Menachot 79

תנו רבנן סדין בציצית ב"ש פוטרין וב"ה מחייבין והלכה כדברי ב"ה

Our Rabbis taught: A linen garment is, according to Beth Shammai, exempt from zizith;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is even forbidden to wear a linen garment that is provided with fringes on account of the prohibition of diverse kinds, linen and wool, which prohibition is not waived even for the performance of the law of zizith.');">¹</span> but Beth Hillel declare it liable.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the prohibition of diverse kinds is waived by the precept of zizith, this being inferred by reason of the juxtaposition of the two texts; cf. Deut. XXII, 11 and 12.');">²</span>

א"ר אליעזר ב"ר צדוק והלא כל המטיל תכלת בירושלים אינו אלא מן המתמיהין

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?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But it is not forbidden, thus contrary to Beth Shammai's view. Aliter: it causes amazement by reason of the flagrant transgression of the law, thus R. Eliezer b. R. Zadok is in conflict with Beth Hillel.');">³</span>

אמר רבי א"כ למה אסרוה לפי שאין בקיאין

Rabbi said, If that is so, why did they forbid it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since it is not forbidden in law, why did Beth Shammai impose the restriction? Aliter: since Beth Hillel's view was accepted as the law, why should it create amazement in Jerusalem?');">⁴</span> Because people are not versed in the law.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And if it were permitted to wear diverse kinds in pursuance of the precept of zizith people might forget about the precept and would wear diverse kinds in all circumstances.');">⁵</span>

אמר ליה רבא בר רב חנא לרבא ולרמו בי עשרה ונפקו לשוקא ומפרסמא למילתא כל שכן דמתמהו עילון

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!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the prohibition of diverse kinds is waived only in pursuance of the precept of zizith.');">⁶</span> People will wonder at it all the more.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That pious men should be wearing garments of diverse kinds, wool and linen. ikht tke ,kf,');">⁷</span>

ולידרשא בפירקא גזירה משום קלא אילן

Then let it be announced at the public lecture! - It is to be feared that people will use imitation blue.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' , a vegetable blue dye, probably indigo, being an imitation of the genuine blue which is 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.');">⁸</span> But it is no worse than if it were white!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The threads dyed with this imitation blue should be regarded as though not dyed at all, and it has been established that in the absence of blue threads ordinary white woollen threads may be used in their stead.');">⁹</span>

ולא יהא אלא לבן כיון דאפשר במינן לא

- Since one could use threads of the same material [as the garment], it is not [allowed to do otherwise];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since genuine blue is unobtainable and in its place white threads are used, it is proper to use those threads which are 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.');">¹⁰</span> 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,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By carrying out the positive precept without at the same time transgressing the prohibition, as here by attaching white threads of linen as fringes in a linen garment.');">¹¹</span>

כדריש לקיש דאמר ריש לקיש כל מקום שאתה מוצא עשה ולא תעשה אם אתה יכול לקיים את שניהם מוטב ואם לאו יבוא עשה וידחה את לא תעשה

well and good, otherwise let the positive precept come and override the negative one. But it can be examined,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Every blue thread can be subjected to a test so as to ascertain whether the blue dye is genuine or imitation; v. infra 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.');">¹²</span>

וליבדקוה אלא גזירה משום טעימה

can it not? - Rather we apprehend that it may have been used for testing.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This thread of blue may be the testing thread, i.e., the thread that was dipped into the pan of dye in order to ascertain 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.');">¹³</span> But it can be announced on public notices,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Notifying all dyers that the testing thread may not be used in a garment. And according to the second interpretation: notifying all dyers that the quantity taken for the test may not be poured back into the pan.');">¹⁴</span>

וליכתבה אדיסקי אדיסקי ליקום וליסמוך אמר רבא השתא

can it not? - And are we to rely upon public notices?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Some people may ignore these notices, either through inadvertence or deliberately.');">¹⁵</span> Whereupon Raba said, If