Menachot

Our Rabbis taught: A linen garment is, according to Beth Shammai, exempt from zizith;1 but Beth Hillel declare it liable.2 The halachah is in accordance with Beth Hillel. R. Eliezer son of R. Zadok said, Is it not a fact that any one in Jerusalem who attaches blue threads [to his linen garment] causes amazement?3 Rabbi said, If that is so, why did they forbid it?4 Because people are not versed in the law.5 Raba son of R. Hanan said to Raba, Then let ten people insert it and let them go about in the market place and so the law will be made known to all!6 People will wonder at it all the more.7 Then let it be announced at the public lecture! — It is to be feared that people will use imitation blue.8 But it is no worse than if it were white!9 — Since one could use threads of the same material [as the garment], it is not [allowed to do otherwise];10 this being in accordance with Resh Lakish's view, for Resh Lakish said, Wherever you find a positive precept and a negative precept [in opposition], if you can possibly observe both,11 well and good, otherwise let the positive precept come and override the negative one. But it can be examined,12 can it not? — Rather we apprehend that it may have been used for testing.13 But it can be announced on public notices,14 can it not? — And are we to rely upon public notices?15 Whereupon Raba said, If kinds, linen and wool, which prohibition is not waived even for the performance of the law of zizith. juxtaposition of the two texts; cf. Deut. XXII, 11 and 12. transgression of the law, thus R. Eliezer b. R. Zadok is in conflict with Beth Hillel. accepted as the law, why should it create amazement in Jerusalem? precept and would wear diverse kinds in all circumstances. obtained from the blood of a mollusc. Now the prohibition of diverse kinds is waived only when woollen threads dyed with genuine blue are used, but not when they are dyed with imitation blue. that in the absence of blue threads ordinary white woollen threads may be used in their stead. of the same material as the garment, thus avoiding any clashing between precepts and obviating the one overriding the other; so that only white threads of linen may be used as fringes in a linen garment. white threads of linen as fringes in a linen garment. 42b. According to another interpretation given in Rashi, the purchaser of the blue thread can inspect the dye in the pan of the dyer in order to ascertain whether the dye is genuine or not. whether the dye had reached its proper strength and consistency, and it may not be inserted in a garment, for it is essential that the dyeing of the thread be prepared specifically for the purpose of zizith and not for testing purposes. According to the second interpretation (v. prec. n.): the inspection is of no avail, for the dyer may have drawn off a small quantity so as to test its colour and then have poured it back into the pan, which action renders the entire contents of the pan invalid for the zizith. notifying all dyers that the quantity taken for the test may not be poured back into the pan.