavger, who performed experiments and successfully dyed wool in 5749 (1989). Together with others, he established the Ptil Tekhelet organization, which runs a factory in Mishor Adumim, producing and selling Murex-dyed tzitzis.
Joel Guberman from Ptil Tekhelet explains that due to environmental regulations, the chilzonos (which also exist in Israel) are mainly sourced from Croatia and other Mediterranean countries. Locals there eat these snails, while Ptil Tekhelet ensures that the dye-producing glands are carefully removed and sent to Eretz Yisrael.
Interestingly, Rav Burstein learned how to separate the dye gland from the Murex from an Italian cookbook, which instructs home cooks how to prevent their snail soup from turning purple—he just used the information in reverse.
Dr. Yisrael Ziderman: “In its natural habitat, the Murex shell is covered with biological growth—algae and tiny marine creatures—which make it look like the seafloor. To actually find the chilzonos, you need to look for a rock that moves. That’s what the Gemara meant!”
The Cost of Techeiles Today
Last week, this newspaper reported (based on Ptil Tekhelet’ website) that the cost of a set of Murex-dyed tzitzis is 250 shekels. However, Guberman clarifies that at the factory itself, tzitzis can be purchased for as low as 80 shekels. He estimates that Ptil Tekhelet sells 1,000 sets per month.
Rav Englard refuses to disclose Radziner techeiles sales figures, but he insists they sell far more than 1,000 sets monthly. The price is also lower—between 50-60 shekels. Additionally, collecting cuttlefish in Israel is legally permitted, unlike Murex snails.
The Rabbinic Reception
Ziderman started making the rounds among Gedolim, speaking with many of the great poskim of the generation. One of the biggest names he consulted was Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. Rav Shlomo Zalman expressed support for Ziderman’s research and even wrote him a letter of encouragement, but he refused to take a definitive stance on the matter.
“Listen,” he told Ziderman, “when I was a kid, if someone walked into the mikveh wearing Radziner techeiles, they threw him out. Techeiles got a bad reputation. If I start wearing techeiles, they’ll say I’m ‘Radziner Number Two.’”
Rav Shlomo Zalman added that if Ziderman could get another Gadol to sign first, he would be willing to sign second.
This approach is echoed by Rav Burstein, who noted that Rav Shlomo Zalman, having already faced personal attacks over a bold psak, told him, “I’m not young anymore,” and referred him instead to his son-in-law, Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, who did wear techeiles.
Rav Burstein himself also asked for Rav Shlomo Zalman’s ruling on the matter, but the response was the same: “You’re the expert in this field.” At the time, Rav Burstein was a young avreich and didn’t feel comfortable taking responsibility for such a psak—so to this day, he does not wear techeiles.
Techeiles for the Wedding
Today, wearing techeiles is no longer an unusual phenomenon. Many rabbis, along with entire communities, have adopted the practice. While a large portion of those who wear it come from the Religious Zionist community, a growing number of Charedim also wear techeiles—some openly, others more discreetly. Among them are Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, Rabbi Amram Opman (a posek in the Eidah HaChareidis), Rabbi Meir Mazuz (who wears techeiles on Shabbos), members of the Zilberman family from the Jewish Quarter, and others.
Rabbi Zephaniah Drori, the Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Shmona and Rosh Yeshiva of its Hesder Yeshiva, supports the efforts of Keren HaTekhelet and notes that many of his yeshiva students wear techeiles—especially when purchasing a tallis for their wedding. He explains that what convinced him was the reasons the poskim of previous generations opposed techeiles, which no longer apply today.
Rabbi Drori recalls the argument made by Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Brisk, author of Beis HaLevi, who wrote to the Radziner Rebbe that since the chilazon was always known, the fact that previous generations did not use it proves that they held it wasn’t the real techeiles. However, Rabbi Drori explains, historical sources now confirm that techeiles disappeared because of Byzantine laws forbidding private individuals from hunting the chilazon—since in their time, dyed garments were a status symbol. Dr. Ziderman adds that the final disappearance of techeiles occurred under Muslim rule during the Geonic era, when they destroyed the last known techeiles dyeing workshops.
Rabbi Re’em Cohen, Rosh Yeshiva of Otniel and a member of the public council of Keren HaTekhelet (along with Rabbi Drori, Rabbi Burstein, and others), points out that factories producing chilazon dye have been found along the coast of Zevulun’s territory. While not every detail perfectly aligns with Midrashic descriptions, he argues, “It’s a mistake to assume that every Midrash was meant to be taken literally—some were intended to teach spiritual lessons rather than serve as field identification guides.”
Rabbi Re’em also notes that leading rabbinic figures now wear techeiles, including Rabbi Dov Lior and Rabbi Goldberg. In his view, none of the arguments against wearing techeiles hold up. “This is an identification that is almost certain—in my opinion, absolutely certain. It’s a Torah mitzvah, and even if someone wore the wrong color, they weren’t violating any prohibition. People are constantly searching for spiritual segulos, yet here we have a segulah straight from the Torah—tzitzis with techeiles, which protects a person from ‘following his heart and eyes.’”
Rabbinic Perspectives on Techeiles
The most prominent posek in the Religious Zionist community to fully support wearing techeiles is Rabbi Dov Lior. He argues that the Murex trunculus is clearly mentioned in ancient sources as a dye-producing marine creature and has been found in archaeological digs near Tzur. Furthermore, it matches the signs given by Chazal. A critical halachic factor, which does not apply to Radziner techeiles, is that the dye from the Murex does not fade in washing.
Rabbi Lior also rejects the claim that using simanim (identifying signs) is unreliable. “The Torah itself relies on simanim,” he explains. “Simanim determine the kashrus of an animal, are used in the mitzvah of hashavas aveidah (returning lost objects), and even allow a woman to remarry based on the identification of her husband’s remains. Clearly, clear-cut simanim can be relied upon.”
Some opponents of techeiles argue that wearing it today is an act of arrogance—after all, previous generations didn’t wear it. Rabbi Lior strongly disagrees:
“What does arrogance have to do with this? By that logic, we shouldn’t separate terumos and ma’asros today, since they weren’t given in chutz la’aretz. People in the past didn’t know which species was the chilazon. If someone believes he is fulfilling a mitzvah by wearing techeiles, why should he hold back just because others disagree?”
Rabbi Lior also cites Rabbi Yehoshua of Kutno, who wrote that one of the signs of the geulah is the rediscovery of techeiles.
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel prefers to remain neutral on the matter. “There’s a strong possibility that the Murex is the correct chilazon, but there are still questions, and the issue isn’t completely clear.” He adds, “At worst, wearing techeiles isn’t harmful—it certainly isn’t a problem to wear blue tzitzis, even if it isn’t the true techeiles.” Rabbi Burstein notes that even the poskim who do not endorse techeiles do not hold that wearing it is halachically problematic.
Aside from the lingering doubts about its identification, another reason some rabbis refrain from wearing techeiles is based on Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu’s view. He held, based on the teachings of the Arizal, that techeiles will only return with the arrival of Moshiach. However, proponents of techeiles argue that its rediscovery is actually a sign of Moshiach’s imminent arrival.
The Cost of Techeiles and Future Plans
Dr. Ziderman praises the efforts of Ptil Tekhelet, saying that they have made techeiles practical. He originally founded Keren HaTekhelet in the early 1980s to promote research, but as a scientist—not a fundraiser—the project never took off. Recently, his sons decided to relaunch the initiative, with his son Chanan overseeing public relations.
Chanan Ziderman explains that their goal is to reduce the cost of techeiles while also investing in education and awareness. “The price is a major obstacle. Imagine a family with eight children—how many pairs of tzitzis would they need to buy?”
Their plan is to secure funding from a major foundation dedicated to Jewish heritage and conduct a three-year study at the Marine Research Institute in Eilat. The research will focus on the best ways to farm Murex snails in captivity using large-scale aquaculture.
Chanan Ziderman believes that applying supply-and-demand economics will work, making techeiles a widespread practice once again. His vision? To make techeiles “the thread that binds the Jewish people together.”
Rabbi Aharon Adler: “I believe the story of techeiles is the story of the entire Jewish people—no less significant than the Exodus. There are remote Jewish communities around the world, far from the spiritual center of Israel. Techeiles can help reconnect them to the Jewish nation.”
However, some argue that captive farming alone won’t be enough. Rabbi Yaakov Ariel states that lowering the price won’t solve everything—what’s really needed is a broad halachic consensus affirming that the Murex is the true chilazon.
Rabbi Dov Lior, while not directly involved in the initiative, supports the effort but warns that the quality of the dye must remain consistent in a farmed environment. He points out that techeiles has always been expensive, since thousands of chilzonos are required to extract a small amount of dye. In his view, increasing awareness of the importance of the mitzvah is the most effective way to encourage its adoption.
Currently, Ptil Tekhelet has investigated the feasibility of farming Murex in Israel but found that importing them is still cheaper. Joel Guberman from the organization believes that even if the price drops, it won’t automatically lead to mass adoption. “Jewish practice changes gradually. We believe in long-term processes—the Jewish people don’t change their minhagim overnight.”
Dr. Moshe Raanan of Herzog College, who conducted a Ph.D. study on freshwater snails, was once approached to evaluate whether Murex farming was viable. He wrote a lengthy article outlining the major challenges, including:
- Murex are bottom-dwellers, meaning only the bottom of a tank can be used for farming, unlike fish which occupy the full water column.
- Murex are predators, making their feeding costs high.
- Some Murex exhibit cannibalism, which must be managed.
Ultimately, he concluded that importing the snails remains cheaper for now.
According to him, a researcher has no issue accepting funding for research, even though there is no guarantee that anything will be discovered in the end. Raanan adds that some members of the Eilat Marine Research Institute have a fundamental hostility toward what they perceive as the messianic idea behind the rediscovery of techeiles, a hostility he personally encountered when he previously came there to give a lecture on the topic.
Nevertheless, Raanan believes that there is justification for establishing such a facility in two cases. One scenario is to prevent the species from becoming endangered, should such a threat arise (as Dr. Ziderman once suggested). The second is if the goal is to create an educational and tourism-oriented facility, in which case there would be an economic rationale for the project.
However, Raanan is also aware of the possibility that demand for techeiles will increase significantly, causing its price to skyrocket. He concludes his article with the following words:
“The main purpose of describing these challenges is not to discourage efforts—on the contrary, it is meant to encourage those interested in the field to pursue practical solutions. Success in this area requires essential collaboration between all those involved in the work—both from the scientific and the economic perspectives.”
The Jewish People’s Connection
Rabbi Aharon Adler, who serves as the rabbi of Ohel Nechama Synagogue in Jerusalem, frequently lectures in Jewish communities across North America. As the head of Keren HaTekhelet’ outreach to Diaspora Jewry, he notes that a large portion of Jews who wear tzitzis outside of Israel have never even heard of techeiles.
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik held that scientific research alone could not be used to reinstate something like techeiles. His son-in-law and disciple, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Har Etzion, followed this approach and did not wear techeiles in his tzitzis. However, another one of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s major students, Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS)—a leading halachic authority in the Religious Zionist community in America and one of the two senior poskim of the OU—does wear techeiles.
Rabbi Adler explains that what connects him to the techeiles initiative is education. “Today, there is a longing for the Beis HaMikdash. A hundred years ago, we dreamed of a Jewish state, and we fulfilled that dream. Then, we dreamed of a liberated Jerusalem, and we fulfilled that as well. Essentially, we are climbing a mountain of dreams, always reaching for the next one.”
Rabbi Adler points to an interesting observation from Parshas Bamidbar: During the journeys of the Mishkan, all of the sacred vessels were covered with tachash leather—except for the Aron HaBris, which had techeiles as its outermost covering. “Rabbi Soloveitchik explained that this ensured that any Jew, no matter where they were, could always recognize where the Aron was—the place that contained the Torah. In my view, the story of techeiles is the story of the entire Jewish people, no less than it was in the desert. There are remote and isolated Jewish communities throughout the Diaspora, disconnected from the central Jewish world in Israel. Techeiles can help reconnect them to the Jewish people.“
And here’s a fascinating hint to close with: About ten years ago, Dutch researchers discovered that the wavelength of light reflected from the Murex trunculus techeiles dye molecule is 613 nanometers.
Perhaps this is what the Torah meant when it said in Parshas Tzitzis:
“And you shall see it, and remember all the mitzvos of Hashem, and perform them.”
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https://www.inn.co.il/news/566278
Translated into English by Rafi Hecht
