Posted on 01/03/2014 9:49:33 AM PST by null and void
Edited on 01/03/2014 9:51:09 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
An Israeli researcher says she has identified a nearly 2,000-year old textile that may contain a mysterious blue dye described in the Bible, one of the few remnants of the ancient color ever found.
Naama Sukenik of Israel's Antiquities Authority said Tuesday that recent examination of a small woolen textile discovered in the 1950s found that the textile was colored with a dye from the Murex trunculus, a snail researchers believe was the source of the Biblical blue.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificcomputing.com ...
This is just some guy’s opinion, and not the first time ‘tekhelet’ has been “identified”. It isn’t accepted by most Jewish religious scholars.
Whenever I read about stuff like this I am always amazed as to who was the first one that came up with the idea. “Hey - lets see if this snail stuff can be used to dye with!” But I suppose back then they would experiment with everything to make the most use of it as they could.
Would the use of something like a snail violate any of the food laws? Or can the Jews still use such things as long as it isn’t for food? (Like they can’t eat pork - but can play football!?)
The prohibition against sea creatures that lack scales and fins is focused on deriving any nourishment from it. You can touch, etc, just not eat it.
Interesting!
Thanks! Lots of toxic stuff can build up in those snails, clams, etc.
Another special color was purple. Lydia in the Bible is described as the “seller of purple” which was a color produced for royalty.
I actually visited the guy who ran Beged `Ivrit when I visited Jerusalem for a week over fifteen years ago.
However, I believe most Gedolim have rejected the dye used by Beged as the correct dye, which is why most Jews still don't wear it.
In Jerusalem there a lot that wear techelet elect every day. All the talit shops have it.
Mostly Breslovers.
LOL.
Interesting, but it leaves a lot of questions unanswered..will be an good study though.
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