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Firstly, please note that when you run the dyeing experiment, it doesn’t make “Techeiles grade” wool like Ptil does. One receives 4 grams of glands plus chemicals in individual packets. Ptil uses these ingredients but uses a pH meter. The exact quantities/ratios are a trade secret.
The above said, how do the modern chemicals compare to Pliny’s method?
1. Snail glands. This is produced in dried form, but the best (and in ancient times) is done in fresh form.
2. Sodium carbonate. This is an extremely strong base, with the purpose of dissolving the glands. In Pliny’s time which he documented, soda ash was used (and can be created today out of baking soda) but this would likely take a lot longer to dissolve, with more of the solution needed, also in part to neutralize the acid used as a reducing agent. This uses, as Tim Allen in Home Improvement would put it, “more power.” This is almost like using a microwave oven to heat your food quicker than, say, placing food in a pot over a flame.
3. Sodium Dithionate. This salt is a base used as a reducing agent which will form the leuco state from purple to blue (converts the dye to an alkali-soluble form called leuco), but in its non oxygenated state it looks yellowish. This acid in ancient times was done using bacteria from natural ingredients (notice how food two weeks past it’s expiration, when accidentally eaten, tastes very acidic). The acid is also used in part to counteract the base and help normalize the pH level.
pH level is very important to maintain. A pH level of 2, let’s say, can burn a hole through the ground. And a pH level too high (max is 14) is also extremely dangerous. Normal drinking water for example has a pH level of 7.
4. Citric acid. This acid is used to further neutralize the base from the Sodium Carbonate, since “too much base” was used earlier and the pH level needs to be neutralized further. If playing around with acid-base ratios this would be an optional ingredient since the “tasting” process would be used instead to test alkalinity. Today a pH meter can be purchased from Amazon for that test if you choose the manual route. Nevertheless this is a perfectly natural ingredient found in lemon juice, for example, and there’s no reason why this couldn’t have been used with the bacteria acid solution in ancient times.
Main Text
Instructions:
P1
Ptil Tekhelet Dye in a Box
P2
DYE in a BOX
This kit contains everything needed to dye a sample of authentic Tekhelet wool including:
- 4 packages of dye and chemicals
- 1 tuft of wool
- 2 protective gloves
- 1 plastic stirring rod Kit may also contain:
- 2 beakers
- 1 LED light
You’ll also need:
- Approximately one cup of boiling hot water
- Cold water for rinsing the dyed wool
Environment: The dyeing of Tekhelet should be done in a well-ventilated room or outdoors.
Warning!!
Contains chemicals that may be harmful if misused. Be careful not to ingest, or touch to eyes or skin. Wash hands thoroughly when finished. Follow the instructions very carefully in order to achieve the desired results. Not to be used by children except under adult supervision.
P3
The Talmud in Menachot (42b) gives a brief description of how the dyeing of Tekhelet was performed.
אמר ליה אביי לרב שמואל בר רב יהודה הא תכילתא היכי צבעיתו לה אמר ליה מייתינן דם חלזון וסמנין ורמינן להו ביורה ומרתחינן ליה ושקלינא פורתא בביעתא וטעמינן להו באודרא ושדינן ליה לההוא ביעתא וקלינן ליה לאודרא
Abaye said to Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yehudah: This thread of Tekhelet, how do you dye it? [Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yehuda] replied: We bring blood of the chillazon and chemicals and we put them in a pot and boil it up. Then, we take a little bit in an eggshell and test it with a wad of wool. Then we spill out what is left in that eggshell and we burn the wad of wool
We follow the Talmud’s guidelines:
מייתינן דם חלזון…
We bring blood of the chillazon…
The “blood” of the chillazon (the Murex trunculus snail) is obtained by breaking open the shells and removing the glands with the dyestuff . These are then dried and crushed.
STEP 1:
Open the packet marked (A) and pour into a beaker. This is the crushed glands of the chillazon, the source of the Tekhelet dye. Notice the dark purple color and strong smell!
P4
…וסמנין..
…and chemicals…
The Talmud tells us that chemicals are added. The Tekhelet color comes exclusively from the snail dye, however, chemicals are necessary for dissolving the snail dye and processing the wool in order to form a strong bond between the dye and wool.
STEP 2:
Open the packet marked (B) and pour into the beaker with the Murex dye. This is Sodium Carbonate, a strong base, which helps break down the glands and dissolve the dye.
ורמינן להו ביורה ומרתחינן ליה…
…and we put them in a pot and boil it up…
STEP 3:
Pour 180 ml boiling hot water into the beaker containing the contents of the first two packets. Stir.
Notice the crushed snail glands do not really dissolve in the water.
P5
STEP 4:
Open the packet marked (C) and pour into the beaker with the liquid mixture. Stir.
This is Sodium Dithionite, a strong reducing agent.
Notice that the color changes to yellow-green. This shows that the dye has dissolved in the liquid, (and has undergone reduction).
STEP 5:
Open the packet marked (D) and slowly pour into beaker with the liquid mixture. Stir. This is Citric Acid, a mild acid. The mixture was strongly basic. The citric acid neutralizes the base preventing the wool from getting damaged.
The dyeing of Tekhelet for tzitzit must be done Lishmah – with the expressed intention to perform the mitzvah. Were we dyeing Tekhelet for actual tzitizit, we would say at this point: L’shem Mitzvat Tzitzit.
P6
STEP 6:
Pour half of the dye liquid into the second empty beaker.
Divide the wool tuft in half. Place one tuft of wool in each beaker. Using the stirring rod, be sure that all the wool is covered by the liquid mixture. Place one beaker in a dark place (you can use the kit box as a cover).
Place the other beaker in sunlight or under the LED flashlight. (Remember which one was in the light). Keep the wool immersed for 15-20 minutes.
STEP 7:
Using the stirring rod, slowly remove each of the tufts of wool from the different beakers, first from the beaker that was kept dark, and then from the one that was under light.
As the wool is exposed to the air (and undergoes oxidation), its color should change from the yellowish color. You can rinse the wool to speed up the process.
The wool in the beaker that was kept dark should have a purple hue.
The one that was exposed to sunlight should turn blue – Tekhelet.
