Shouldn’t we use a tallit with the purple thread.
Answer:
This is a delicate issue that many have addressed in recent years, and focuses around two questions: 1) Is there clear scientific proof that the techeiles used for the dye is the Torah-true form; 2) Given the answer to (1), is there enough justification to obligate wearing techeiles.
Many rabbis who look into the matter actually do become convinced, and some even begin to wear the techeiles. The general “excuse” for not looking into the sugya is that we don’t see that the gedolim did so, which is rather a weak answer to a good question.
The great majority of the observant community, and certainly the Chareidi community (including its leading rabbis), continues to refrain from wearing techeiles, but the numbers are increasing. Recently Rav Asher Weiss shlita published a lengthy Teshuvah explaining the reason why there is no obligation to wear the modern techeiles; see the second volume of Shut Minchas Asher. Some have written extensively on this, too – please see comments here.
Best wishes.
I’m really sorry to say, but Rav Asher Weiss Shlita’s teshuvos in Minchas Asher volume 2, although lengthy, are far from convincing, anyone who knows anything about the Murex would realize that it is clear that he did not really take the issue very seriously.
After wondering for a few years [since the teshuva was written and privately circulating (I was from the first to see it)] how such a great Gaon like HaRav Weiss Shlita was able to write such a disturbing teshuva. Recently, I heard that it was done under the influence of some of his closest talmidim, who had a serious agenda against techeiles.
While your comment is certainly not deserving of a response, I am writing this because it is deserving of a מחאה.
Aside from poor scholarship, misreading of sources, arguing on Rishonim and more, the most glaring weakness in the proponents of Murex’s argument is the very nature of their debate.
Why can’t they ever just stick to the point: the Halachic and Talmudic back and forth. There have been many debates in the annals of our history, some very hotly debated. But I never saw Rebbe Akiva Eiger write a comment like yours. Not one iota of Torah, just a personal attack on one of the leading Poskim of our generation. But even that was not enough. Now you also have a pshat, he was mislead by agenda seeking Talmidim. What is their agenda? Maybe they own stock in a white string factory…
From his tshuvos it is clear that Rav Weiss was one of the very few, who actually approached this sugya with an open mind, exploring it from the halachic and Talmudic sources. It is because of this and his closeness to many who wear [or used to…] tcheiles that his tshuvos have had the major impact they did. His analyzation is clear and to the point. You think it’s debatable? SO DEBATE IT! Leave the attacks, rechilus, sheker [your comment is a mix of all 3] etc. in the laboratory and out of the Beis Medrash. והאמת והשלום אהבו
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