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Tags: Kabbala
Bottom Line
Bottom Line:
Techeiles comes from a fish in the sea of Genosar, located in the portion of Zevulun, and was needed for the Mishkan. The Zohar connects this to the second day of creation, when the firmament was made, associated with the left side (gevurah). On this day, Gehinnom was created, emerging from the fire of the left side, and in the sea, the color techeiles was imprinted as the throne of judgment.
The second day took water from the right side, which was not revealed on its own but blended with the left. The first day’s light was the strongest of all six days, originating from fire, as referenced in Yeshayahu. The first day functioned with the quality of its counterpart, and each subsequent day built upon the previous one. The third day, which contained both aspects, included the color argaman (purple) and was therefore called “ki tov” twice.
Techeiles represents the second day, combining red and black. Initially, it has a red hue, like fire, but as it descends into the sea, the red fades, leaving behind the blue of techeiles. The black color emerges from the inner core of the red impurity, becoming darker and ultimately representing the concealment of light. Because of these mixed elements of din (judgment) and impurity, “ki tov” is not said about the second day.
Main Text
Terumah, Chapter 39
(שמות כה) וּתְכֵלֶת, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, תְּכֵלֶת מֵהַהוּא נוּנָא דְּיַמָּא דְּגִינוֹסָר, דְּאִיהוּ בְּעַדְבֵיהּ דִּזְבוּלוּן. וְאִצְטְרִיךְ גַּוְונָא דָּא לְעוֹבָדָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא לְאִתְחֲזָאָה הַאי גּוָֹון.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (בראשית א׳:ו׳) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וִיְהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם. הַאי רְקִיעַ אִתְבְּרֵי בַּשֵּׁנִי, דְּעוֹבָדָא דָּא מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא אִיהוּ. וּבְיוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא דְּאִיהוּ סְטָר שְׂמָאלָא, אִתְבְּרֵי בֵּיהּ גֵּיהִנָּם, דְּאִיהוּ נָפִיק מִגּוֹ הִתּוּכָא דְּנוּרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, וּבְיַמָא אִצְטְבַע בָּהּ גּוָֹון תִּכְלָא, דְּאִיהוּ כּוּרְסְיָּיא דְּדִינָא.
וְנָטִיל הַאי יוֹמָא מַיִם דַּהֲווֹ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא, וְאִינּוּן מַיִם דַּהֲווֹ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא, לָא אִתְגַּלּוּ אֶלָּא בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי. בְּיוֹמָא דִּילֵיהּ, לָא אִתְגְּלֵי מַיִם, אֶלָּא אִתְחַלָּף, בְּגִין דְּאִתְכְּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא, וְאִתְבָּסַּם דָּא בְּדָא. אוֹר דְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה, נְהִירוּ קַדְמָאָה מִכָּל שִׁיתָא נְהוֹרִין אִיהוּ. וְהַאי אוֹר בְּסִטְרָא דְּאֶשָּׁא הֲוָה, דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו י׳:י״ז) וְהָיָה אוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאֵשׁ. וְהַהוּא אוֹר דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא הֲוָה, אִתְכְּלִיל בְּאֶשָּׁא.
וְיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה מֵאִינּוּן שִׁיתָא יוֹמִין, מַיִם אִיהוּ, וְלָא שִׁמֵּשׁ עוֹבָדָא דְּמַיִם, אֶלָּא עוֹבָדָא דְּאוֹר, דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּאֵשׁ, דְּאִיהוּ יוֹם שֵׁנִי. לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא בָּרָא עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא עַל שָׁלוֹם, וּבְאֹרַח שָׁלוֹם הֲוָה כֹּלָּא. יוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה כָּל מַה דַּעֲבַד, מִסִּטְרָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ עָבֵד. יוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא בְּסִטְרָא דְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה עֲבַד הַהוּא אוּמָנָא, וְשִׁמֵּשׁ בָּהּ, דְּכָל חַד שִׁמֵּשׁ בְּעוֹבָדָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ, לְאַחֲזָאָה, דְּהָא אִתְכְּלִילוּ דָּא בְּדָא. יוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה, הֲוָה בְּסִטְרָא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ, וּבֵיהּ הֲוָה אַרְגָּמָן, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, כִּי טוֹב כִּי טוֹב תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה.
תְּכֵלֶת, דָּא יוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא, אִצְטְבַע בְּב’ גַּוְונִין סוּמָק וְאוּכָם. וּתְכֵלֶת, סוּמָק אִיהוּ דִּילֵיהּ, מִיּוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא מַמָּשׁ, כְּעֵין גּוָֹון אֶשָּׁא, וְדָא אִיהוּ אֱלהִים, וְיָרִית גּוָֹון דְּדַהֲבָא, דְּכֹלָּא גַּוְונָא חֲדָא. תְּכֶלְתָּא נָפִיק מִגּוֹ הַהוּא גּוָֹון סוּמָק, וְכַד נָחִית לְתַתָּא, אִתְרְחַק גּוָֹון סוּמָק, וְעָאל גּוֹ הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ יַמָּא, וְאִצְטְבַע גּוָֹון תִּכְלָא. הַהוּא סוּמָקָא עָיֵיל גּוֹ יַמָּא, וְאִתְחַלָּשׁ גּוָֹון דִּילֵיהּ, וְאִתְהַדָּר תִּכְלָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ אֱלהִים, אֲבָל לָאו אִיהוּ תַּקִּיפָא כְּקַדְמָאָה.
אוּכָם, גּוָֹון דָּא נָפִיק מֵהִתּוּכָא דְּסוּמָקָא, כַּד אִתְהֲתָּךְ וְאִתְחַלָּשׁ לְתַתָּא בְּהִתּוּכָא דְּזוּהֲמָא, וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא, וְנָפִיק מֵהַהוּא זוּהֲמָא גּוָֹון סוּמָק, מִזּוֹהֲמָא תַּקִּיפָא, וּמִגּוֹ זוּהֲמָא תַּקִּיפָא, אִתְהַדָּר לְאוּכָם. וְכֹלָּא מֵהַהוּא סוּמָקָא קַדְמָאָה (ס”א עלאה) אִתְהֲתָּךְ. וְכָל דָּא אִתְבְּרֵי בַּשֵּׁנִי, וְהַאי אִקְרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים.
הַאי אוּכָם אִיהוּ חָשׁוּךְ יַתִּיר, דְּלָא אִתְחָזֵי גּוָֹון דִּילֵיהּ מִגּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא. בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא הָכִי אָמַר, דְּהַאי גּוָֹון אוּכָם חָשׁוּךְ, בְּאָן אֲתָר אִצְטְבַע. אֶלָּא כַּד הַהוּא סוּמָקָא אִתְהֲתָּךְ בְּגוֹ תִּכְלָא, וְאִתְעָרְבוּ גַּוְונִין, אִתְהֲתָּךְ הִתּוּכָא דְּזוּהֲמָא לְגוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי, וְאִתְעָבִיד מִתַּמָּן רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (ישעיהו נ״ז:כ׳) וַיִּגְרְשׁוּ מֵימָיו רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט. וּמִגּוֹ הַהוּא טִינָא דִּתְהוֹמֵי, נָפַק הַהוּא חָשׁוּךְ דְּאִיהוּ אוּכָם, וְלָא אוּכָם אֶלָּא חָשׁוּךְ יַתִּיר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית א׳:ב׳) וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנִי תְהוֹם. אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ, בְּגִין דְּגָוֶון דִּילֵיהּ חָשׁוּךְ, וְאַחְשִׁיךְ אַנְפֵּי בִּרְיָין. וְדָא אִיהוּ סוּמָק וְאוּכָם, וּבְגִין דָּא לָא כְּתִיב בַּשֵּׁנִי כִּי טוֹב.
Source: https://www.sefaria.org/Zohar%2C_Terumah.39.425?lang=bi
English Translation
Terumah, Chapter 39
Techeiles
Rabbi Yitzchak said: Techeiles comes from a fish found in the Sea of Genosar, which lies within Zevulun’s portion. This color was essential for the Mishkan’s work, so it would be seen.
He began: “And Elokim said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide between water and water'” (Bereishis 1:6). This firmament was created on the second day, linked to the left side. On this same day, Gehinnom was created, emerging from the inner fire of the left. In the sea, the color techeiles was imprinted, symbolizing the throne of judgment.
This day also drew water from the right side, though these waters weren’t revealed until the second day. On its own day, the waters weren’t fully exposed—instead, they intertwined, merging and sweetening each other. The light from the first day stands as the primary light of all six days. This light was associated with fire, as it says, “The light of Yisrael shall be for a fire” (Yeshayahu 10:17). The light of Yisrael, from the right side, was interwoven with fire.
The first day among the six was water, yet it didn’t act like water—it performed as light, tied to fire, which corresponds to the second day. This illustrates that Hashem created the world for peace, and everything was aligned with peace. The first day’s actions were carried out from the side of its counterpart. On the second day, the craftsman worked within the first day’s framework, each functioning within the other’s domain to show their interconnectedness. The third day blended both the first and second, and that’s why it says twice, “Ki tov” (it was good).
Techeiles and Its Colors
Techeiles is tied to the second day, dyed in two colors—red and black. Its redness stems directly from the second day, resembling fire. This represents Elokim. From this red hue, the color of gold emerges, all blending into one unified color. Techeiles originates from this red, but as it descends, the red withdraws, and it merges into the sea, adopting the techeiles hue. The redness fades in the sea, weakening, and techeiles takes over. This too represents Elokim, though not as intensely as before.
The Black Hue
The black color arises from the inner layer of that redness. As the red melts and weakens below, it mixes with filth. From this mixture, a strong, impure red surfaces. From that impurity, the color transitions into black. Everything traces back to the original redness. All of this was formed on the second day and is called “Elokim acheirim” (other gods).
This black is intensely dark, nearly indistinguishable as a color due to its depth. The Holy Lamp (Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) said: Where was this black dyed? When the redness merged into techeiles, the colors mixed. The inner filth sank into the depths, becoming mud and mire, as it says, “Its waters cast up mud and mire” (Yeshayahu 57:20). From this deep filth emerged a darkness that became black. And it wasn’t just black—it was superlatively dark, as it says, “Darkness upon the face of the deep” (Bereishis 1:2). Why is it called darkness? Because its color darkens, casting a shadow over creation. This intertwining of red and black explains why it doesn’t say “ki tov” on the second day.
