Judaica Store Blog

There are two commandments in the Torah addressing the color of tzitzis. One mentions attaching white fringes to the corners of a four-cornered garment, while the other completely independent commandment mentions a thread of techelet to each corner.

While many talit-wearing Jews have little issue with the white string, the idea of the techelet string has caused a bit of controversy.

The chilazon, an aquatic or semi-aquatic organism, was responsible for providing the blood used to create the blue dye on the techelet thread. However, at some point in the history of the Jewish people, the identity of the chilazon was forgotten.

Since the information is no longer guaranteed, many rabbinical scholars wear only white tzitzit, because it would be unacceptable to wear blue thread if it’s not really techelet. However, many have attempted to discover the identity of the chilazon.

Rabbi Gershon Henoch Leiner (1839-1891), for example, believed the cuttlefish was the chilazon, and he therefore produced dye from that fish for his tzitzit.

Currently, however, the majority of Jewish communities fear the uncertainty of the chilazons identity, and therefore prefer to wear strictly white fringes. The assumption is that during the coming of the Messiah, Elijah will reveal the identity of the actual chilazon.

Until that point, tzitzis will continue to be seen with both white and blue dyed threads.